Every manufacturer knows that reducing cycle times immediately increases production throughput and should, in theory, increase the company’s manufacturing capacity. Of course, this is only possible if the company has reduced cycle times in each production work cell and has accounted for that increase in capacity along each chain in the production process. To this extent, it’s not merely about reducing cycle times but also about reducing transit times between production work cells. This is where workflow diagrams come into play. They help to streamline transit times between work cells and when properly used, can indeed improve manufacturing capacity. It's about reducing the time it takes to move parts from one part of the production chain to the next.
Manufacturing Workflow Diagrams
When thinking of your production floor, don’t rationalize the “couple of seconds” it takes to move parts from one work cell to the next. After all, there is a cycle time for each work operation and a total cycle time for the finished product. These times include the transit times from cell to cell and from work station to work station. Reducing transit times reduces cycle times.
Some may argue that there are a number of complicated formulas and steps involved in determining existing manufacturing capacity and putting plans in motion to increase that capacity, and they’d be right. It would likely start with assessing the company’s manufacturing productivity rates and then measuring production relative to resources. However, manufacturing capacity really relates to how much can be made with the company’s existing resources of employees & machinery.
The simplest way to increase that capacity is to speed up the process or to improve the process. Workflow diagrams aim to do just that. Here’s an example of one I used with a customer of mine where we were able to reduce transit times by an average of 15%.
To learn more about the video above, please go to: Manufacturing Essentials: Production Employees Must Operate Like Surgeons
Benefit of Workflow Diagrams
When you reduce the time it takes to move parts from one chain to the next, you essentially reduce the time it takes to finish those parts. It really is that simple and in every instance where I’ve used workflow diagrams, the customer has seen a noticeable increase in their productivity rates and manufacturing capacity. This is just one of the tools you should use before moving forward with equipment upgrades or an outright capital expenditure on new equipment.
- Reduce cycle times
- Account for next chain in the process
- Reduce transit times with workflow diagrams
- Measure productivity rates
Workflow diagrams can improve manufacturing capacity. Granted, the increase won’t be so substantial that it doubles your production volumes. However, one of the biggest issues I see with my customers is how they rationalize lost time in manufacturing. They do this with respect to analyzing cycle times, measuring their productivity rates and most importantly, with respect to the time it takes to move parts from one production work cell to the next.
Focus on reducing your transit times between work cells. Next, account for the reduction of cycle times by ensuring the next chain in the process can handle the workload. Finally, use workflow diagrams to reduce turn times between work cells and production work stations.
To read more about reducing cycle times, please read
Essential Cycle Time Analysis: Costs of Manufacturing Lost Time
Manufacturing Capacity Planning: Benchmarking With Ideal Cycle Times
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