August 5, 2016
WIP
A common problem seen in corrugated box plants is how work in process (WIP) is handled through a corrugated box plant. I see three main problems:
- WIP is commonly sent down main line through bander, occupying the time of a critical resource.
- WIP sits too long before it is converted to finished goods.
- WIP is handled multiple times before it is converted to finished goods.
A simple solution would be to apply lean manufacturing techniques to change the process from batch to flow. Through a kaizen event, it would point toward the following solutions:
- Add a return line to divert WIP off the main line.
- Improve scheduling so the first-pass operation goes directly to second-pass operation.
- Change the layout of equipment so operations are in line. — Michael Harris, president, Systec Conveyors
Maintenance
Changing oil regularly is the single most important maintenance item to keep your gearbox healthy and running strong. Just as you would do with your personal vehicle, any gearbox should have regular oil changes. Typically, a timeline for the change as well as the approved lubricants are listed within supplied operations manuals. If access to the draining of your gearboxes causes difficulty because of location, and if your gearbox is supported off the floor, you may want to try the following.
To ease the access and speed the time in changing the oil, run a series of pipe fittings with a threaded plug from the bottom drain hole to a convenient location, maintaining a healthy pitch. When draining, hang a used milk jug or other such container with the opening over the end of the pipe run, ensuring the container will hold all the used oil. To speed the draining, open the fill hole. Once the gearbox is empty, plug the drain and fill to sight hole (if equipped) or recommended amount, using a funnel. Be sure not to overfill. — Frank Reynolds, manager–internal sales resources, SUN Automation Group
Incomplete Factory Tickets
One of the most frequent problems I encounter is incomplete, inaccurate, or insufficient factory ticket details. The problem heavily impacts manufacturing efficiencies. Sometimes, manufacturing can be wrong by just following the factory ticket as it is sent. Manufacturing can also be wrong by not following the factory ticket.
with factory tickets create more inefficiencies in manufacturing in the evening and night shifts if these tickets are not fully evaluated and validated and released for production. Depending on the magnitude of the orders processed, the bottom-line impact related to with factory tickets can be thousands of dollars per month.
Here is the solution: Establish a cross-functional team among customer service, quality, and manufacturing (all shifts) at a minimum to develop a strategy for ensuring accurate, complete, and adequate factory tickets.
One of the outputs from this cross-functional team at a minimum should be to develop a factory ticket feedback log and fill it for a period of three months to detect the top five most common and recurring . From there, coach all customer service representatives to minimize them.
A constant emphasis on top management to minimize factory ticket errors, without blaming employees, can be a winning strategy to maximize efficiencies and minimize
errors. — Baskar Kotte, president and CEO, Quality Systems Enhancement, Inc.
Incorrect Color Standards
I often see unclear or incorrect color standard targets on the press side.The best solution is defining an accurate color standard (target) by storing the color electronically with software designed with a color library to store a color permanently. This will eliminate confusion and enable consistent color from press run to press run. — Scott Miller, national sales and technical director, BCM Inks USA, Inc.
