How can production employees be deployed in the electrical industry?

The electrical industry developed with the industrial revolution that took place at the end of the 19th century. It is divided into two main areas. The first is electrical appliance manufacturing and the second is power supply. These areas are further subdivided into batteries, plant engineering, electric vehicles, batteries and much more.

In terms of the number of employees in the electrical industry, this industrial sector is the second largest industrial sector in Germany after mechanical and plant engineering. In 2020, its turnover amounted to 10% of total industrial turnover in Germany.

Of course, this also means that there is a huge and varied field of activity for production employees. This begins with the operation of machines, continues with assembly and reaches its logical climax with logistics.

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What are the tasks for production employees in the electrical industry?industry?

In the various areas of application, the factory workers many different tasks. These differ in detail depending on the company and the position, but there are also commonalities that can be generalised. This results in these specific areas of responsibility:

• The assembly: This is where production employees assemble components, parts and circuits. This is done either at various stations or along conveyor belts using manual labour or machines.
• The operation of machines: Production is carried out using various machines and systems. These have to be controlled and operated. They also have to be loaded, cleaned and maintained.
• Quality control: Of course, quality control must also be carried out in the electrical industry. This is all the more important as the handling of electricity harbours considerable risks. Accordingly, the production employees here must check conscientiously and ensure that the materials comply with the specifications, that production is carried out in accordance with the regulations and that the products fulfil the requirements.
• The logistics: A warehouse is required for production. This must be stocked. Products must be packed and goods and materials must be transported.
• The preparationThe production employees have to prepare the various materials that are used in production. This means that they cut, punch, bend and otherwise produce the material needed for production.
• CleaningAfter the shift, the work areas, tools and machines have to be cleaned. This is also a task for the production employees.

Where do the production employees work?

From this multitude of tasks, it is easy to see that the job of a production employee is very varied. They are employees in the company, helpers in production and are needed in all areas. They support the production of goods, safety in the factory and ensure customer satisfaction and safety.

Production workers are always active where machines and computers are overwhelmed with production. This makes them the flexible links between the production steps. They also control the machines and computers and are therefore also active where the systems themselves take over production.

They also prepare the materials and pack the end products. In between, there are all the logistics associated with the warehouse and production, such as loading the machines.

What is the difference between a production worker and a production assistant?

In practice, the terms "production employee" and "production assistant" are often used interchangeably. However, there are differences between the two. For example, production assistants are usually unskilled workers who are used for simpler tasks. However, when it comes to more complex tasks, such as the assembly of complicated objects, specialised training is often a prerequisite. This is then carried out by production employees with the appropriate qualifications. In addition to their training, they are usually also characterised by corresponding experience.

What are the requirements for working as a production employee in the electrical industry?

Generally speaking, production employees do not need any training. Even unskilled workers can easily be employed as production assistants or for simpler tasks in general. However, if you want to do more than just simple labour, you should have some manual dexterity and practical skills. It is even better if Technical knowledge available and relevant experience has already been gained in advance.

If these requirements are met, it is easier to familiarise yourself with the tasks involved. However, it is also possible to find a job without experience or training. In this case, however, it will take longer to familiarise yourself with the job so that the simplest tasks have to be carried out first. If these are satisfactorily fulfilled, higher challenges can then be tackled.

Those who can demonstrate further training in the trades and industry have even better prospects. Careers and opportunities for advancement are available here. In addition, further training and specialisations increase these opportunities and salaries even further.

In the electrical industry, as everywhere else, production usually involves working in shifts. Accordingly, an employee in this area must also be flexible and able to work under pressure.

The work itself is also rather physically demanding. In order to be able to cope with them, the production employees must also be in good physical shape. However, this also has its advantages. For example, stress, night work and shift work bring certain bonuses that are quickly reflected in the bank account.

What are the opportunities on the labour market as a production employee in the electrical industry?

Production workers are also in demand in the electrical industry. This applies both with and without completed training. Career changers are also welcome here. With an interest in technology and a certain basic understanding, it is always easy to find a job.

This also requires a willingness to work in shifts and not shy away from stressful situations. In addition, applicants must be able to work conscientiously and with an awareness of quality. Further knowledge, training and specialisation all increase the chances of getting a job. They also have a positive influence on salary prospects.

How are production employees deployed in the assembly of electronic components?

The assembly of electronic components in particular is an important area of application for production employees. The exact deployment here depends on the type of components, the desired productivity and the required quality. The work is organised accordingly. It can be carried out completely manually, with the use of tools and with the help of machines.

In manual assembly, the production employees prepare the assemblies according to the specifications and drawings. They then assemble them according to the instructions and make the necessary connections. This often requires the use of circuits. During preparation, they adjust the components as necessary and then insert them in such a way that they produce the corresponding circuits.

