Importance of quality trained technicians to run your packaging equipment.

How Proper Operator Training and Maintenance Improve OEE

/0 Comments/in , /by

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) Part 3 of 4 Part Blog

by Dion Volk

Now that we understand what OEE is and the contributing factors to its loss; how does operator training and maintenance really improve your numbers?  Again, we look to the equation,   OEE = Availability x Productivity x Quality, then break it down from there.

AVAILABILITY, A correctly trained maintenance team will be able to conduct repairs and perform preventative maintenance in a timely and efficient manner.  As packaging equipment machines speeds increase the complexity of the technology required to control these machines increases as well.  Twenty years ago a typical packaging machine consisted of a couple motors, a small microcontroller, maybe a touch screen, and some other miscellaneous hardware.  Today’s machines have multiple servo motors, advanced PLCs, and complex safety circuits, so training becomes more and more critical when troubleshooting.  An untrained or poorly trained maintenance team will struggle to make repairs, in some cases further damaging the machine.  With the correct training you can prevent a costly emergency repair call from an outside service provider.  When a machine operator has received the proper training he or she will run the machine as designed avoiding practices that are hard on the equipment, eventually causing downtime.

PRODUCTIVITY, Correctly trained operators have an increased confidence in their ability to operate packaging equipment machines smoothly, this contributes to a more positive attitude.  Without training operators struggle, get frustrated, waste film and product, damage equipment, causing a lower output than trained operators.  Trained operators make operating a machine look easy, they are not tied to the machine, allowing them to perform other tasks as the machine runs.

QUALITY, Trained maintenance staff and operators know exactly where to look on a machine when they discover a quality issue with a package.   The result of the confidence and positive attitude that training provides is shown in the pride a skilled operator takes producing the best package possible.

Let FASTechnology’s packaging experts help you discover what your machines are truly capable of producing.  Our +30 years of packaging knowledge will increase your output, bolster your quality, and give your staff confidence that they can handle any issue on their own.

In part four of this Blog we discuss “The importance of knowing what your OEE is.”

Here is a Link to Part One “What is OEE and How Can It Be measured?”

Overall Equipment Effectiveness | Packaging Machinery & Integration

“Contributing Factors to OEE Loss in CPG and How to Mitigate Them”

/0 Comments/in /by

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) Part 2 of 4 Part Blog

by Dion Volk

Now that we understand what OEE is, how do you improve it as it relates to vertical packaging?  The most simplistic way to look at this, is to consider the equation,   OEE = Availability x Productivity x Quality, then break it down from there.

AVAILABILITY, can you produce when you need to?  Maintaining your machine is critical.  Following and exceeding its OEM recommended preventive maintenance plan will go a long way.  An annual or bi annual independent machine assessment will take your machine’s availability to the next level.   Machine assessments are commonly overlooked due to cost and schedule, but are necessary to avoid being blindsided in the middle of a major production run.  The other more obvious contributing factor to availability is inventory.  Film, printer consumables, product, and spare parts levels need to be monitored constantly, with inventory levels adjusted as needed.

PRODUCTIVITY, when you run, are you producing at the desired rate?  Operator training is the single largest contributing factor to productivity.  With high employee turnover, proper training can be a daunting task, but it is manageable.  Through establishing an internal training protocol, bringing in packaging professionals, and employee retention your productivity will increase dramatically. Film quality and run-ability is something that needs to be considered as well.

QUALITY, are your packages consumer friendly?  If the consumer is unhappy with the package it is nearly impossible to sell the product.  Again, operator training and machine maintenance are key.  A well trained operator will be able to immediately identify when the machine is not producing packages of quality and will make the necessary adjustments. Film selection and proper machine setup is the difference between a poor package or an exceptional package.

At FASTechnology Group we have a team of packaging experts that will guide you through the full process.  Whether you need your machine repaired, a new machine, help in the production process, or just want to talk about your application we are ready to help.

In part three of this Blog we will discuss in greater detail “How proper operator training and maintenance improve OEE”.

