news

OFS in Blowmoulding

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:06:25 +1100

A blue-chip bottle manufacturer recently deployed OFS-X onto it’s blow moulding lines, achieving some immediate and astonishing results.
Within the first 10 weeks of using the system, OEE improved from 58% to 85%, a net gain of 48%.
The plant engaged in a focus-campaign of achieving regular continuos run spans of one hour or more. This campaign was selected because OFS-X showed management that the machines never managed to run for more than an hour without some sort of stoppage...
The leading most frequent cause of lost time was quickly identified and alleviated, with most shifts now achieving much longer running periods.

OFS in Beverage Filling

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:29:14 +1000

OFS-X is being used by several beverage manufacturers to monitor and improve OEE across their businesses.
OFS-X reports in real time the OEE elements of time loss (AVA), speed loss (PE) and material loss (QUALITY). These OEE KPIs are measured against both shifts and individual products. Analysis of these KPIs helps management to improve problem products and provide training to crews that OFS-X identifies as being below target.
Complex Beverage-Line components such as applicators, labellers, packers, wrappers and palletisers can all be monitored in real time.
The impact of any component failure is clearly visible allowing operations to take preventative action before the line is stopped.

OFS in Printing

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:16:08 +1000

OFS is being used by some of the biggest printing facilities in the world to record efficiency, downtime, changeovers/makeready, wastage and more. It is installed on many kinds of printing presses, including sheet/roll fed offset presses, such as Heidelberg, Man Roland and Uteco. OFS is even used on large format flexographic Cobden-Chadwick and Fisher-Krecke presses in deckles up to 2800mm.
Customers have achieved some amazing outcomes applying OFS to a wide range of print industry issues, such as:
• Reducing makeready and process waste by more than 25%.
• Reducing changeover time by as much as 60%.
• Increasing speed by as much as 75%, without increasing waste.
• Driving ownership and accountability in manufacturing execution throughout the printing business.

Improving Engagement and Morale with OFS

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:15:15 +1000

One of the key factors in delivering efficiency gains is engaging all levels of a manufacturing business into the improvement process. An engaged person contributes to the ongoing dialog constantly asking "What do we really want here?", "How can it be done?" and "Why haven't we done it yet?".
Our customers have proven again and again that people whom are engaged in improving performance achieve consistently better results. We have also seen that as engagement increases, morale increases and KPIs such as absenteeism reduce.
Whilst the absenteeism KPI is quite easy to report, measuring and gauging morale is far more difficult.
Analysing the frequency and depth of contributions by machine crews and service personnel into OFS, is an effective measure that demonstrates morale.

OFS in PET

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:14:22 +1000

OFS is installed at a leading PET bottle blowmolding business. The results have been immediate, sustained productivity and product quality improvements.
Within 18 months of installing OFS, the business achieved:
• A capacity increase of over 87%
• A reduction in the number of stops of over 90%
• A significant reduction in quality rejects
• A reduction in absenteeism
• A reduction in finished goods inventories
OFS is also been in creating positive competition between crews in the factory, with new plant production records being broken regularly.

Line Monitoring with OFS

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:13:34 +1000

WHAT IS OFS MONITORING?
OFS has the capability to monitor a number of line components and graphically show the impact of component issues on overall line efficiency.
In a single, intuitive view, OFS compares overall line, shift and product performance using the industry standard OEE elements of time, speed and material loss.
Monitored line components such as applicators, labellers, packers, wrappers, check-weighers and more are all shown in real time.
The impact of any component failure is clearly visible allowing operations to take preventative action before the line is stopped.

OFS in Corrugating

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:12:29 +1000

OFS makes monitoring corrugators simple. Taking the age old concept of data-logging recorders to a whole new level, OFS for corrugators shows speeds, target speeds, slow runs, stops and even waste all together in an intuitive, easily understood, real time view.
Targets are set automatically by OFS for each board quality based on actual crew achievements - rather like a ‘personal best’ and these are clearly shown to operators, who are encouraged to beat their own previous efforts. Each slitter change then represents a chance to set either a new target or even a “record” best.
Operators are encouraged to provide a live commentary against the information recorded by OFS and quickly engage in explaining what they need in order to make the targets that are being shown to them in real time.
OFS for corrugators allows many corrugators to be monitored at once, live, from anywhere on the internet. Many businesses use this live monitoring to foster healthy competition by empowering crews to see and comment how other corrugators within the organisation are performing relative to their own performance.

