Uh oh. There’s a problem with one of your production lines that you haven’t seen before. Someone has to fix it, and fast. Let’s grab the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and get out there.
In the world of manufacturing, efficiency, safety, and quality are key. That’s why SOPs are so crucial. They're documented instructions that spell out exactly how processes should be done, removing the guesswork for everyone. They are the official reference for workers who are motivated to maintain consistency, quality, and efficiency as they perform their assigned duties.
But wait — do you know where your SOPs are? Of course you do; they’re in the facilities office … somewhere. But are they complete? Are they up to date? Do you have the one you need to help you fix this situation? And if your SOPs are digital, do you know where they’re stored on the server? Do you have the right access credentials? Can you pull them up easily on the shop floor?
If you can't confidently answer any of these questions, you might be underestimating how important SOPs are. Keep reading to learn about their benefits, what goes into creating them, and resources that can help make yours useful.
Benefits of Using Manufacturing SOPs
While most companies have SOPs, many don't appreciate their importance and may not keep them up to date, organized, and easily accessible. Why not? Because paperwork isn't much fun and is often considered nonessential when there’s “real work” calling for their time and attention. SOPs can easily fall into the category of “Gray Work” and can wind up overlooked or not given the attention they deserve.
But here’s the thing: SOPs are important for keeping your product quality and consistency in check when doing repetitive manufacturing tasks. If your customers — or potential customers — want to audit your processes, they may want to see that you have well-maintained and up-to-date SOPs. This documentation can show that your plant follows standard practices and processes, which helps build trust in the products they buy from you.
SOPs are also a key resource when you need to improve processes, cut costs, upgrade quality, increase efficiency, or reduce waste. And by the way, as these things change, the SOPs need to change, too. Outdated SOPs aren't doing your team or your plant any good.
Remember that your industry, customers, and even regulatory groups expect you to have complete and accurate documentation if you want to win their business. In many cases, regulatory compliance audits include a review and validation of SOPs. Vendor certification often hinges on how well you keep up with your paperwork and follow procedures.
If you ever find yourself facing a product recall, SOPs are crucial for figuring out what went wrong and fixing the issue so you can get back to production quickly. It’s important to know if you're following the correct procedures. Even if you are, is there something in those procedures that could be causing the problem? You might need to tweak them or add some safeguards to help prevent the same issue from happening again in the future.
Key Parts of a Manufacturing SOP
When you bring in new equipment or set up a new process, a lot of the info you need for the SOP is usually in the project documentation from the purchase or implementation team. You'll probably need to add some specifics about how you're using that equipment or process in your plant and the procedures for each product that uses them.
A standard operating procedure should be organized like this:
- Title and scope
- Purpose and objectives
- Materials and equipment
- Step-by-step instructions
- Safety precautions
- Quality control measures
- Monitoring and review procedures
How to Develop Effective SOPs in Manufacturing
Whether you're creating a new SOP or revising an old one, use a structured approach. In general, follow these steps:
- Identify the processes to be documented.
- Gather input from stakeholders — engineers, designers, marketers (yes, they're stakeholders as representatives of the customer requirements and expectations), workers, supervisors that will be following/using the procedure, and folks on your quality, maintenance, and (possibly) finance teams.
- Create a draft and have the stakeholders review it.
- Implement and train employees.
- Monitor, evaluate, and adjust as needed.
Tools to Help You Create SOPs
Most companies have project management expertise and experience to tap into when creating SOPs. But many don’t recognize that documentation, like any process improvement or new implementation, can actually be treated like a project itself — and they don’t use the tools they already have. Everyday project management software, advanced word processing, and digital collaboration tools can be helpful in developing SOPs.
If your SOP development skills are rusty, you can find plenty of project management training programs and certifications out there, including options from the Project Management Institute. You can also find project management consultants, along with documentation and SOP development specialists, at many system implementation and management consulting firms.
Lastly, the most useful SOP templates might just be the documentation your equipment vendors provided.
Get Your SOPs in Order
SOPs are often a must-have and always a good idea, especially if you're aiming to become a certified supplier for government or regulated industrial clients.
Having accurate, complete, and up-to-date SOPs is important for any process improvement or quality management efforts. They give you the info you need to troubleshoot manufacturing issues, tackle quality problems, and respond to product recalls or failures. And they're a good resource for training new staff or employees taking on new responsibilities.
Yes, getting control of your process documentation and SOPs takes time and effort. But not having them in order can cost far more in production problems and delays, quality issues, business losses due to failing a certification audit, and more.
Seriously, take a step back and give your company’s SOPs an honest look. Make a plan to get them into shape so they can better serve your business and your customers and satisfy any regulatory folks who may decide to check in.
