Increasing Throughput with Streamlined Manufacturing

다운로드 (235 KB)

By Eric Heavin, System Consultant, Yokogawa Corporation of America

Sean Hodgson, Project Manager, Lubricant Solutions, Yokogawa Corporation of America

Marcus Tennant, Market Manager, Yokogawa Corporation of America

 

Many lubricant blending businesses find themselves in a challenging situation: there are opportunities to increase their overall business volume and profits by improving production flexibility, expanding their product slate and optimizing high-margin blends. At the same time, they find themselves constrained by current manufacturing limitations. However, launching a capital project for a significant manufacturing expansion may not be possible, and it may not be necessary.

The more practical answer is a program of manufacturing improvement to get more from your existing facility while minimizing additional investments. Throughput can increase without major capital expansions. There are two sides to such a program - integrated order processing and automated manufacturing operations - and together they affect the entire operation.

Operational Efficiency for Manufacturing

Lubricant blending is a relatively straightforward process and most manufacturing facilities do a good job of delivering quality products. The need to blend an off-spec batch into a lower-grade product is pretty rate. At the same time, few plants turn out as much product as they could. Here are some typical reasons:

  • Product run sequencing calls for high amounts of equipment change-over between batches.
  • Processes are largely manual, requiring operators to open valves, start mixers, connect hoses, reconfigure piping and so on, by hand.
  • Inventory control is largely a manual process, requiring operators to check and verify tank levels.
  • Incoming products typically arrive at unpredictable times and operators have to deal with truck or railcare unloading. Delivered products have to be directed to the correct tank and added to inventory manually.
  • Production units have some instrumentation but it is generally isolated. There may be a flowmeter on the inlet of a tank or a level measuring device, but it must be read manually.
  • What automated systems there are can only be controlled from a single point. If an operator has to go to the other end of the unit to open a valve, he has to call back to the controller on a walkie-talkie.
  • The plant was designed to manufacture the product slate as it was at the time of construction, which may have been a long time ago. Manufacturing requirements evolve over time but equipment does not always keep up.

Do any of these pain points sound familiar? This system works, but it does not support the highest volume or process flexibility most plants could realize.

Integrated Order Processing

Most lubricant blending businesses are largely manual operations. Sure, there is computer support, but order processing requires a high degree of human intervention. Orders come in through sales, and are entered into the system. Manufacturing orders get "cut" and issued to the plant, usually printed on paper. The interface with manufacturing is largely human. The scheduler/operator looks at the orders and selects the appropriate production sequence based on his or her experience.

Handling orders using this approach works, but it can be one of the major hurdles to growth. A more integrated system links sales, order processing and manufacturing into a single automated flow. There are various degrees of integration possible, so let's look at a fully realized example. Here's how it works:

  • Orders come in from sales for a variety of products on your plant's slate. Once entered into the system, they are coordinated and compared against historical patterns.
  • SKUs ordered frequently are combined into the largest manufacturing lots practical along with manageable inventory levels.
  • Manufacturing receives consolidated orders to minimize the amount of product change-over, in an optimized running order to keep the amount of equipment reconfiguration and cleaning minimized.
  • Products capable of being run simultaneously for most effective use of production time.
  • Inventory of bulk oils and additives can be controlled to reduce the amount on your floor at any given time while ensuring critical items are there when needed.

Naturally the system allows for flexibility when needed. When human intervention is necessary to juggle schedules for some specific customer situation, it is available, but when operating correctly, it should be minimal.

A More Integrated Operation, End to End

Talking about an automated plant suggests a large operation such as an oil refinery, where a continuous process runs 24/7 making exactly the same product months and years at a time. Lubrication blending is different, but basic automation concepts still apply. Flexibility is important, and it should be a major consideration when designing an automation system. Batch manufacturing is very common in process industries, and there are many resources available, such as ISA88. This family of standards and practices has been used widely in a variety of industries.

Once a process has been more thoroughly integrated, let's follow how an order might be handled:

  • Orders from sales are entered into the system. They are automatically consolidated for the most effective fulfillment from inventory or manufacturing to order.
  • When issuing manufacturing orders, the system considers historical patterns and optimizes lot sizes for the most efficient manufacturing unit. Feedstock inventory is confirmed, or the order is automatically sidelined until ingredients are in stock. If the ingredients are not on order, the order is released based on the optimal purchase quantity.
  • Manufacturing orders go directly to the plant system, pulling the most current version of the recipe for that product. Any changes or notes from the most recent manufacturing lot are added.
  • Along with the recipe, equipment configuration notes are issued so any manual setup instructions are clearly spelled out.
  • Production units committed to high-volume products have piping manifolds with automated valves and instrumentation to minimize the amount of piping changeover and cleaning.
  • Operators doing setups have clear instructions accessible from a wireless device such as a smartphone or tablet. As steps are completed, they are checked off the list.
  • Once a final product is blended, the order for lab checking is automatically issued, and when complete, it goes to a loading bay or appropriate packaging line.
  • Strategic flow, level and weighing instruments ensure correct ingredient proportions and final inventory values.

Ultimately, the plant's utilization is maximized and operators use their time efficiently and effectively. The total output and agility of the plant can reach new levels without extensive additions of new production equipment. Your people work smarter and become more productive, while profitability improves as more items on your product slate move into the high-margin category.

Implementing programs for these kinds of improvements can be handled incrementally. They can start in the plant, but more typically begin with the office systems and work their way to manufacturing. Existing plant equipment can normally be integrated along with new instrumentation and controllers.

The ultimate benefit is tightening up the fragmented elements of manufacturing resources. This is what unlocks companies to realize their full potential as they work to meet customer needs.

 

 

업종

  • 윤활유

    윤활제 제조 시 재료가 인라인 블렌딩 시스템으로 처리하거나 또는 일괄 처리로 진행하더라도 끊임없이 변화하는 복잡하고 정확성을 필요로 하는 제형 요건이 있습니다. 따라서, 제어 및 정보 시스템은 공식 및 절차를 지속적으로 변화시킬 수 있는 유연성을 제공해야 하며, 신뢰성과 정확성 또한 높아야 합니다.

    See More
  • 화학

    화학 플랜트는 연속 및 Batch 생산 공정에 의존하며, 각각은 제어 시스템에 대한 다양한 요구 사항을 제시합니다. 연속 공정은 실패하지 않고 생산 라인을 중단시키는 견고하고 안정적인 제어 시스템을 필요로하는 반면, Batch 공정의 중요성은 수식, 절차 및 공정을 조정하는 데 있어 큰 유연성을 허용하는 제어 시스템을 갖추는 데 있습니다. 두 종류의 시스템 모두 제품의 사용 가능한 품질 내역에서 관리되어야 하며 비일상적인 작업을 수행할 수 있어야 합니다. Yokogawa는 광범위한 제품 포트폴리오, 숙련된 시스템 엔지니어 및 글로벌 영업 및 서비스 네트워크를 통해 모든 공장 공정에 대한 솔루션을 제공합니다.

    See More

Related Products & Solutions


Top