5 Tips To Improve Manufacturing Productivity: Using Free Cad Library Resources And More

Manufacturing is driven by the ability of industry to innovate and improve

. Industries that stay on the cutting edge earn their competitive advantage in the market. When it comes down to optimizing manufacturing productivity, there are a number of methodologies and tools that companies can implement. In particular, Computer Aided Design has pushed manufacturing into the digital age. Those companies who have not yet embraced this new paradigm will slowly lose ground.

Integrate CAD Drawings Into Industrial Supplies

A CAD library that covers every piece of equipment and part of the process is a powerful tool for maintenance, operations, and engineering. CAD drawings have the capability to rigorously document all dimensions and specifications for entire systems down to individual parts. In order to have access to this information, industry is best served by utilizing a supplier that provides CAD drawings on all of their product offerings. Otherwise, it would take countless man hours to have the entire contents of a plant rendered into digital schematics.

It is not hard to imagine why having an exhaustive set of schematics and specifications for everything in a plant can boost productivity. If a machine breaks down, CAD drawings will help pinpoint why failures are occurring, what parts need to be repaired, and how to disassemble and reassemble components. This information is a large time saver for technicians and maintenance personnel.

On the other hand, a CAD library is also a potent tool for design, optimization, and innovation. CAD drawings are more than just static drawings; they can also incorporate work flows and scheduling that comprise entire processes to give engineers the tools they need to look for process improvements.

Find The Root Cause Of Downtime And Rejects

A high rate of rejects and system downtime do not happen by accident; finding the root cause of process errors is essential for meeting production and quality goals. Focus on areas of the line that produce more than their share of breakdowns or rejects. If operations are not tracking this information already, it is imperative that a quality control program is implemented.

Once a bad actor has been identified, it makes the way forward clear. The equipment and work practices in this area have to be thoroughly examined to find places where improvements are needed. CAD drawings help greatly when it comes to the equipment itself. Fixing bad actors will alleviate bottlenecks and improve quality on the entire line.

Monitor Data In Real Time

The previous tip assumes that operators and engineers are equipped with the tools to see what the production line is doing in real time. Finding a high rejection rate after a batch run has completed is a poor way to find problems. Proactively identifying and correcting issues will improve manufacturing productivity dramatically.

Monitoring should focus on the important variables and numbers for each individual process. This could include rejection rates, machine temperatures or RPM, run times, or any other type of variable. Deviations from normal operating values will draw attention to developing issues so that they may be addressed before a batch run has gone wrong or the entire process has to be shut down.

Make Continuous Improvements On The Line

The sole focus of production control should not just lay on today's production but should look for opportunities to implement improvements. These opportunities derive from real-time monitoring as well. A history of data highlights bottlenecks and places where production becomes throttled. Combined with an extensive CAD library, engineers should be looking forward at how the manufacturing process can be upgraded to improve productivity.

Leverage Preventative Maintenance

There is a balance point between preventative maintenance and costs associated with downtime. A company that never utilizes preventative maintenance will constantly be shutting down due to equipment failures. On the other end, excessive PM will raise operating costs without a commensurate improvement in manufacturing productivity.

PM has to be seen as an opportunity to tune a process for maximum performance. Using historical data, CAD drawings, and experience from the floor, PM has to be intelligently scheduled to keep the process running without excessive cost. Ultimately, an accurate run time and cycle count, or whatever the relevant metric might be, will dictate the appropriate PM schedule. Equipment should be tracked individually as it approaches its useful run life.

There is nearly an endless list of tips and tricks to help squeeze out improved performance from a manufacturing process. Ultimately, CAD drawings and similar resources will form the foundation of a continuously evolving manufacturing line.

by: Greg Palmer

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