Standardization to automation

24-11-20 Die-Mold Shop Automation

Some criteria has been described as interesting to adopt towards efficency, nevertheless there are key points important to face:

Improve machine utilization – It’s costly to have expensive equipment sitting idle with needlessly long setups, inefficient workpiece handling, frequent cycle interruptions to change tools or other manual interventions, or just waiting too long for the next job.

Increase capacity – Solving these problems will increase capacity, bringing better ROI to your technology investments with more output per day. Capacity is stretched even further when shops learn to machine unattended over extended periods of time.

Improve quality – Automation forces a shop to bring greater consistency to their machining processes and, once that’s accomplished, is less prone to human error.

Reduce lead times – The efficiencies and process consistency brought on by tackling the above issues reduces the time it takes to machine a part and likely will reduce EDM requirements and bench time as well.

Better leverage skilled labor – The best use of skilled people is to integrate their knowledge into your machining processes rather than having them directly control those processes themselves. This too increases capacity and quality though in a different way.

Achieving any of these goals will increase a shop’s efficiency and lower overall costs. How far to take an automation project will depend on which are most consequential to the business.

So, it is important to acquire a deep understanding of existing shop practices. How to create and validate part programs? How to load, hold and locate workpieces? How to manage cutting tools? That includes tasks such as establishing workpiece and cutting tool offsets, monitoring wear, and replacing tools or inserts. How to validate quality?

Standardization Process Levels

1 Procedures explained by senior workers - People

2 Manuals that explain work sequences - Methods

3 Standard sets for jigs, tools and alarm devices -Measurement

4 Build standards for equipment: (machines, computers, CAD, CAM) - Production

5 Standardization of objects- Materials

6 Management methods results/ objectives - Information

Is important to aknowledge for a good assessment phase where data should be colected and selected in order to get the plannification through; Each and every company has its own reality, its not a 2+2 achieve 4, but steps can help give a general company awareness and at the end culture that carries good practices to make the company more competitive.