Hi there,
We are in the process of improving the efficiency of our paint line. We manufacture hydraulic cylinders which we then do our own painting on. Our paint line consists of hooks hanging down and spaced three feet apart. Our line can move at 4 feet per second, but we typically run at 3 feet per second. We employ four workers on the line, one person hangs the parts, another person primes the parts, a third person paints the parts, and the fourth person takes the parts off the line and packs them. The parts range in size from 12 inch cylinders with a 2 inch diameter to 6 feet cylinders with a 12 inch diameter. We also do small log splitter valves which we hang three to a hook to increase part density.
So, to begin improving our process we are trying to come up with a tool to measure current throughput so that we can tell how much we improve and to give our employees a goal/measurable achievement.
The initial thought is to do parts/hour. Well, given the varying sizes of parts, which can cause the painter to have to spend more time painting or a heavier part will require the crane to put on the hooks, and carefulness is required to take off large parts without scratching paint. So that won't work. The second thought is to give each part a parts/hour, this could work, though certainly not ideal.
The second idea is part density of sorts. You could do this via a combination of part weight and part surface area. The weight affects the time of the people putting parts on and off, and the surface area affects the painters. This still doesn't take into account nooks and crannies on parts that really make it difficult for the painters and adds process time for them.
Does anyone have ideas on how to quantify productivity in this area effectively so that both the employees and employers can measure it?
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