Production efficiency is often an elusive nirvana for most manufacturers. Given how intertwined production processes are, it can be difficult to find solutions that work. It is, however, not impossible.
As with most other areas in life, technology could revolutionize your production plant. When applied properly, innovative tech solutions could raise your set up to your desired efficiency. Better yet, it could also cut a significant percentage of your operating costs.
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Let us explore some possibilities that may be worth your consideration.
Energy Management
You are probably tired of hearing about your carbon footprint and how your factory is ruining planet Earth. Nevertheless, you still can not neglect the energy efficiency of your factory or business. A quick look at your accounts will prove to you just how much energy bills are skimming off of your bottom line. Now, imagine how much you could save if you opted to run a better energy system?
Some solutions you could invest in include:
Production Capacity
When you produce below capacity, a lot of energy goes to waste. This is why most manufacturers have minimum order quantities. Still, sometimes small orders are what keep a business afloat. What to do? Opt for a flexible manufacturing setup. Where possible, have smaller production units to process small orders. Alternatively, you could stack up such orders and process them all together as a larger batch.
Upgrade Your Machinery
The older your machinery, the less likely it is that it has any energy-saving provisions. Similarly, as machines get more worn, they too develop system inefficiencies of their own. As a result, it may be time to opt for machinery that is more up to date. Modern equipment has energy ratings which indicate how efficient they are and what kind of consumption you can expect. Some models also come with control panels that can help you detect malfunctions and unusual power usage.
Smart Strips
Smart strips are similar to extension cables but they have additional features. They can be used to stop phantom power consumption by devices when they are not in use. Most models in the market are ideal for small appliances but you could consult manufactures for larger capacities.
Production Audits
Production inefficiencies often occur in 2 key areas; handling of raw materials or packaging of the finished product. In some instances, there is human error involved which can easily be corrected through training. However, sometimes, the system is the problem.
Take, for example, that you run a gas production company. If there are leaks in the system or inaccurate pressure measurements, the whole system would be unreliable. Both of these problems can be fixed by installing a more reliable all welded trunnion ball valve. The catch is, if you do not audit your systems, you will not know that you need a new valve. Meanwhile, you will be operating inefficiently and facing losses as well as dire risks.
Make an effort to audit your production processes regularly. Further, always seek the services of a professional production line auditor that is conversant with your sector. They would be better placed to recommend the latest and most suitable solutions in your industry.
Robotics
Human labor is irreplaceable. There are human nuances and traits that no advancements in artificial intelligence could ever achieve. Nevertheless, robots can be harnessed to augment human labor and tremendously improve output efficiency. Collaborative robots, in particular, are designed to optimally share workspaces with human staff. Some areas they can be employed in include:
Repetitive Tasks
Tasks such as picking, placing, and packaging products are not only exhausting they are also mind-numbing. The longer employees do them in a shift, the slower they get and the output rate declines. In contrast, if you were to use robots for these tasks you would have a consistent and higher rate of throughput.
Warehousing
Every production plant has to deal with inventory even temporarily before it is disbursed through the supply chain. You may not have caught on to it but inventory management is a common culprit when it comes to operational inefficiency.
After every production cycle, staff members often have to ensure that the complete products are packaged and carted away for storage. During dispatch, employees have to again find the required batches of products and load them for delivery. All these tasks are exhausting and take a lot of time which overall is the definition of inefficiency.
If you invested in warehouse robots, inventory management would be much easier and staff could focus on more worthwhile tasks. Pick and place robot arms could be used to carry inventory loads while automated guided vehicles could ferry merchandise whenever necessary. No more inventory backlogs or production delays as staff shuttle to and from the warehouse.
Working Conditions
Employees are the backbone of any production plant. They may not do everything by hand but they contribute physically or intellectually to each process. If the working conditions do not facilitate them to work comfortably, no amount of threats or monetary incentives will improve output.
Consider improvements such as:
- Improved ventilation
- Proper protective work attire
- Regular breaks
- Fair work shifts
When workers are in a conducive environment and are treated fairly, they are likely to perform better. The horrors of sweatshops should be enough of a reminder that profits should never supersede human dignity. Some kindness and fairness go a long way.
Conclusion
It would be impractical to hold out for a silver bullet solution to streamline your production processes. While different aspects of manufacturing are related, they can also be addressed individually. The trick is to make improvements in ways that do not impact downstream of upstream processes negatively.
