Setpoint Systems Blog

A view from an assembly shop manager…

At Setpoint we follow the 5 S’s system, as the shop manager here is my take on how we are able to implement this in our assembly shop.

1. Sort - This is the hardest part for me.  I have a hard time throwing things away that could be very expensive or hard to get.  But, if I haven’t needed it in a long time, it ends up costing me more to store it than to buy it new when we need it.  By doing this you will free up more space, make your shop look more organized and less cluttered, make it faster to find what you are looking for, and end up costing your company less in the long run.
2. Straighten - For this you need to find a place to put everything you have decided to keep.  Look around for the best place to put the item, once you find that place mark it with tape or outline it so everyone knows where to put it away.  This needs to be done with everything, make it so at a glance you can tell if there is something left out or not put back where it belongs.  Think of it this way, if you have a new employee you would like them to be productive as quickly as possible so they can start working without looking for the tools they need.
3. Shine - Just like it sounds, keep it clean.  This could mean sweeping, putting tools away, or taking out the trash.  The more organized you are the less time it takes you to clean up.  It should look the same when you leave work as it did when you got there.
4. Standardize - This could mean using all the same brand of drills or tools so they are interchangeable and you can replace them as they wear out;  using the same vendors so they are familiar with your shops lay-out and how you like things, and where to put the items they are delivering.  Also, by using the same assembly and staging methods each time, this will help everyone get accustomed to the rules and guidelines your company has set up.  These guidelines can be followed without thinking about it or asking someone where to put a tool away.
5. Sustain - This is another hard one because when you have a lot of work to get done you tend to skip over some things that may not seem that important at the time.  When you let this happen it can get out of hand very fast, making a habit of cleaning and putting things away makes it easier to maintain them.  This is critical to the five S’s system; if you let it slip you end up doing the first three over and over.  Don’t be afraid to change something that just doesn’t feel right, find what works for you and your company.

We have had some questions lately as to what types of industrial automation Setpoint is capable of so below I have listed some of the capabilities that Setpoint has.

Filmless X-Ray Inspection Machine

We developed a non-destructive test and inspection machine using filmless x-ray technology.  This automated testing system was integrated on a high volume assembly line with complex equipment.  It was inserted in an already lean facility without any problems.  The end result was reducing wasted floor space by 75%, combining two machines into one automated machine, and decreasing labor minutes per unit by 50%.  Follow our link to learn more about filmless x-ray inspection using real time radiography.

Flexible Manufacturing Systems

A specific client needed a flexible torque station that would be able to accommodate quick model changeovers and be able to be modified for future growth and development.  The nesting system was developed so it could be swapped out in less than 30 seconds without needing any tools.  The end results were an auto cycle rate of 3-5 seconds, 30 second tooling changeovers, and orientation part sensing.  You can see a photo of the machine and more details about this flexible assembly equipment.

Turnkey Automated Swage Machine

We developed a hydraulic tube swage machine that came with quick change tooling, was able to process a wide range of bottle lengths, had a vision system verification of final product, and positive head pressure that prevented pump cavitations.  This swage machine had a high overall efficiency and a cycle time of less than 7 seconds per part.  This is another example of how custom automated machines can help increase efficiency and speed.

Lean Production Systems

We have many cases where lean automation and production were critical to the success of the project.  In each system we ensure that turn-key solutions can fit in as little space as possible while maintaining high quantity output and quality.  Tooling changes that can be done quickly ensures the systems are flexible.  A few examples of lean production systems we have developed are the real time radiography x-ray inspection and pyrotechnic powder loading and assembly machines.

I’ve been in the Industrial Automation business for over 15 years now and have seen quite a swing in the way manufacturers produce their products.   About 12 years ago I was working for a major tier 1 automotive components supplier as a process engineer.  The production lines were comprised of these large sophisticated machines that were all linked together with conveyors.  Parts were transported from station to station on small conveyor pallets and would stop at each station to either have value add work done or some sort of test or inspection performed.

There were several key issues with the large fully automated systems that produced our company’s products.

