Factory operations
Get every order out on time.
Ako follows every order through your plant using shift updates from your supervisors on WhatsApp. It spots breakdowns, short lines, late material and slipping dates early, and tells you what would get things back on track.
Share of orders dispatched on or before the due date each week
Machine hours lost each week
What you'd see three months in, using a sample auto components plant. Open Needs you and approve something.
Works on its own
It checks every order, every shift.
Supervisors send their shift updates to Ako on WhatsApp. Ako checks them against what each order needs, and tells you early when a delivery is at risk and what would fix it.
Good morning. 14 orders are due this week and 12 are on track. Order 4471 for OEM plant, Chakan is at risk because CNC 2 is down. 3 things are waiting for your OK.
Line 1 is 3 operators short this shift, and the BR-180 order for Chakan is due Friday. Line 3 is ahead of plan. Shall I ask Ramesh to move 2 operators from line 3 to line 1?
Yes
Ramesh moved them. Line 1 is back on plan and the Chakan order is on track for Friday.
Every shift
- Collects output, stoppages and attendance from supervisors on WhatsApp
- Checks each order's progress against its due date
- Alerts the plant head when a machine is down or a line is short of people
Every day
- Sends you a morning report: what shipped, what's behind and why
- Checks material has arrived for orders starting in the next few days
- Reminds dispatch about orders due tomorrow
Every week
- Lists the orders at risk and what would get them back on track
- Follows up on open repairs and preventive maintenance
- Sends you anything that needs your OK
Every month
- Reviews on-time delivery by customer, line and cause
- Shows you the machines and lines behind most delays
Orders
Know which orders are at risk days before they're due.
Ako follows every open order through each step in your plant. When a machine goes down or a line is short of people, it works out which orders that affects and what would get them back on track.
- Material
- Machining
- Plating
- Inspection
- Dispatch
CNC 2 is down until Thursday. At this rate machining finishes a day after the due date.
- Material
- Machining
- Plating
- Inspection
- Dispatch
Packed. Truck booked for Tuesday morning.
- Material
- Machining
- Plating
- Inspection
- Dispatch
1,200 parts are being re-plated after a peel defect. Ships 1 day late unless plating runs on Saturday.
- Material
- Machining
- Plating
- Inspection
- Dispatch
Castings arrived. Machining starts Monday.
- Material
- Machining
- Plating
- Inspection
- Dispatch
Castings from Shree Castings are 3 days late. Ako asked purchase for a new date.
| Order | Due | Material | Machining | Plating | Inspection | Dispatch | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4471 · OEM plant, Chakan BR-180 bracket × 8,000 | Oct 3 | At risk CNC 2 is down until Thursday. At this rate machining finishes a day after the due date. | |||||
4488 · Aftermarket BR-150 bracket × 2,500 | Sep 30 | On track Packed. Truck booked for Tuesday morning. | |||||
4502 · Tier 1 brake supplier HB-40 housing × 5,000 | Oct 6 | Late 1,200 parts are being re-plated after a peel defect. Ships 1 day late unless plating runs on Saturday. | |||||
4510 · OEM plant, Chakan BR-220 bracket × 3,000 | Oct 10 | On track Castings arrived. Machining starts Monday. | |||||
4515 · Aftermarket BR-150 bracket × 4,000 | Oct 14 | At risk Castings from Shree Castings are 3 days late. Ako asked purchase for a new date. |
What it does
The work it does for you.
It does the tracking and chasing that usually falls on your plant head, so they can spend their time fixing problems.
Tracks every order
Follows each order through every step in your plant and warns you days ahead when a due date is at risk.
Collects shift updates
Supervisors send output, stoppages and attendance on WhatsApp. Ako keeps it all in one place, so nobody has to chase them.
Watches your machines
Logs every breakdown and stoppage, tracks preventive maintenance and follows up until repairs are done.
Keeps lines staffed
Checks attendance every shift and suggests where to move people when a line is short.
Keeps dispatch on schedule
Reminds dispatch about what's due, and drafts updates to customers when a date changes.
Chases material
Checks that material for each order arrives before it's needed, and chases stores and purchase when it hasn't.
Your plant head still makes the calls on the floor. Ako makes sure they hear about problems early, with a fix ready.
Approvals
You decide what changes on the floor.
Ako does without asking
- Collecting shift updates from supervisors
- Tracking every order against its due date
- Alerting you about breakdowns, short lines and late material
- Reminding maintenance, stores, purchase and dispatch
- Daily and weekly reports
Ako asks you before
- Moving an order to another machine or line
- Moving people between lines or adding a shift
- Changing a delivery date
- Messaging a customer
You can approve from WhatsApp, Slack or the dashboard, and choose who on your team gets each kind of request.
Results
What to expect in the first three months.
On-time delivery improves as the causes of delays get fixed. This is the usual pattern.
Week 1
Supervisors send shift updates on WhatsApp, and you get a morning report on every open order.
Month 1
You hear about orders at risk days before they're due, with a suggested fix for each.
Months 2 to 3
Fewer surprises at dispatch. Downtime falls as repairs, maintenance and material stop slipping.
After that
Ako shows you which machines and lines cause the most delays, so you know where to spend.
Ako compared with WhatsApp groups and Excel, or an ERP.
| Ako | WhatsApp and Excel | ERP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shows where every order stands | |||
| Stays up to date without anyone typing it in | |||
| Warns you before a due date is missed | |||
| Suggests what would fix a delay | |||
| Follows up with people until it's done |
Common questions
How much does it cost?
It depends on how many orders, lines and people Ako works with each month. We'll go through it with you on the demo.
What do supervisors have to do?
Send a short update on WhatsApp at the end of each shift: output, stoppages and who's absent. A photo of the shift register works too. Ako asks if anything is missing.
Will it change our schedule on its own?
No. Ako suggests changes, like moving an order to another machine or adding a shift, and your plant head approves them.
Do we need to connect our ERP?
No. If you can export open orders and dispatch from your ERP, Ako uses them to keep its order list up to date. Otherwise it works from the order sheet you already keep.
What size of plant is it for?
Plants with a few lines up to a few hundred people, where orders, machines and shifts are tracked on WhatsApp, paper and Excel.