Is every facet of your production process as optimally coordinated as possible? Or are you losing precious euros due to inefficiencies and bottlenecks? Achieving the highest possible productivity is an absolute must in times of economic prosperity as well as in tough economic times.
Operational excellence: what is it?
It was Joseph M. Juran who first advanced “operational excellence” as a business philosophy in the 1970s. The concept pursues a more efficient way of working without sacrificing quality. It is about minimizing the margin of error and maximizing the quality of the delivered product.
Over the years, the number of pillars on which the concept rests grew. This has everything to do with the changes in society and the fierce competition in the market.
These are the main pillars on which there is now a particular focus:
- Safety
- Efficiency
- Cost Reduction
- Sustainability
- Quality
In 1995, the concept was picked up by Michael Treacy and Fred Wiersema, two marketing strategists who considered “operational excellence” one of their three business strategies. It is one of their ways of positioning a company in the marketplace.
5 reasons to improve your production process
Reason 1: Faster market-ready
The better the various phases of your production process are coordinated, the less valuable time you lose. Moreover, your products are ready for market faster. The shorter lead time for your goods creates a competitive market advantage. It can be a decisive factor for potential customers. Especially when the quality of your products remains the same or even increases.
Reason 2: Reduce margin of error.
An optimized production process takes away a lot of unnecessary stress. By critically analyzing your processes, identifying areas for improvement and taking action, you can greatly reduce your error rate.
Therefore, what worked x number of years ago is no longer the most efficient approach today.
Reason 3: Reduce energy costs
Today’s energy costs are keeping many business owners awake at night. How could it be any different with those sky-high energy bills that keep rising? Rising gas and electricity prices affect our production process and the purchasing power of our customers.
The more efficient you can produce, the fewer mistakes are made, the less time you need and the more you can reduce the price. This, after your investment, gives you a competitive advantage over your competitors.
Reason 4: Increase security
A production with modern systems and equipment increases overall safety. We are thinking here about both the safety of your goods and the conditions in which your employees perform their jobs. Smart integrations can positively influence safety on the shop floor.
Reason 5: Avoid idle machines
Nothing more annoying and costly than the partial or even complete shutdown of your production lines. It eats away at your budget and is money wasted. By thoroughly tackling and modernizing your processes, such situations can be avoided.
5 tips to optimize your production process
Tip 1: Analyze your current processes
Everything starts with your current production process. Possibly you already experienced some pain points in the past that need to be taken care of. If your production stalls repeatedly in the same place, you know immediately that there is a problem there. But chances are there are inefficiencies that have gone unnoticed.
At Meyland, we send our engineers out to analyze your plant’s operation from top to bottom. With their acquired insights, they can determine how your production process can be improved so that your productivity increases significantly.
Tip 2: Embrace smart factories
Smart factories as the future? The future is today, and many companies recognize that waiting until tomorrow is not an option. After all, your competitors aren’t standing still either. To keep up and compete, you need smart technology .
Moreover, the importance of a smart factory is confirmed by scientific research that examined how manufacturers view its emergence. This showed that those who made the switch see great progress both operationally and financially .
Tip 3: Use PLCs
Richard “Dick” Morley did the global industry an enormous service with the development of PLCs. In doing so, he unmistakably laid the foundation for industrial automation as we know it today.
With this application, we can trigger a particular action that allows the process to proceed automatically, without the need for manual actions.
More about PLCs in mechanical engineering
Tip 4: Check out the digital transformation grant
The Flemish government wants to reward producers who fully pull out the digital card. That is why they called the digital transformation subsidy into being. With this, a company can receive up to as much as €50,000 in subsidies.
Each year there are different times when you can submit your grant application. When exactly, can always be found on the VLAIO website.
Tip 5: Choose internal transport systems
There are easier ways to move goods around your business than having employees dragging them around. Internal transport systems are ideal when you want to increase your productivity. You can use your employees more purposefully and make better use of their skills.
Traffic in the workplace is significantly reduced, reducing the likelihood of a work accident.
More on the benefits of internal transport systems
Get advice to increase your productivity and improve your production process
There is no universal, off-the-shelf solution to make a production process more efficient. No two production processes are the same. Our engineers analyze your operation in minute detail and then provide advice tailored to your business. With the right integrations, machines and systems will take your productivity to the next level.