1. The lines were very expensive.  Many times ranging between $10-$15 million each.
2. The lead time for getting a full production line in place was anywhere between 15-24 months.
3. The machines were very complex and required a high level of engineering and maintenance support to keep them running.
4. The inventory of spare parts required to keep the systems up and running was huge
5. The systems, although “fully automated”, required more operators and support than expected to keep the systems running and clear all the faults, jams and other issues related to a complex system.
6. Changeovers took shifts if not days in some cases.  (Loss productivity and lots of labor for the CO)
7. The overall systems up time was terrible and in most cases ran in the 60-65% range
8. If one machine in the overall system went down, the entire line stopped while issues were resolved
9. The lines took up a huge amount of floor space and impeded process flow in many areas

Nice overview of traditional factory automation huh?   Well, the leaders of the company realized that this was not working out.  By the time a system was ordered, built, installed and commissioned, up to 2 years had gone by and many changes in both their product’s technologies and customer demands had changed. 

So lean thinking was introduced into the company and embraced by senior management.  This is ABSOLUTLY!! key for lean thinking to even have a chance.   The first task, after the basic 5’s stuff was out of the way was to find a better way to manufacture parts with simple, flexible equipment solutions that would address all the above listed issues.  Here is what happened.  I actually took part in this transformation and can vouch for how real and powerful Lean is.

1. The cost of the manufacturing lines went from $10-$15 Million to $850k-$2.5 million
2. Lead time for a lean line was around 6 months instead of 1.5 to 2  years
3. Machines were simple, flexible and easily reconfigurable because they were no longer connected via a vast network of conveyor systems.   Most machines were set up in cells in some sort of “U” shaped arrangement that allowed for easy access, flow and visual reference of what was going on in the cell at all times.
4. Spare parts inventory was cut by over 80% due to simple machine solutions.
5. Operators worked on the line to pass parts through the process but it offered the flexibility needed to handle a huge variety of products within a family.  We found that even though there was a manual interface requirement, the overall labor minutes per unit actually went down dramatically.
6. Changeovers from one model to the next were fast, efficient and mistake proofed.
7. Because the equipment was simple, easy to maintain and far less complicated, the overall uptime typically went from 65% to near 95%. 
8. If one machine in the overall system went down the other machines had small buffers that allowed the cell to keep running while individual machine issues were dealt with.
9. The floor space required for the cells was cut by over 75% in most cases.  This freed up valuable floor space for expansion for future business.

All in all, Lean Automation has made a huge impact for those manufacturers who have adopted the Lean philosophy and have strived to keep their competitive advantage intact through out the years of their specific business evolution.

So the theme I’m seeing here is, Go Lean or Go to China.  You decide.

If there was an easy way to make your company more profitable would you do it?  Most people know that a solution is out there but they are either too afraid to venture down that path or don’t adjust well to changes.  Unfortunately, in order to even survive in the business world we must adapt and be ready for change on a continual basis.  For the past three weeks Setpoint has given me the opportunity to read a very interesting book, Lean Thinking, written by James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones, which puts the focus on changes that most any business should do to achieve greater success and profitability.

Lean Thinking is dedicated to guiding the reader by showing us how to get rid of “muda”, or waste as we know it, from every aspect of the organization by following five small and simple processes which are Value, the Value Stream, Flow, Pull, and Perfection.  You must begin by determining what is valuable to the customer from their perspective, then map out all the necessary steps to achieve the value stream.  The next step is to make sure the parts flow through the value stream in the most efficient way so that once a customer places an order it can instantaneously by pulled through the stream.  Finally, always remember to strive for perfection.

This is a proven method that has worked time and time again.  Womack and Jones used case study examples from mass production organizations across the world and in different industries but their thinking could literally be applied to any business or process.  There are always ways to look at processes and eliminate waste.  Setpoint has a great team working towards this ultimate goal that I know we are going to achieve and I’m glad I had this opportunity as it has really opened my eyes to old but new ideas that I can begin implementing in my department.