Introduction

Modern technology is making all industries operate more smoothly in a cost effective way.  This case study focuses on Triumph Ceramics (Triumph) that faced challenges with its traditional fingerprint-based biometric attendance system and successfully implemented out TORK- facial recognition-based attendance system.

The transition from the regular fingerprint based attendance to facial recognition based attendance, TORK helped maintain Triumph Ceramics, a ceramic manufacturing company carry out their employee management smoothly and this resulted in a major cost saving for the company.

Background

Triumph Ceramics, a well-established industry leader in the field of ceramics. Hailed as market leader and an expert in ceramic manufacturing, Triumph employs both white collared and blue-collared employees.
Triumph Ceramics has 2 units of operations, 1st is their Head Office, located in Kolkata, which takes care of the major administrative, operations, sales and marketing activities, 2nd is their manufacturing unit, located some 200 kms away in Asansol. The total employee strength of the organization is around 2500 with 70% of the employees works in their manufacturing plant, with a mix bag of white collared and blue collared employees.

The remaining 30% including the directors of the company attends the Head office with occasional visits to the manufacturing plant.  Triumph had been using a fingerprint-based attendance system for several years. This system required employees to place their fingers on a scanner to mark their attendance. However, the organization began experiencing several issues that affected its productivity and payroll accuracy.

Challenges with the Fingerprint-Based System

Accuracy Issues:

The fingerprint system faces an accuracy problems, especially during adverse weather conditions or when employees had wet or dirty hands. This led to frequent discrepancies in attendance records, causing frustration among both employees and management.

Another major issue faced when personnels visited the manufacturing unit from head office. As these personnels’ biometric details were not registered with manufacturing units’ biometric device, they had to mark their visit manually by signing registers. These lead to major manipulation of the entries.

Inefficiency:

The process of scanning fingerprints was time-consuming, leading to long queues during clock-in and clock-out times. This inefficiency impacted the overall productivity of the manufacturing unit.

As the manufacturing unit works on shifts, a large number of the workforce gathers to mark their attendance during the beginning of their shifts, resulting in long queues. Despite turning on time, due to long queues employees end up marking their attendance post their stipulated time resulting in a loss of work hours and productivity.

Costly Maintenance:

Maintaining the fingerprint-based system involved regular cleaning and servicing to maintain accuracy. This incurred additional maintenance costs and downtime.

The Solution: Implementing Facial Recognition-Based Attendance System- TORK

Recognizing the need for a more efficient and accurate attendance system, Triumph decided to transition to a facial recognition-based solution. Perhaps they intended to implement such a solution that could capture the attendance of the employees at one go while they are moving in or out of factory premises. One camera to capture the attendance of the entire staff.

Triumph contacted Softweb Technologies, whose application TORK has been successfully implemented across major manufacturing units capturing attendance and preparing payrolls integrated with existing Human Resource Management Solution (HRMS). TORK- a facial recognition based (computer vision) attendance software with geo tagging feature, helps employees mark their attendance from anywhere through their mobile, hassle-free.

Installation and Integration

Softweb Technologies, to seamlessly implement TORK in Triumph’s both units, installed 2 cameras at the entry and exit gates of the unit, capable of viewing every face prominently. For its Kolkata Head Office employees, the software was installed with all employees’ smartphone who has to visit manufacturing plant at times software and employee database. This process required minimal downtime and disruption to daily operations.

The manufacturing unit was capable of registering the attendance of their employees in no time. As the employees entered the premises, their attendance was automatically registered through their faces. For visiting personnel, TORK was installed in their smartphones, with autorised employee Id and Name.

Employee Training

To ensure a smooth transition, Softweb Technologies alongwith Triumph conducted training sessions for employees for TORK. They were educated on how to use the facial recognition system effectively. Proper location of camera alongwith software installation support was also provided from Softweb Technologies.

Results and Benefits

The implementation of the facial recognition-based attendance system yielded several positive outcomes:

1. Enhanced Accuracy: TORK significantly improved attendance accuracy. Even in challenging environmental conditions, such as low light or rain, the system consistently identified employees with high precision. TORK with geo-tagging feature also helped the visiting employees in manufacturing unit or head office to mark their attendance accurately along with proper time in or outside the factory premises.

2. Increased Efficiency: The new system streamlined the clock-in and clock-out process, eliminating long queues and reducing wait times. This boost in efficiency translated into increased productivity on the manufacturing floor. The employees didn’t had to stand in long queues to register their attendance, and they were not late for their reporting time, maintaining the production efficiency.

3. Cost Savings: The manufacturing unit saved substantial costs by eliminating the need for constant maintenance and cleaning associated with the fingerprint-based system. The entire process was effectively streamlined with the help of cameras and software installation This allowed the organization to reallocate resources more effectively.

Improved Employee Satisfaction: Employees appreciated the ease of use and reliability of the facial recognition system. The reduction in inaccuracies also led to improved trust between employees and management.

Conclusion

Triumph Ceramics’ decision to transition from a fingerprint-based attendance system to TORK- facial recognition-based one proved to be a game-changer. TORK resolved accuracy issues, increased efficiency, reduced costs, and enhanced employee satisfaction. This successful implementation serves as a testament to the importance of embracing modern technology to overcome challenges and optimize operations in manufacturing and other industries. Softweb Technologies successfully digitized and automated the operations for Triumph Ceramics.