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Maximizing existing resources over purchasing new equipment

Writer's picture: Marshall TaylorMarshall Taylor

Updated: Jan 16

By Marshall Taylor


Expert insights provided by Marshall Taylor, owner of Marvel Manufacturing
Expert insights provided by Marshall Taylor, owner of Marvel Manufacturing

In my experience of over two decades in manufacturing, I have faced the pressure of needing more capacity. It is natural for people to recognize products and services that rise above the competition. There are always growing pains in a business that has built a great reputation and is leading its industry.


There is never enough time in the week, and I could always use another piece of equipment to keep up with the demand. That is especially evident at times when we miss opportunities to serve a customer because our lead time does not meet their project requirements. From a customer standpoint, receiving a lead time that is longer than desired can be disappointing or, worse yet, being told that the supplier does not have any open capacity for the near future. In some instances, I have seen this to be the result of poor planning on behalf of the supplier, which leads to them scrambling to meet the deadline.


In most cases it comes down to demand on a supplier who truly wants to take care of their customer. Those professional relationships between the customer and supplier are more than just dollar signs, it is about exceptional service and trust that is nurtured over time. An outstanding supplier wants to take care of the customer at virtually all costs and letting them down is not in our nature.


I have found it common to lean towards purchasing another machine, such as a CNC or robot, before fully utilizing the current equipment. I have personally found myself in this situation on numerous occasions. On the surface, that is the easy solution. We see that we get X results with Y machines, so it makes sense that if we multiply that, we can scale accordingly. Investing in equipment is an inherent part of owning a manufacturing business. However, we are wise to improve the underlying process before we incur the large expense of a capital purchase. If we forgo this step, we are ultimately duplicating production inefficiencies.


Just like squeezing toothpaste out of the tube, we can squeeze more yield out of the equipment we already have on our shop floor. Before purchasing additional equipment, I scrutinize three areas of productivity to increase efficiency.


Processes


Embrace lean I’m not talking about being a carbon copy of a Fortune 500 manufacturing company or one of the Japanese pioneers from the 1980s. Be practical. Eliminate waste, fix what bugs you, and simplify.


Automate processes, not just machines — Automation is a buzzword in manufacturing, but it’s usually constrained to adding robotics to machines. Take advantage of automation and AI in all areas, including quoting, scheduling, programming, inspection, and shipping.


Schedule workflow mix efficiently This has much to do with knowing what niche you excel at and staying in your lane. Also, by planning ahead, we can batch part families and balance machine cycle times in our favor.


Optimize the production floor layout— This is easy to visualize. Minimize the distance that raw materials and finished products travel through production.


Reduce part handling Streamlining the production process reduces the amount of time required to take a part from start to finish.


Outsource operations — By outsourcing non-critical operations like material prep and deburring, we can leverage other people and equipment, freeing up internal resources.


Improve quality — Hands down, one of the biggest parasites of efficiency is scrap and rework. Having to fix or remake parts because of non-conformances can take more time than making them the first time. This is because it creates an urgent situation, it is unplanned, it disrupts WIP, and, on top of that, there are corrective actions that are in addition to the normal process.


Human factors


Time management This comes down to company culture that must be defined. Cell phone usage and non-productive idle time between cycles is an efficiency killer. Instill in employees what is expected of them.


Multi-tasking Multi-tasking, which is really task switching, ends up reducing productivity because we split our performance over several projects. With that said, if we utilize some of the other tactics discussed, our machine operators have adequate time run multiple machines or perform additional duties while the spindle is turning.


Add personnel to increase machine availability Manufacturers are quick to fill a demand in capacity by purchasing equipment but in many cases the current machines are tremendously underutilized. Consider adding a 2nd or 3rd shift. Something as simple as overlapping shifts to gain a few extras hours of production can realize huge gains.


Hire tool a crib manager Similar to adding shifts to increase machine availability, hiring a tool crib manager can supercharge the setup process. Having an employee who is responsible for “kitting” jobs with tools, fixtures, and programs permits seamless transitions between jobs.

Equipment


Invest in fixturing — Spending money on fixturing that is conducive to quick changeovers can deliver a higher ROI than fast spindle speeds and feed rates. Examples of this include quick-change fixtures, pallets, and high-density work holding.


Leverage dedicated tools — High-volume tool magazines are amazing at reducing setup times, but we can extract similar results by maintaining dedicated tools and holders. This allows huge time savings by eliminating the installation of tools in and out of a holder.

Utilize multi-axis and multi-op setups – Reducing the number of operations and instances a part must go into the machine equates to less idle time of the spindle.


Change parts while the machine is running — This has the greatest potential for increased productivity when it comes to equipment efficiency. There is a reason pallet changers are a staple in high-volume production manufacturing. They allow for nearly zero idle time, especially when combined with high-density fixturing. Quick-change fixtures can achieve this without huge pallet pools. Strategies such as deburring an extra part from the first op while the machine is running can slash the total run time.


Perform preventative maintenance — Let’s face it, equipment does break down occasionally, but a well-maintained machine provides reliable operation. Unplanned downtime wreaks havoc on a production schedule. Regular maintenance, including daily cleaning, extends the life of the equipment and mitigates interruptions in the schedule.


Would you like to meet us? Please call us at (208) 748-6600 or email sales@marvelmanufacturing.net.

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