But, what does all that actually mean in terms of real, lasting results? And, how achievable is it?
For production managers, operational efficiency is the ultimate goal. Companies often measure system availability, performance and quality separately
But what good is a great system if it is only available 25% of the time
For many years the automotive industry has used OEE or Overall Equipment Effectiveness to measure performance in and between plants, and it is now being adopted by more and more upholstered furniture manufacturers.
The calculation is simple: OEE = Availability x Performance x Quality. The three criteria are interdependent, so it is important to look at them together.
It is this lean philosophy that helps improve performance and eliminate wasted time while improving quality.
In the cutting room for example, you can eliminate activities which do not add value and remove non-productive time from your processes. Make use of anti-error systems and visual management to detect errors automatically and avoid costly mistakes before they happen. You can also optimize resources and reduce operator dependency by automating tasks wherever possible.
You need technology, processes and people that can operate flexibly enough to meet demand quickly
Whether that’s adapting to customized orders, managing unexpected volumes or getting your designs to market first. To do this, you may need to simplify some of the processes you currently have and consider automating your manual tasks.
