[Case Study] Eliminating Losses During Line Changeovers

Various losses occur during the changeover on a line that handles multiple varieties! Here is a case study on how we improved monetary losses in about 13 operational days!

We have adopted the "Kanban production system" and produce 15 varieties of products on one line, but on busy days, up to 8 "changeovers" are required. After recording the changeovers on video and analyzing the situation, it was found that the "overall equipment efficiency" and "net operating rate" were declining. Therefore, we held discussions with the maintenance design team and automated the changeover process. We installed Makome Research Institute's linear encoders "SIE-140 (incremental)" and "SAE-200 (absolute)" on the motor-driven thickness adjustment machine. As a result of the improvements, the operating time rate increased, and changeover losses were transformed into production that generates revenue. The initial investment was 4,852,600 yen, but the cost-effectiveness improved the monetary loss in about 13 operating days. *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

basic information

**Case Summary (Partial)** ■Trouble Case - During stage changes, "machine height adjustments" and "width adjustment losses" occur due to changes in work type. ■Trouble Situation and Losses - Stage change frequency: 5 times/28,800 seconds - Line stoppage loss: 385,500 yen/day - Annual line stoppage loss: 92,520,000 yen ■Points of Improvement and Expected Customer Benefits - With a resolution of 0.1 to 0.025mm and repeatability, stage changes can be done with one touch. - As it uses a magnetic encoder, it is unaffected by poor environmental conditions. - The magnetic scale operates without issues even when surrounded by non-magnetic materials (such as aluminum and stainless steel), preventing easy adjustments by on-site workers. ■Effects and Benefits of Improvement - Stage change frequency: 5 times/28,800 seconds - Stage change stoppage time: 28 seconds/1 time - Annual line stoppage loss: 1,233,360 yen *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.*