How to buy - Step 11) Flexibility Study Part 2

FLEXIBILITY STUDY PART 2 – MANUFACTURING FLEXIBILITY & THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS

Definitions

  1. Machine Flexibility: refers to the number of operations that machines can perform.
    a) What is the functional capability of the current automation process?
    b) What isolated functionality is consistently utilised?
    c) Of the available time to produce through these automated processes, what is the percentage utilisation?

  2. Scheduling Flexibility: refers to the ability to manufacture a product by alternate routes.
    a) What options currently exist for scheduling to remove bottlenecks?
    b) How frequently are these experienced?
    c) Is the impact on scheduling positive? How?
    d. Is the impact on revenue positive? How?

  3. Process Flexibility: refers to the set of product types that a system produces.
    a) What part types can be produced through the current automation?
    b) What part types are produced through the current automation?
    c) How many parts (units) can be produced through the current automation?
    d) How many parts (units) are produced through the current automation?

  4. Product Flexibility: refers to the ease with which a new product could be added.
    a) What functionality (within current automation) exists to introduce new parts? How has this been confirmed?
    b) What functionality (within current automation)exists to introduce new materials?

  5. Volume Flexibility: refers to the ability to operate economically at different levels.
    a) How has this been confirmed?
    b) What impact does this have on the schedule?
    c) What impact does this have on QA?/QC?
    d) What impact does this have on labour requirement?
    e) What impact does this have on labour utilisation?
    f) What impact does this have on labour cost?

This study will apply a five-step flexible solution design process:

  • Step one requires that an organisation identifies and quantifies the changes that are impacting a given facility.
  • Step two involves the decision of whether a conventional solution can minimise the impact of the change.
  • Step three entails correlating the change to one of the eight areas of flexibility types.
  • Step four is the design phase of this process.
  • Step five is the actual implementation of the flexible manufacturing solution.

It will assess the existing internal flexibility study capabilities against the requirements it has determined.

It will also identify any significant gaps between those requirements and its existing internal flexibility study capabilities and develop the appropriate level of internal flexibility study capability.v-model

The development of a generic and specific flexibility study checklist for specific improvement activities, based on the conceptual framework, is suggested to assist the flexibility study or to diagnose the current practice in:

WHAT? – (EQUIPMENT)

  • Total productivity
  • Quick changeover
  • Advanced technology

WHO? – (COMPETENCY)

  • Skills, experience, training, education
  • Motivation, communication
  • Input (Raw Material)
  • Output (Finished Good)
  • (Support Process) QA
  • Business Management Planning
  • OSH

HOW? – (PROCEDURES/ METHODS/ INFO)

  • Best practice
  • Information

WHAT RESULTS? (PERFORMANCE INDICATOR)

  • Data collection and analysis
  • Achievement

FLEXIBILITY RELATED CHANGES

Flexibility is defined as the ability of a system to adjust to the changes in its internal or external environment. Thus it is important to understand that there is no flexibility without a change. In adapting to these changes, a conventional facility will experience a performance loss. Therefore, the goal of flexible manufacturing is to change or react with little penalty in time, effort, or performance so that zero or minimum loss is experienced.

Changes are occurring at a faster rate in comparison to history. This has resulted in shorter life cycles, shorter learning curves, product prices and changes in demand and product mixes. The change will be basically classified as internal or external.

The internal change will be referred to as an internal stimulus. Internal stimuli are generally driven from within the facility. External changes or internal policies can also generate them.

EXAMPLES OF INTERNAL CHANGES

New company policies, new strategic plans, improvement projects.

Thus internal changes could be classified into three types, which are generated as a consequence of:

  • an external change
  • an internal policy
  • an internal failure

External changes are usually generated by consumer or supplier needs. Facilities have little control over the external changes that occur. At best, facilities can only try to minimise the impact of these changes.

EXAMPLES OF EXTERNAL CHANGES

Supplier demands, consumer demands, government requirements, market stimulus etc. Thus, external changes can be classified into four types:

  • Demand Volume Change
  • Demand Variety Change
  • Supplier Constraints
  • Other Changes

TYPES OF FLEXIBILITIES

Flexibility is a very broad term; it could be further classified into different types, being as follows:

Machine Flexibility

This refers to the various types of operations that the machine can perform without requiring a prohibitive effort in switching from one operation to another.

