What are the ways to improve productivity in a machine shop?
Tips to identify common issues in your machine shop.
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Hello,
If you are running a machine shop / working in a machine shop, this post is for you.
Where to spot Improvement Projects in a Machine Shop?
In this post, I explain the common issues that affects the machine shops and also ways to improve the productivity.
High Set-up Time: This is one of the major contributors for poor productivity and Delivery Performance of the unit. In many units the changeover time for CNC Turning & Milling Centres are more than 3 hours. And many times, the team members just give up on the changeover time. They assume that it cannot be reduced further. There is also another myth that Quick Change-over is very costly (need high tech).
High WIP: High Setup times also increase the WIP, as people don’t do frequent changeovers (same setting runs for many days). So, WIP of one product builds up whereas other products would be in shortage.
Breakdown of Machines: Frequent break-downs of machines affecting the production. Abnormalities are not attended properly and this leads to breakdowns.
Minor Stoppages: Small Stoppages like Insert Changes, Adjustments, etc. also affect the output of the unit. Focus on reducing the small stoppages.
Transportation: Many machine shops in India, follow Process Layout - Grouping the machines according to the process. e.g. All the drilling machines are in a specific area; Turning centres are in another area, etc. This increases the transportation of the product. In addition, it creates the Batch Processing as the components cannot be processes in a Single Piece Flow. This also adds to the high WIP issue and increases the requirement for Material Handling Equipments for transportation.
How to solve these issues?
Use SMED / Quick Changeover techniques to reduce the Changeover time - We can easily reduce around 50% just by doing the External Activities, externally.
Breakdown of Machines - Use Preventive Maintenance & Autonomous Maintenance to reduce the breakdowns. Create Ownership of machines among the team members
Transportation - Can you create a Product Layout (arrange the machines according to the flow of the product)? This would enable continuous flow and reduce Transportation waste. You don't need large storage areas, bins, trolleys and other material handling equipment’s.
Minor Stoppages: Check if you are using the right tools? Can we use better tool which has more life and gives better finish?
Apart from these issues, there are other issues like Rejections and Reworks, Lack of proper planning, Supplier issues, etc. which are common to all industries.
Please share this post with your friends and colleagues.
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Cheers,
Ananth
Quotes of the week:
1. “without a standard, there is no logical basis for decision making and taking actions”. - Joseph M. Juran.
2. “Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement. if you can’t measure something, you can’t understand it. if you can’t understand it, you can’t control it. you can’t improve it”. - H. James Harrington.
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