In this newsletter, you can read about keeping operators involved in SPC with automatic import. We also share a whitepaper on maximum OEE versus maximum profit. Finally, we would like to introduce David Todd, one of our account managers based out of DataLyzer U.K. We hope you enjoy our newsletter. Please feel free to reach out to us with any thoughts or suggestions. We’d love to hear from you.
– The DataLyzer Team –
Must read: Keeping operators involved in SPC with automatic import
To get maximum results from SPC, you need to apply SPC in real-time. Without direct involvement of the operators and starting the out-of-control action plan (OCAP), a control chart can still be useful to acquire more knowledge about the process, but you will have a lot more difficulty finding the root cause and preventing defects during the process. Various methods are implemented in DataLyzer to make sure the out-of-control plan is properly executed:
• Cause and action note entries can be mandatory
• Data entry can be blocked if an OCAP is not executed
• A dashboard indicates if an OCAP is escalated to another level
• Sign-off procedures are implemented to guarantee an OCAP is properly executed
All these procedures work nicely if a measurement is initiated by the operator. But when a measurement is done fully automatically, we cannot block a next measurement. Some examples of fully automatic measurements are:
• Measurements done by a CMM like Zeiss, Mitutoyo, PC DMIS, or Faro, etc.
• Camera inspection
• Automatic inspection using a sensor or gage, for example weight control
• Automatic import from an external source like csv, a database or a PLC
Read the entire white paper here.
Must read: Maximum OEE versus Maximum Profit
OEE is a very powerful tool to increase productivity in a manufacturing environment.
OEE observes 3 aspects of the machine:
1. Is it producing? Or why not?
2. Is it running at speed? Or why not?
3. Is production working according to specification? Or why not?
OEE will increase if you increase any of these 3 indices. Increasing OEE in many situations leads to an increase in profit, but this is not always the case:
• Producing goods which are not sold increases warehouse and material cost and reduces profits
• Increasing speed by 10% while reducing quality by 5%, will result in a higher OEE, yet the cost of scrapped product will melt away the profit
• Adding an operator might improve for instance the availability of the machine, yet its extra cost might be higher than the result of the higher availability
We see many situations where manufacturing organizations try to improve profit by reducing cost. Although this may seem like a good idea at first glance, the consequences of cost reductions are not always directly visible and cost reductions might actually have the wrong result.
Some examples:
• Cheaper raw materials might lead to more downtimes or quality losses
• Reduction of personnel in a shift might lead to such a decrease in availability or performance that there is also a financial loss
• Reduction in preventive maintenance might lead to an increase of failures and increase of quality losses.
On the other hand, using the same reasoning, the baseline outcome might improve in other situations. So, what should one do…?
Read the entire white paper here.
Let’s Introduce: David Todd