In machine assembly, assembly takes place within automated processes. This is where the production employees operate the machines. They load them or the machines that are intended for loading. They ensure that production runs smoothly. They also carry out the necessary maintenance and adjust the systems.

During ongoing production, they ensure that the manufactured products are of the required quality. They monitor the components and circuits that are completed. They check them for faults and rectify them where necessary. They also reset the machines to avoid future errors.

What do the production employees do as part of quality control?

As part of quality control, they check the components and circuits. This includes visual inspections as well as functional checks. They monitor the processes and find ways to improve their efficiency.

To be employed in assembly, production employees must have the necessary skills and knowledge. You can find out exactly what these are in the job advertisement. The company also ensures that the employees entrusted with assembly have exactly the skills and knowledge required. This may also mean that, as part of an application, candidates must prove that they can carry out the tasks as required.

How is the safety of the manufactured devices guaranteed?

The companies are responsible for ensuring that the finished appliances fulfil all requirements. The requirements result from the legal regulations and the customer's order. In plain language, this means that they must be suitable for the intended and described use, as requested by the customer. In addition, they must be safe, as required by law.

To ensure that the finished appliances pose no danger and fulfil the customer's requirements, an appliance test is carried out at the end of production. Three test procedures are used for this: visual inspection, functional testing and measurement. This ensures that the devices function properly and do not pose any safety risks even after delivery to the customer.

The appliance test determines proper function and safety. The aim is to identify all defects and faults that could lead to negative consequences later on. These include accidents, fires or electric shocks. Particularly in view of the seriousness of the consequences of defects and faults, the appliance tests must be carried out very carefully. Another purpose is to extend the service life of the appliances. Expensive breakdowns should also be avoided.

How does the appliance test work?

The first step in the inspection process is a visual inspection. This involves recognising external damage that indicates improper assembly or even accidents, such as components being dropped. If faults are already present here, the appliance is returned if they indicate too great a risk for the subsequent tests.

The second step is the functional test. This determines whether the devices are functioning correctly. The main aim here is to recognise whether the products can be used for the task intended by the customer.

The measurements are taken in the third step. This involves safety values such as the protective conductor resistance, the insulation resistance and the leakage current. The aim is to determine whether the devices can still be used safely at a later date. If there are minor deviations here, it can be concluded what risks exist in the future and whether the device needs to be discarded.

The production employees who carry out the tests must fulfil certain requirements. This includes either being qualified as an electrician or having acquired the relevant electrical knowledge through their experience. In the latter case, the production employees are then under the supervision of a qualified electrician.

Device testing is essential following installation. It is about user safety, recognising sources of danger and complying with legal regulations. It also prevents or at least minimises claims for damages against the company.

What are the tasks of production employees in packaging and dispatch preparation in the electrical industry?

Even within the electrical industry, packaging and preparation for dispatch are work steps that are of great importance. The first step is to ensure protection against external influences. This starts with soiling and culminates in protection against damage.

But that is by no means all. Not only would damage jeopardise the safety of users, there is also the special case of electrostatic discharge. The packaging must also protect against this.

This requires conscientious packaging and dispatch preparation. The production staff must select the right packaging materials that provide suitable protection and preferably at low cost. The parcels must also be correctly labelled and the shipment must be secured.

Packaging therefore has several functions that production employees have to fulfil with it.

• It must protect the contents from shocks, vibrations and moisture. This applies to transport as well as storage.
• ESD foams and films must be incorporated into the packaging in such a way that they do not impair its protection against damage. At the same time, they must be able to prevent static discharges. This is particularly important for sensitive electronics.
• The packaging must also fulfil a storage function. This means that they must be designed in such a way that they are suitable for stacking and for matching the dimensions with the containers for storage.
• Then there is the presentation function. The packaging must support the attractiveness of the product and lead to a positive purchase decision whenever possible.

This results in several tasks for the production employees:

• First of all, you need to choose the right materials for the packaging. Depending on the case and device, this can be foam, plastic, cardboard, corrugated cardboard or even metal.
• Labels must be attached to ensure adequate labelling. These in turn must show the correct information. This includes the address of the recipient, the supplier, the weight of the entire parcel and its volume.
• A fuse is also required for the packaging. This is particularly the case if the product inside is smaller than the interior of the packaging. It can then slip and be damaged during transport. To prevent this, the production staff work with filling materials. You can also use tapes and stretch film to secure the goods inside the packaging.
• Depending on the weight and size of the consignment, it may also be necessary to palletise the parcels. This means that they are stacked on pallets and then secured on these. This makes them easier to move later with forklift trucks and transport vehicles.

