Improving Packaging Line Efficiency Through OEE
January 22,2020
Category: Cost Savings, Quality Optimization
Packaging line efficiency is one of those factors that aren’t often front-of-mind until there’s a problem. When productivity decreases or the error rate increases, companies start to evaluate their Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), which is often responsible for these declines.
OEE declines can be circumvented with proper operations management and business process redesign and optimization. Without those proactive measures, any changes made to the packaging line can have a negative impact on OEE.
Through the introduction of serialization equipment, additional process steps and controls have been made part of the normal operations on the packaging line. With this comes added complexity and an intrinsic process variance that generates additional time loss. This is due to new setup requirements, additional rejects, and additional line macro and micro stoppages.
Companies that have implemented serialization have noted that efficiency losses of up to 20% are connected to the additional complexity of new operations, processes and automation/IT systems.
Fortunately, the technology that enables tracking and evaluating equipment efficiency is now commonly available. Supply chain visibility, predictive maintenance, Big Data, and OEE live tracking are now becoming increasingly pertinent in the Pharmaceutical industry, but experienced OEE experts agree that collecting the data is only half the battle.
The biggest challenge to identifying problems with OEE and rectifying them is being able to extract value from that data, which requires more than a tracking system can provide.
In an article entitled, Improving Pharma Packaging Line Efficiency Through Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), digital expert Valerio De Simone examines key performance indicators and OEE tracking systems, as well as the importance of obtaining the full picture when it comes to packaging line efficiency. Valerio offers insights on how to better use overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) tracking systems and how to avoid common mistakes.
OEE declines can be circumvented with proper operations management and business process redesign and optimization. Without those proactive measures, any changes made to the packaging line can have a negative impact on OEE.
The Impact of Serialization
Through the introduction of serialization equipment, additional process steps and controls have been made part of the normal operations on the packaging line. With this comes added complexity and an intrinsic process variance that generates additional time loss. This is due to new setup requirements, additional rejects, and additional line macro and micro stoppages.Companies that have implemented serialization have noted that efficiency losses of up to 20% are connected to the additional complexity of new operations, processes and automation/IT systems.
Tech-Enabled Tracking
Fortunately, the technology that enables tracking and evaluating equipment efficiency is now commonly available. Supply chain visibility, predictive maintenance, Big Data, and OEE live tracking are now becoming increasingly pertinent in the Pharmaceutical industry, but experienced OEE experts agree that collecting the data is only half the battle.
Identifying the Real Challenge
The biggest challenge to identifying problems with OEE and rectifying them is being able to extract value from that data, which requires more than a tracking system can provide.In an article entitled, Improving Pharma Packaging Line Efficiency Through Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), digital expert Valerio De Simone examines key performance indicators and OEE tracking systems, as well as the importance of obtaining the full picture when it comes to packaging line efficiency. Valerio offers insights on how to better use overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) tracking systems and how to avoid common mistakes.
Read the Full Article
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