How to Improve Efficiency
Implementing a system that will help improve machine or line efficiency -- and reduce costs -- requires not only collecting and storing the right data, but also analyzing it in a way that offers actionable, and measurable process improvements. Following these easy steps can set up a manufacturer for serious savings:
- Collect and store performance data -- Data should be collected from the control system and stored within a performance management software system database. Many manufacturers rely on clipboards and Excel spreadsheets to house this data, but leveraging an off-the-shelf software program will allow for deeper analysis and more impactful long-term insights.
- Collect the right kind of data -- It's clear that collecting solely OEE data points doesn't provide a manufacturer with deep enough information to adequately determine root causes. In addition to OEE data, manufacturers should collect data that measures production counts, scrap rates, machine cycle times, downtimes and causes, unproductive time, machine states and quality problems.
- Analyze the data -- In general, OEE calculations lead managers to compare machine performance in order to determine whether machines are producing as much as possible. They don't, however, answer the question of how to produce more. By analyzing a deeper level of control system data collected by a performance management software system, manufacturers can start to answer questions such as:
- How are we doing?
- What are the real problems?
- What should we focus on first to make things better?
- What's happening right now?
- What else to we need to measure?
- Act on the data to make process improvements -- While a performance management software system can generate easy-to-understand dashboards that make it easy to identify areas for improvement, it cannot physically take action on the plant floor. That responsibility ultimately falls on the plant manager.
- Measure the impact and repeat -- After implementing changes, its important to measure the outcomes of the improvements in order to determine the greatest areas of impact and pinpoint places where further improvements may be required.
In addition to identifying weaknesses and analyzing opportunities for improvement, many manufacturers are using data collected by a performance management software system to justify new technology investments. Often, they are finding that making production lines more efficient allows them to add new lines without additional hiring. Or they discover that additional planned lines are unnecessary -- as clearly demonstrated through data collected in the control system.
Seeking opportunities to proactively reduce inefficiencies while preventing losses and errors should be a focus for any company looking to optimize its operations. A comprehensive, performance management software system can help reach these goals and provide the data needed to support making tangible business improvements.
For more information about manufacturing performance and OEE, visit: http://discover.rockwellautomation.com/IS_EN_Intelligence_Manufacturing_Performance_OEE.aspx
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