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An industrial production line is the configuration of a production process that contains a series of steps. At each step, an operation is performed, which brings the item closer to its final stage, that of a finished product. It is the industrial production line, then, that enables the manufacturing of various products, in various types of production. The manufacturing process uses various methods, operations, machinery, and labor to transform raw material into a finished product. With optimization, it is possible to reduce costs, improve the quality of production and products, increase competitiveness, and improve the flow of goods. READ ALSO: • Quality inspection, what is it?
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Types of production lines
The production process involves the creation of a product or service, and there are different types of production lines and manufacturing processes. Some examples follow below:
Batch production
In this production, items are made in a batch. For example, 1,200 candies that go through 6 production stages together, each bringing them to the final arrival point where they become a final product. The number of batches that will be created is defined according to the specific need of a customer. Between the production of each batch, the equipment will be cleaned, and it remains idle before another batch is needed. The factory or equipment may be capable of producing a high quantity of a certain product, but the customer's need may be smaller than its capacity, which causes production to occur in batches.
Mass production (continuous)
Mass production, or continuous production, runs 24/7, meaning all the time. It is a repetitive production process that creates the same product in a mass production line, which is very common in the automotive, electronics, semiconductor, and durable goods industries. This type of production is ideal for these industries because consumer demand for the final product is stable and predictable. Thus, the industrial production line remains reasonably constant, with few changes, and the product is made over a certain period of time.
Discrete production or manufacturing
It is similar to mass production, as it is a production that takes place on production lines. However, the products made in this process vary significantly. Thus, when there is a change in the models of the products to be made, the production line configuration needs to be altered. This change brings costs in the form of time, labor, and resources. For example, in the computer industry, in addition to technology developing at a constantly fast pace, consumer demands are personalized and require mass customization. Therefore, the manufacturing process of new computers will need modifications in the production line, which in turn require the latest electronic components on the market.
How to optimize the industrial production line
It is possible to optimize the industrial production line in several ways, including using Industry 4.0 technologies, such as the Internet of Things. Therefore, having deep knowledge of the production line is important to know how to optimize it. There are some important aspects to optimization, but the first step is to understand what you want to optimize.
The steps of optimization
In the case of more than one production line, it is necessary to determine on which one improvements will be made. It is possible to do this in two ways. The first is according to the production line that is causing the most problems. The second, according to the simplicity of the production line process. In other words, which production line is the easiest to understand. After defining this, the process occurs as follows:
Map the production process
Production mapping is a diagram showing the steps of the production process. Usually, it is already known by manufacturers or the company. In case it needs to be done, it is important to involve the people who participate in the process, so that the mapping is done accurately;
Determine the optimization point
After mapping the production line and understanding its stages and operations, it is time to define the optimization goal. What should be improved? Some examples: reduce the number of stoppages by 20%, increase overall equipment effectiveness by 5%, or reduce energy consumption by 10%; the more precise and measurable, the better. When using technology and data, the next step is to define what data is needed to better understand the problem. For example, if the goal is to increase overall equipment effectiveness by 5%, it is necessary to understand what the current overall effectiveness is;
Propose improvements
After mapping the production, identifying the problems, and determining the optimization goal, it is necessary to think about possible solutions; thus, the moment comes to discuss what improvements are possible and accessible to reach the previously defined goal. At this stage, the team discusses what can be optimized in order to avoid a prolonged interruption of the production line. After the proposed solutions, the one that best meets the optimization requirements is chosen, and then a plan and a deadline for implementing its realization are defined.
Control
Monitoring the optimization process is crucial for it to occur as planned and desired. At this stage, different measures are used to check if the optimizations made achieved the result that was sought. It is possible that the solution found previously needs adjustments, and therefore it is important to prepare the team to deal with adversities and adaptations in the optimization process.
Important factors in the decision-making process
There are some factors that are important when deciding how to optimize your industrial production line: • Available resources: It is necessary to evaluate if you have the time and money required to deal with different supply networks, in case you need to create new production lines;
• Organizational priorities: The focus of the improvement must be defined; will it be on the product design, the cost to make it, or the effectiveness of the operations? These points must be analyzed with care and precision;
• Goal of the optimization: Is the optimization to improve existing production lines or to adapt them for new needs? Sometimes, it is better to just optimize a supply network or production line in the case of manufacturing new products; at other times, the best alternative is to add a new network of partner suppliers to optimize the quality and efficiency of the new product;
• Suppliers: The network of suppliers is vital for your industrial production line; therefore, it is important to understand who the suppliers in the market are, their reputation, their working method, their deadlines, communication capacity, and the quality of raw materials; in manufacturing, there is more than one component involved, so it is important to ensure the quality of the different components that are part of the process;
• Market needs: The goal of the company or factory is always to meet an existing demand that brings a satisfactory revenue; that is, that brings profits, having a lower production cost and a good sale; to optimize this process, it is important to analyze this demand, thereby avoiding an overproduction of goods;
• Upgrade the production line: Technology develops faster and faster, and it is important to pay attention to this to maintain competitiveness in the market; making the production line more up-to-date, with the use of industry 4.0 technologies, such as the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence, is something that can make a big difference in the production process as a whole.
• These processes and technologies can even help collect important data about production processes, thus indicating where there are problems, and pointing out the places where an optimization could be made on the production line;
• Consistency and quality: Optimization seeks a reduction in costs and even in production time, if necessary, but should never reduce quality; therefore, maintaining a good standard of products is necessary to value production quality, making it important to analyze and monitor every step of the production process.
• As previously mentioned, each step and component is part of a certain percentage of the final product, which is the sum of these parts; each of them, therefore, must be maintained at the best possible quality;
• Define goals and monitor them: There is no way to optimize the industrial production line without first identifying which point will be optimized, the way it will be done, the proposed solution, and the effectiveness of its implementation.
• The goals, therefore, must be well-defined and precise, measurable and relevant to the context of production, and must be monitored during the implementation process; in addition, team members and process participants must know what these goals are, so they can contribute to the optimization process.
• Attention: Staying attentive and aware of all aspects is the key to the issue; from suppliers to the stages of the production line, from product quality to component quality, from the availability of new suppliers and products to market needs, knowledge of the different factors is what brings greater power and ability to deal with the goals and adversities of production line optimization.
Conclusion
The constant search for the optimization of the industrial production line is a way to remain competitive in the market, with good production quality. Furthermore, it is a way to reduce operational costs, as well as solve problems involved in the production line itself. Identifying these problems, proposing solutions, and monitoring the optimization is the key to it occurring in the desired manner, thus achieving an improvement in the production process. Pix Force has the product to optimize your company's production, helping you optimize your processes while maintaining the quality of your product. Get in touch with us and discover Pix Quality, a product aimed exactly at the quality of your production!
Fabio Caraça
Fábio Caraça is the Chief Growth Officer at Pix Force. He leads Pix Force's transformation into a scalable SaaS operation, combining strategic vision, culture, and high-impact execution.