  • What functional performance is your current machine/automation capable of doing?
  • What functional performance does your current machine/automation actually consistently do?
  • What functionality is lacking?
  • Why?

Material Handling Flexibility

The flexibility of a material handling system is its ability to move different part types efficiently for proper positioning and processing through the manufacturing facility it serves.

  • What materials is your current machine/automation capable of handling?
  • What materials does it, in fact, consistently handle?
  • What materials is handling lacking?
  • Why?

Operational Flexibility

This refers to the system’s adaptability to change during operation.

  • What operational adaptability is your current machine/automation capable of?
  • What is operational adaptability within your current machine/automation utilised?
  • What is operational adaptability within your machine/automation required?
  • Why?

Processes Flexibility

This relates to the set of part types that a manufacturing system can produce without major setups.

  • What is the ease with which changes in the setup can be carried out to accommodate varied parts?

Product Flexibility

It is the ease with which new parts can be added or substituted for existing parts.

  • What is the ease with which changes in setup are required to accommodate new parts?
  • Why?

Scheduling Flexibility

This is the ability of a manufacturing system to manufacture a product by alternate routes through the system.

  • How adaptable and/or versatile is the planned scheduling process in the event of failure or if bottlenecks occur?
  • How adaptable and/or versatile is the existing scheduling process when failure or bottlenecks have occurred?
  • How adaptable and/or versatile is the existing scheduling process required to be when failure or bottlenecks occur?
  • Why?

Volume Flexibility

This is the ability of a manufacturing system to be operated economically at different overall output levels.

  • At what low capacity is your existing process estimated to become uneconomical?
  • At what low capacity is your existing process known to become uneconomical?
  • At what low capacity is your process required to become uneconomical?
  • Why?

Expansion Flexibility

It is the ease with which a manufacturing system’s capacity and capability can be increased when needed.

  • What is the highest level estimated capacity within your existing process?
  • What is the highest level known capacity within your existing process?
  • What is the highest level required capacity within your existing process?
  • Why?

Program Flexibility

This is the ability of a system to run virtually unattended for a long enough period.

  • How reliably is the existing automation process able to operate without intervention?
  • How reliably can the existing automation process operate without intervention?
  • How reliably is the existing automation process required to operate without intervention?
  • Why?

Production Flexibility

This is the universe of part types that a manufacturing system can produce without adding major capital equipment.

  • What is the specified limit of part types that the existing automation process is designed to produce?
  • What is the actual limit of part types that the existing automation process can produce?
  • What is the limit of part types that the automation process is required to produce?
  • Why?

Market Flexibility

The ease with which the manufacturing system can adapt to a changing market environment.

  • What is adaptability specified to enable a change in market requirements for part types, volume and materials?
  • What adaptability is known to enable a change in market requirements for part types, volume and materials?
  • What adaptability is required to enable a change in market requirements for part types, volume and materials?
  • Why?

Incremental Investment Flexibility

This can be defined as the capability of a manufacturing system to increase or decrease its capacity when needed.

  • What supplementary functionality is specified within the existing automation process that enables ‘on demand’ increase(s) in capability, capacity, availability and utilisation?
  • What supplementary functionality is utilised within the existing automation process that enables ‘on demand’ increase(s) in capability, capacity, availability and utilisation?
  • What supplementary functionality is required within the existing automation process that enables ‘on demand’ increase(s) in capability, capacity, availability and utilisation?
  • Why?

Tooling Flexibility

It can be defined as the capability of the manufacturing system to produce new or improved parts.

  • What is the specified capacity of the existing automation to adopt alternate tooling for improvements to existing part types?
  • What is the known capability of the existing automation to adopt alternate tooling for improvements to existing part types?
  • What is the required capability of the existing automation to adopt alternate tooling for improvements to existing part types?
  • Why?

Interchange Flexibility

It can be defined as the capability of a manufacturing system to support interchange between stations of their tooling and functions when needed.

  • What is the specified capacity of the existing automation to support interchange and functionality to existing part types on demand?
  • What is the known capability of the existing automation to support interchange and functionality to existing part types on demand?
  • What is the required capability of the existing automation to support interchange and functionality to existing part types on demand?
  • Why?