OFS in Cereal Manufacture

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:11:45 +1000

A cereal manufacturer recently upgraded to OFS-X.
Plant management implemented a program as part of the OFS-X upgrade to focus on both the biggest cause of time loss (AVA) and speed loss (PE).
OFS-X identified the primary cause of time loss as significant differences in cleaning times for like products. The cause was subsequently identified as a result of varying operating procedures practiced by different crews and an education program was undertaken to fix this.
Discrepancies in performance by product mix was shown to be a key cause of speed loss (PE), with crews operating like mixes at significantly different speeds. OFS-X provided clear feedback to both management and operating crews of per product and per product-group performance, resulting in more consistent (increased) operating speeds.
The result - a profound improvement in efficiency, with OEE hitting a new record of 88.12%.

OFS in Beverage Cartons

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:11:14 +1000

The Combibloc® Beverage Carton plant manufactures an aseptic system that provides flexible, long-life packaging for a range of products including dairy, juice and liquid food products across Australia.
OFS is installed on all printers, laminators, extruders, cut creasers and sealers in the business.
Production meetings are fully focussed on the factual performance information recorded by the system. OFS is the critical tool in aligning all operations, services and management on the main issues.
The machines in the plant have achieved exceptional increases in speeds and productivity, in some cases by as much as 75%.
The results are so impressive that the plant is now installing OFS in its customers’ premises to assist in improving their productivity.

OFS in Labelling

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:10:12 +1000

OFS has recently been installed into a 23,000 sqm label making facility that manufactures pressure sensitive, wet-glue, roll-fed wrap around, pallet ID, promotional labels and shrink sleeves into both domestic and international markets.
The business made the decision to use OFS across all 5 of their MAN Roland presses in the sheet-fed litho print area as well as a number of other Heidelberg and Uteco sheet and roll fed printers.
Although these printers all included some productivity monitoring systems as supplied by their manufacturers, the operations management chose to replace these with OFS.
“OFS was just easier to use, it made more sense to the guys and they really knew how they were going. Also, it allows us to compare all our machine and crew performance but if we used the Roland system or the Heidelberg system we couldn’t do this.”
One of the first projects OFS was applied to in the plant was to successfully optimise the number of cylinders and cylinder sizes in the roll fed press area, saving the business considerable capital investment.
OFS also quickly identified significant differences in setup practices between crews. This discovery prompted a campaign to optimise and improve the standard operating procedures used for changeovers resulting in reduced setup times.

OFS in Fibre Packaging

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:09:51 +1000

OFS is being used to monitor and improve production efficiencies in a large Fibre Packaging operation. As a result, the number of stoppages and total downtime has reduced by some 50% and directly increased conversion capacity by 42%.
Furthermore, OFS is integrated with the ERP/Scheduling system, helping to boost on-time deliveries, reduce over runs and associated wastage, manage scheduling, work-in-progress and capacity planning.
“OFS has been has been taken on by all our operators with much more ownership than we have ever seen before... it is definitely the way forward for the future, it’s one of the best things I have seen in our business for ages.”

OFS in Toasting

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:09:24 +1000

OFS has been installed on a state of the art Toasting line processing ingredients for cereals and snack bars. The company, which has operated for more than 25 years has a 10,500 sqm facility and currently provides employment for some 110 employees. The company’s main customer base includes major supermarkets in Australia and overseas together with a number of Brand Owners.
After a 3 month trial, the company elected to proceed with a full deployment of OFS onto it’s Toasting line. OFS was integrated with the line load cell conveyors recording kilograms of product through the oven.

Improving Engineering with OFS

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:08:21 +1000

Outsourced engineering and maintenance teams use OFS to remotely monitor the equipment that they have installed at their customers’ premises. This helps them arrive on site prepared in advance with a detailed picture regarding the key issues their customers are facing. More importantly, it helps the team to be proactive and visit their customers to deal with problems before a complaint is ever made.
Consequently, machinery suppliers and engineering companies employing OFS to help their businesses enjoy a triple benefit:
• Increased service levels by meeting new customer demands that are driven directly from operations.
• Rapid responsiveness by being able to monitor machine performance in OFS in real time - from anywhere.
• Assisting end customers in getting maximum productivity by using OFS on the machinery, equipment and services supplied.