Product category:
Robotics, Handling and Storage
News Release from: The Tube and Bracket Company | Subject: Lean Tek
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 20 March 2006
Modular approach aids lean adoption
Adopting lean manufacturing techniques supported by modular handling and storage equipment is helping Scotsman Beverage Systems to reduce product lead times from six to two weeks.
Adopting lean manufacturing techniques supported by modular handling and storage equipment from the Tube and Bracket Company is helping leading drink cooling and dispense equipment supplier Scotsman Beverage Systems to reduce product lead times from six to two weeks The company has also reduced lineside component stock levels by 85% and factory downtime by 75% while productivity has increased by more than 25%
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 1 May 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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The Tube and Bracket Company supplied live racking and workbench units created using the modular Lean Tek system for use in a new lean manufacturing production cell at the Scotsman Beverage Systems factory in Halesowen.
Scotsman Beverage Systems is one of Europe's leading suppliers of drink cooling and dispense equipment and part of Enodis, a global player in the food services and food retail equipment.
The factory at Halesowen manufactures drink cooling and dispense equipment including bespoke and generic beer cooler/carbonators, soft drink dispense heads and towers, fonts, beer engines and a range of spares and accessories for major soft drinks and brewing companies.
The company needed to reduce delivery times, increase capacity and introduce more product lines.
Its conventional batch and queue production system had created inflexibility which led to extended product lead times, too much stock being tied up as work in progress and finished items awaiting delivery to customers.
Further reading
Workstations remove unnecessary handling
With Lean Tek, workstations and storage areas can be designed ergonomically so that items are in the correct position, close to hand whenever they are needed.
Modular building system adapts to process changes
Efficiency and productivity can be maintained when a process changes in virtually any operation by adapting carts and trolleys created with the modular LeanTek system.
Dryer refurbishment showcases skills
The decision by Lafarge Aggregates to bring a major piece of equipment back into operation gave engineering company Ace Arc the opportunity to use all its welding and fabrication expertise.
It recognised that adopting just-in-time component supply and lean manufacturing principles would help alleviate these problems and deliver performance improvement.
The company identified an underutilised area of the factory where it could implement a new lean manufacturing environment and relocate production of a number of existing products including coolers.
The new area has been configured with four separate tracks or cells covering different product groups selected by type and commonality of components.
Changes to production schedules can be implemented quickly and easily because staff are familiar with product types.
The Tube and Bracket Company assessed the storage and handling requirement and helped develop the new area.
The Lean Tek system comprises an extensive range of standard components including steel tubing, brackets and wheels that can be assembled into storage and handling solutions matched to the process requirement.
Each track in the new area incorporates a number of installations, including gravity fed live storage racking and workbenches, built using these components.
The live racking was designed with the correct dimensions to hold the right number of component bins so that the whole installation occupies the optimum space to fulfil the requirement.
The component bins are easily accessible from the working area but are replenished from the opposite face outside the cell to avoid any disruption to ongoing production.
The open design of the racking also allows staff to see when any bin is low on stock and requires replenishment.
The workbenches have been also designed with the correct dimensions for the type of products being assembled.
All components are reusable and the modular nature of Lean Tek ensures that future modifications can be achieved on site by Scotsman Beverage System engineers using basic tools such as a screwdriver, spanner and hacksaw.
The performance improvement in the factory has been dramatic.
The flexibility and efficiency enabled by the lean manufacturing in conjunction with effective storage and handling using the Lean Tek system have helped streamline production and eliminate potential bottlenecks and capacity problems.
Production downtime has been reduced by 75% and productivity has increased by 25%.
The changes have also allowed the volume of components held at the lineside to be reduced from three weeks' worth of production to just two days, equivalent to an 85% decrease.
This has saved money and released valuable floor space for production and other value added tasks.
It has been achieved by introducing a two-bin Kanban supply system, one bin in the live racking at the lineside and the other in a small storage area on the edge of the cell.
Each bin holds enough components for a day of production.
When the bin in the live racking is empty it is sent to the warehouse for refilling while a full one is brought over from the storage area.
Another major change has been the elimination of the batch and queue system.
Now a product can be introduced to the production line whenever the company likes because the required tooling and components are always close to hand.
This has increased flexibility and reduced the amount of work in progress because once an item enters the process it will only leave as a finished product.
Scotsman Beverage Systems estimates that unscheduled factory downtime caused by production bottlenecks or lack of components has been reduced by 75% since the start of the lean manufacturing programme while productivity has risen by around 25%.
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