Software Flexibility

It can be defined as the capability of a manufacturing system to handle the system control software and future versions.

  • What is the specified capacity of the existing automation process to access progressive software upgrades?
  • What is the known capability of the existing automation process to access progressive software upgrades?
  • What is the required capability of the existing automation process to access progressive software upgrades?
  • Why?

Flexibility for Sequential Investment

It can be defined as the user’s capability, sequentially and incrementally, to invest the capacity of a manufacturing system to conform to new information on market demand.

  • What is the specified capacity of the existing automation process to adopt gradual and new functionality, to respond positively to market changes and project opportunities?
  • What is the existing automation process's known capability to adopt gradual and new functionality to respond positively to market changes and project opportunities?
  • What is the required capability of the existing automation process to adopt gradual and new functionality, to respond positively to market changes and project opportunities?
  • Why?

Flexibility on Project Abandonment

It can be defined as the user’s capability to adapt the manufacturing system to another project when project abandonment is demanded.

  • What is the specified capacity of the existing automation process to adapt to new settings to respond positively to project abandonment and/or cancellation?
  • What is the existing automation process's known capability to adapt to new settings to respond positively to project abandonment and/or cancellation?
  • What is the required capability of the existing automation process to adapt to new settings to respond positively to project abandonment and/or cancellation?
  • Why?

Flexibility for New Project Adaptation

It can be defined as the user’s capability to adapt the manufacturing system to another new project after finishing the planned project.

  • What is the specified capacity of the existing automation process to adapt to new settings to respond positively to a new project specification and performance?
  • What is the existing automation process's known capability to adapt to new settings to respond positively to a new project specification and performance?
  • What is the required capability of the existing automation process to adapt to new settings to respond positively to a new project specification and performance?
  • Why?

Flexibility for Workforce Control

It can be defined as the user’s capability to manage the size, technical and managerial capability of the workforce required for the operation of the manufacturing system.

  • What is the recommended composition and size of the labour to effectively and efficiently operate the existing automation process?
  • What is the required composition and size of the labour to effectively and efficiently operate the existing automation process?
  • What is the desired composition and size of the labour to effectively and efficiently operate the existing automation process?
  • Why?

Flexibility for under demand Control

It can be defined as the user’s capability to adapt the manufacturing system to handle the situation where the market demand is less than the capacity of the installed manufacturing system.

  • What is the specified capacity of the existing automation process to adapt efficiently to project performance requiring lower capacity than required?
  • What is the existing automation process's known capability to adapt efficiently to project performance requiring capacity that is lower than that required?
  • What is the required capability of the existing automation process to adapt efficiently to project performance requiring lower capacity than required?
  • Why?

Flexibility for over demand control

It can be defined as the user’s capability to adapt the manufacturing system to handle the situation where the market demand exceeds the capacity of the installed manufacturing system.

  • What is the specified capacity of the existing automation process to adapt efficiently to project performance requiring higher capacity than required?
  • What is the existing automation process's known capability to adapt efficiently to project performance requiring capacity that is higher than that required?
  • What is the required capability of the existing automation process to adapt efficiently to project performance requiring a higher capacity than required?
  • Why?

CONSIDERATIONS

Needed product flexibility

  • Needed machine flexibility
  • Needed product flexibility example
  • Processing time matrix
  • Efficiency matrix

Many myths are associated with flexibility; some believe that flexibility leads to a high level of productivity. This is not necessarily true; in fact, flexibility often results in a lower level of machine utilisation if time is spent idle due to material shortage or blockage. The benefits of flexibility are the ability to reduce inventory and its cost.

The second myth is that implementation requires automation. In fact, flexibility can be increased by training an operator to perform a higher number of tasks; this flexibility does not necessarily mean automation. This allows for strategic planning and adaptability to deliver the aspired growth profile.

DEFICIENCY DESCRIPTION

Since many flexible manufacturing solutions may require a high initial capital outlay, the decision to install flexibility should be based on its long-­term strategic impact on the entire business organisation.

There is a need for a process that manages the design, justification, and implementation of affordable technological solutions to enable flexible manufacturing.

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Contact Specialist Machinery Sales today to discuss a superior machinery strategy for your business.

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