Here is a Link to Part One “What is OEE and How Can It Be measured?”

lean manufatcuring implementation

“What is OEE and How Can It Be Measured?”

/0 Comments/in /by

OEE Part 1 of 4 Part Blog

by Dion Volk

The term OEE is being thrown around a lot lately; so what is it exactly?  Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is a concept used in lean manufacturing implementation.  At a very basic level OEE can be measured using the following equation:

OEE = Availability X Productivity X Quality
or
OEE = A X P X Q

AVAILABILITY: is the amount of time, in percentage, the equipment is available to produce product vs the amount of time the equipment actually produced product.

Example: If a packaging machine was available to run for 8 hours, but only ran 7, you would have an Availability of 87.5%.

PRODUCTIVITY: is the comparison between maximum machine speed and actual machine speed.  This can get confusing as not all packages have the same maximum machine speed; more complex packages take more time to produce, lowering your machine productivity.

Example: If a machine has a maximum speed of 120ppm (packages per minute), but only produces 80 ppm, its productivity would be 66%.

Example: If a machine has a maximum speed of 120ppm, but a more complex package can only be produced at 100ppm, the productivity would be 83%.

QUALITY: is the number of good packages produced compared to the total number of packages produced as a percentage.

Example: if a machine produced 28,800 packages and 28,000 packages passed QA, the quality is 97%.

If the scenario above is used for the OEE calculation it would look like this:

 

OEE = 87.5%(Availability) X 66%(Productivity) X 97%(Quality)

OEE = 56%!!!

 

This is a simple illustration of how quickly Overall Equipment Effectiveness can be lost in a production environment.  In part two, we will discuss contributing factors to OEE loss, and how to mitigate them.

Packaging Machinery & Integration

/in /by

We know packaging machinery and integration, and the need for efficient service!

That’s why our team of design engineers, software developers, technicians and field support experts can modify your existing production line or design and deliver entire packaging systems to meet your specific needs.

With our industry knowledge and expertise, we can make your production more efficient while reducing costs and labor hours.

  • We support and modify packaging eqiupment
123456789

Our high-speed packaging machinery expertise spans many different types of equipment and production processes including:

√  Pre-made Pouch Machines
√  Vertical Form Fill & Seal Machines
√  Horizontal Form Fill & Seal Machines
√  Stick Pack Machines
√  Cartoning

√  Sachet (four side seal) Machines
√  Cup Filling Lines
√  3 Side Seals
√  Flow Wrappers
√  Case Packing

 

Service

Our Industry focus enables us to deliver innovative, tailored solutions

• Custom Development & Integration
• Big Data collection
• Project & Product Tracking
• Analysis & Diagnostics
• State of the art Technology

h
h

h

Field Support

Our field team can work on any vertical or horizontal packaging equipment

• Quick Response and Short Lead Times
• Remote Service & Diagnostics
• Emergency Service Support
• New Product Set Up and Training
• Machine Audits
• Preventative Maintenance Contracts

Systems Integration

Our high levels of service and support for all your equipment

• Data Acquisition Systems
• Lean and Six Sigma Program Designs
• Tote to Pallet Systems Design

h

h

High Performance Starts With Driving Big Ideas

Meet the leaders who help guide our clients, our team and our vision

 

Plus…we have expertise in programming Allen Bradley, Siemens, Mitsubishi, Omron, and B&R

Packaging design

Packaging Industry Creatives are Thinking Out of the Box

/0 Comments/in , /by

Isn’t it ironic that the term ‘thinking out of the box‘ is so overused nowadays that it is practically a red flag for tired  and unimaginative ideas?

There is still an industry for which thinking out of the box is highly relevant and meaningful though – the packaging industry. Never have the creatives had so much free rein to design the perfect visual representation of their consumer product. Modern packaging materials have a flexibility and durability that would have been unthinkable just a decade ago and the sophisticated printing and production machines can shape boxes and containers into any imaginable form.

Laser Targeted Product Recall

It’s not only the packaging designers who Read more