Performance Management
November 24, 2008 by samirshah
The manufacturing environment is quite complex with a large number of processes involved, combined with teams of individuals, possibly across multiple shifts and different functions. To ensure that the various processes are on track, there are a number of measures applied. These are possibly reviewed at various intervals to ensure that they are on track. If management of these measures is not frequent and ongoing then there will definitely be a steady decline in results.
To effectively manage a manufacturing facility a number of different approaches can be taken. The results achieved will be proportional to three factors, namely:
- Information - that identifies current losses
- Focus - the amount of time spent understanding and formulating decisions
- Actions - that target resolution of the underlying losses
Therefore I.F. you ACT you get RESULTS whereby (Information x Focus) x Actions = Results
Regular performance management reviews (up to 24 hours) need to take place to focus on reacting to what is happening and ensuring that the team and engineers are focusing on the current biggest issues. The strategic reviews, usually weekly, are about targeting continuous and incremental improvements, identifying trends and patterns and tackling root cause and cause of cause issues.
The management of performance is reliant on good quality data to identify the greatest losses and possible solutions. The measures that enable identification of the greatest losses are:
1. Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and The Six Big Losses (Breakdowns, Planned downtime, Minor stops, Speed, Quality in process, Quality on start up)
2. Machine downtime - split down by major stops and minor stops, Mean time between failure (MTBF) and individual equipment faults
3. Waste (quality losses) by machine area
This data could be collected manually and put into Excel (or similar), however the ultimate, is to have electronically collected pinpoint accurate data that is available in real time, from each machine. This data can then be analysed and displayed on the shop floor, in team meeting rooms, in fact anywhere in the manufacturing facility. A tool that does this extremely well is the XL800 System.
Decisions and resource planning that lead to action that are based on good quality data will yield results, whereas if based on perception, there is not necessarily a link between action and performance improvement. When this approach is followed habitually, and built into the daily routine combined with utilising quality data and taking action on issues identified, resolving them in a timely way, performance maintenance and improvement is almost guaranteed.
XL800 and Takt Times
November 3, 2008 by david.evanson
One of the useful concepts to master in Lean Manufacturing is the concept of Takt Time.
Simply, the Takt time of a process is the maximum amount of time needed to produce a unit of a product to meet a customer demand. I like to think of the takt time of a manufacturing process as being like the “heart beat” of the line; it’s the pulse that demolishes your production plans and whacks out those units of product.
When i think of a “heart beat” a number of ideas pop into my mind - i wonder about the effect of an irregular heart beat on you or I, or perhaps a heart beat that’s too slow or too fast, or maybe a heart beat that’s been slowed down for a few days to cope with a change in the weather, or because it’s Tuesday today….no really! The great thing is that whilst this sounds like a strange thing to say about a human, we often experience it when we look at machines.
If your heart beat was erratic what would you want? I would be at my local casualty limply yet forcefully asking for an ECG pronto! Yet when we visit some factories quite often people have no idea at all that their factory heart beat, their takt times, are all over the place.
At OptimumFX we want to help you monitor the heart beat on your production line to ensure that it’s always fit and healthy. We can even help you set up alarms if the heart beat falls out of parameters to ensure that you always get the best from your machines and meet your targets.
Simply install an XL800 on your produciton line for a free trial to see a real time display of your current Takt time.
Best practice tip:
- Use your Takt time reading to set shift targets
- A great way to drive results on the plant floor is to drive production based on takt time - giving you teams the opportunity to “win” their production shifts.
Popular takt-time related KPI’s:
- Target “an automatically updated production target that increases based on takt time),
- Actual (the current production count),
- Efficiency (how far ahead of behind production is running in terms of a percentage).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takt_time
Introducing the new XL 800 OEE monitoring system
October 23, 2008 by admin
OptimumFX are delighted to be launching the all new XL 800 system.
The XL 800 is a uniquely powerful tool that not only acts as a line based operator management system, it also houses an entire suite of analysis and reporting tools.
What the XL 800 can do:
- It can help you to:
- View over 100 KPI’s including analysis of: OEE, Availability, Efficiency, Quality, Takt Time, Cycle Time, Job performance, Shift performance, Changeover time, Downtime in specific fault modes and run rates.
- Manage your teams by setting break times and changeover times - always know how long the line has been stopped and when breaks are due to end
- Free up your management time; your manager no longer need to speed hours manually collecting and adding up manual collection sheets - with 6 button presses they can have shift reports printed in up to 5 formats, including Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word.
Over the coming weeks keep visiting this website to find out more about the great ways in which you can unlock the true OEE potential of your lines using XL OEE systems.
