Planning for Source Data Automation in Government Industrial Activities: Coordination Needed

Source data automation techniques collect data in computer readable form at the point and time of an activity. The data are automatically transmitted to a central computer or intermediate storage device where it is recorded and analyzed. When properly applied in the industrial environment, source data automation can increase productivity through improved data timing and accuracy, improved production control, and reduced inventories. However, a source data automation installation can be expensive and its benefits, some of which are difficult to identify or measure, must be carefully weighed against the cost. The Department of Defense, with its complex of manufacturing and repair facilities and its large purchases from the private sector, would be a prime benefactor of properly applied source data automation.