6 Ways to Improve Throughput

2. Eliminate Bottlenecks

Now that you have reviewed your existing workflows and identified where your problems are you can work on eliminating bottlenecks. Maybe you have some processes that have been in place for such a long time that they are now riddled with workarounds, as new equipment has been added or production methods have changed. Work on creating new streamlined processes that work with the current setup and flow of your factory. Or you may need to add extra stations to a long process so more parts can be processed at once, or you may need to find ways to make a process more efficient, or possibly even eliminate a process entirely and replace it with a different one. The right solution will depend on factors such as spare floor space, expense of equipment involved, and the nature/necessity of the process. Use the intel you discovered in step one to make informed decisions about how to improve your workflows.

3. Reduce Equipment Downtime

One of the fastest ways to slow things down is by ignoring regular maintenance. Scheduled downtime for maintenance costs much less, in terms of both time and money, than downtime due to broken or worn-out equipment. And Murphy’s Law tells us that equipment breakages always come at the worst possible time.

Don’t delay maintenance thinking you are actually speeding up your shop floor, but schedule it regularly to ensure your machinery is always in optimum shape. Use the information you gathered in step one about your floor and workflow processes to identify the best time to schedule routine maintenance to have the least impact on your business. Train equipment operators in regular maintenance and troubleshooting procedures, to ensure your equipment is always running smoothly and unexpected equipment downtime is rare.

4. Reduce Parts Rejection Rate

You may have a high output, but still fail to meet throughput goals because too many parts are being rejected. If you can produce 500 parts per hour, but have a 10% part rejection rate, you’ll waste 50 parts every hour, or 400 parts a shift. If you can cut your rejection rate in half, your throughput would increase by 200 parts per shift.

Look for elements in your production process that can damage your parts or cause them to fail to meet production standards. By identifying and correcting these issues, you can improve production throughput, and increase customer satisfaction with your products. You’ll also reduce money wasted on remanufacturing or reprocessing parts.

5. Improve Employee Training

When employees lack proper training, they may not have the skills and competence to find improvements that they can make at their workstations. Worse yet, employees that are poorly trained may accidentally create delays, because they don’t understand the entirety of the production process and how a tweak that saves them a minute creates 5 minutes of extra work for someone else down the line. Focusing on employee training so they have the skills to make positive, well-informed changes to the production process is key to maximizing throughput.

And don’t limit training and education to equipment. Your shop floor will run more smoothly if everyone understands your policies on workplace harassment and proper communication, ensuring you have a more amicable and functional workplace.

6. Use Factory Automation

Consider automating some of your manufacturing processes. Even your most dedicated and skilled employees can get exhausted after a few hours of heavy labor, leading to reduced work consistency and increased risk of injury. The appropriate use of factory automation can dramatically increase manufacturing throughput. Automated production systems can outperform humans in terms of precision and the ability to perform repetitive tasks at a great speed. In the presence of smart machines, your staff can focus on planning, programming, and other important tasks, and leave the heavy lifting, so-to-speak, up to the machines. Modern industrial technology makes it possible for you to produce a large number of products while meeting the stringent quality control requirements, and improve your workers’ quality of life by preventing them from having to do difficult and repetitive heavy labor. Strategic use of the right automated machines on your shop floor can have a great impact on your overall productivity and throughput.