The production staff must also select the correct shipping method for dispatch. This depends on the transport route, the urgency of the delivery and the requirements of the company and the customer.

What work is there for production employees in quality assurance in the electrical industry?

We have already mentioned quality assurance for device inspection in the context of production, but it also takes on other tasks for production as a whole. It is always important to bear in mind that it is also of particular importance in the electrical industry. The aim here is to ensure that even non-professionals can later use the manufactured devices safely and that they are suitable for the desired purposes.

Quality control must ensure that the goods meet the standards in terms of safety and customer requirements. It also monitors the processes to ensure that the necessary quality is maintained at every stage and that no errors or carelessness creep in.

To cover all of this, quality control begins with the suppliers. It then continues through the production processes and even reaches the fully packaged end product. All of this serves to ensure safety, reliability and customer satisfaction.

What are the core tasks in quality assurance?

The Temporary Supplier management is therefore the first core task of quality assurance. This is where it is checked that the materials and components are delivered in sufficient quantities at the right time. The production employees in quality control also ensure that the materials and components are of the contractually agreed quality and that they can be used for production.

In the production, the production employees monitor the processes used to manufacture the parts and end products as part of quality assurance. The aim is to ensure that all materials and assemblies provided are processed as completely as possible. This is about efficiency and therefore reducing costs. It is also important to recognise and reduce errors that can creep into the processes as early as possible. This also increases efficiency and ensures that the end products can achieve the desired quality.

Another core task is the Testing the product quality. To do this, the production employees in quality control take samples and check whether they meet the specifications for the parts in the respective section of production. This applies both in terms of dimensions and functionality. For this purpose, separate specifications are defined for each section of production, which are used for testing.

The Ensuring the quality of the end product is a core task of quality assurance. A so-called final inspection is defined for this purpose. It serves to validate that the product fulfils the customer's wishes and specifications before packaging. Only then is it prepared for dispatch.

Quality management is also a core task of quality assurance along with all inspections. This means that employees introduce systems that help to ensure and simplify continuous quality control by recording all data. The aim is to continuously improve quality and its control at the same time.

Which methods and techniques are used for quality assurance?

The production employees use various methods and techniques for their quality assurance tasks.

• This begins with the inspection of deliveries. Here, the components and materials are inspected visually, with measurements or, if necessary, even a functional test directly on receipt. This is done in full or on a random basis.
• For process monitoring, there are clear descriptions and specifications according to which these processes must run. There are also quality control charts that can be used to easily compare how the actual results of the production stages meet the standards. The data can be analysed using statistical methods so that production employees can recognise whether the processes are stable or whether they need to be readjusted.
• Product testing is again carried out with a visual inspection, measurements and functional tests. Here, the information obtained is compared with the descriptions and tables provided to determine whether the products meet the standards.

So far, the work involved in quality assurance is relatively simple. The employees keep track of what is happening and record the data obtained in order to analyse it. However, things get interesting when errors and deviations occur. Then the production employees in this area are also tasked with reporting errors and managing the corrections.

How are the detected errors handled?

To this end, the errors and deviations identified are scrutinised more closely. It is important to identify the exact cause behind them. This allows measures to be proposed or initiated to avoid these errors in the future.

As part of this management, it is also important that the quality assurance employees train the manufacturing and production staff. This means that they prepare lessons based on their experience and impart the knowledge that the company's employees need to work more efficiently and reduce waste.

In the end, it always comes down to the goals for which the quality assurance employees are working. These are a reduction in rejects and complaints. In addition, the quality of the products must be improved while at the same time increasing efficiency in order to either increase productivity or reduce costs. Finally, it must also be ensured that the relevant laws are complied with. This is to avoid penalties or claims for damages and to increase safety for users.

Conclusion

There are a number of different areas of work for production employees in the electrical industry. These start with operating the machines, which also includes setting, cleaning and maintenance. They also load the systems, prepare the materials and components, clean the work areas, assemble by hand or with machines, pack and prepare for dispatch, and perform quality assurance.

Production workers can be deployed for more complex tasks, such as programming machines. Alternatively, as production assistants, they can also take on simpler tasks such as tidying up. Production workers can already work in companies without special training. However, there are also enough jobs for which training, further training or specialisation is required or at least desirable. Such training and work experience bring opportunities for promotion and a higher salary.

Employees are also urgently needed in the electrical industry. This means that jobs can easily be found for unskilled workers and career changers. They can then easily get to work in assembly or in packaging and dispatch preparation, for example.

High standards also apply to quality assurance. The use of currents is associated with risks. Therefore, high demands must be placed on the safety of the devices. In addition, customer requirements must also be met. To this end, the end products, the manufacturing processes and the materials and parts used are constantly scrutinised. This also serves to increase efficiency and reduce costs.