It’s All About (Up) Time: The Benefits of Data Collection in Automated Production Lines
Hazle Township, PA (PRWEB) July 31, 2014 -- We have been reading that we are in a jobless recovery. This shouldn’t be surprising since flat consumption makes cost reduction a prime means of improving results. At EAM-Mosca an automation oriented strapping systems business, our automated system sales have been strong throughout the recovery.
In our major markets, we see companies investing in new technology and working it hard. With more data available than ever to monitor performance, they are driving new processes to their maximum production levels to minimize costs and earn a return on their investments. In our experience, successful projects don’t focus solely on system speed or labor reduction, but also take a thoughtful look at how to maintain high uptime and steady production day in, day out.
At EAM-Mosca, our strapping systems offer the capability to maximize the success of automation investments by minimizing several potential sources of downtime:
1. Setup/changeover time reduction: Several of our bundler models offer automated setup features which reduce line change time and free line operators from making manual changeovers. Mosca equipment can perform setup changes based on input at the HMI or from external data entered via hard wired or Ethernet sources.
2. Reducing known downtime sources such as strap coil changes: High end Mosca bundlers offer optional automatic coil changers that will clear the strapper of strap from the emptied coil and automatically start a new one. Time required is about 10-15 seconds and operator attendance is not necessary. The alternative is for the line operator to manually change the coil, typically a one to two minute job, after the operator arrives at the machine.
3. Reducing downtime from random faults: Strapping machine reliability continues to improve, but faults inevitably occur that can stop production. Historically, concerned companies might have a spare strapper to wheel into line when a fault is unable to be corrected quickly. This is a good idea, but still requires at least several minutes to execute. An alternative is to install a “Tandem” strapping system. This means two strapping machines installed in series with controls that detect faults and keep the line running by switching strapping responsibility between machines when a fault occurs. In addition, tandem setups can increase line throughput by using both strappers in alternating fashion to increase the effective system speed. This does double the strapping system investment, but this is offset by throughput and uptime benefits in lines where production demands are high, strappers are a small part of the overall investment and production requirements make downtime costly.
4. Using data to fix the causes of downtime: Mosca equipment comes equipped with standard and optional data collection and diagnostic capabilities that can be used to analyze system performance and address problems at the source. This can speed troubleshooting and help find the root cause to provide the best possible fixes to production disruptions.
Market realities are the unavoidable drivers causing companies to automate, increase throughput and as a consequence, reduce labor content in their production processes. Taking a holistic view of the complete process and investing in technology that will help keep systems running, can be key contributors to the ultimate success of these investments.
EAM-Mosca Corporation provides high-performance strapping system solutions to a variety of industries, including food, graphic arts, mailing, fulfillment, logistics, corrugated, wood, and other industrial or consumer goods. We combine innovative equipment with strapping materials manufactured to maximize machine performance and customer support programs that help our customers to meet their performance and productivity goals.
To learn more about any of EAM-Mosca’s other productivity enhancing strapping systems, please call us at 800-456-3420, or email us at info(at)eammosca(dot)com. You can also connect with EAM-Mosca on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/EAMMoscaCorp), Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/EAMMoscaCorp) or LinkedIn via the company’s website, http://www.eammosca.com.
Marie King, EAM-Mosca, http://www.eammosca.com, +1 570-407-1558, [email protected]
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