Optimization of production: start-up, scheduling and sequencing
Optimizing production and process controls… where are you at?
-
How can you demonstrate that your processes are in control?
-
Yields are an important point; but what about non-compliances?
-
Are you experiencing delays or production stoppages?
-
Do you have absenteeism problems?
-
Are you slowed down by Corrective Action Requests (CARs)? Etc
-
The expected returns are not there?
-
How much does it cost you to start your operations?
Don't have all the answers?
It's time to fix it using simple and effective tools.
One of the first things to do is make sure you have everything you need to start your operations every day, every shift, after an outage, etc.
The start of operations
How to start operations smoothly and efficiently?
-
With the right people in the right place
-
With good equipment ready to operate
-
With raw materials, ingredients, additives, packaging materials ready and in the right places
-
With a clean and well maintained building
-
Etc.
One of the proven strategies to avoid forgetting anything is to develop a document that gives you the winning recipe for getting started and it's called a Start-up routine .
It,s important to incloude in the Start-up routine everything that is essential to get your operations started and everything that would cause your operations to not be able to start if it is not done, in place, adjusted, etc.
It requires several brainstorming sessions with all your teams and discussions at all levels: from floor employees to management, including maintenance and quality teams of course.
Once it's done; it remains to be tested and improved until everything starts smoothly, without interruptions and without problems.
Once you know how to get started properly; it is important to ask yourself if you are doing things in the right order and this is called scheduling. It may sound simple and you might consider that the production planning is enough but do not forget that it is often based on the orders and that it did not always take into account the complexity of some operations especially when you serve large clients.
What is scheduling?
It consists of putting things in order taking into account everything and not just orders and dollars.
To do this, it is important to ask yourself several questions including:
-
Ask you if certain steps or orders should be carried out before others to save time and energy
-
Ask yourself if you take into account the waiting times for each type of production
-
Worry about the order of priority of adding certain ingredients
-
Be concerned with staff change-switch between production types and shifts
-
Be concerned with Start-up routines and preparation required between production types and shifts
-
Etc.
By considering the scheduling constraints that you will have identified for your productions; you will be able to optimize times and yields as well as minimize accidents and production stoppages.
Sequencing is the next important point when you have to deal with particular productions such as:
-
Organic production
-
Vegan production
-
Kosher production
-
Halal production
-
Etc.
Sequencing: a special case of scheduling
It is in fact a kind of scheduling which consists in determining in which order to make a type of product to meet the requirements of a norm or standard to be respected. It is possible to start a day with one of these particular products and then continue with the usual production which is not subject to these norms or standards in order to minimize the possibility of errors (formulation, packaging, label, etc. ), cross-contamination , etc. when changing production type from one product to another.
It is also possible to target specific days (depending on the volume to be produced) and thus avoid any possibility of errors (formulation, packaging, label, etc.) or of cross contamination .
Certain types of production can also be done consequtively without problem if the lists of ingredients are identical or compatible and that they respect the norms, standards and customer requirements such as Organic production could follow a Vegan production of the same product made in start of the day.
We are able to help you with the optimization of production including Start-up , scheduling or even sequencing in order to improve your process controls so that you are able to continue to meet regulatory compliance requirements, norms, etc. the standards as well as the requirements of your customers (including those stipulated in the GFSI standards). It will also improve your performance, minimize accidents, downtime and help improve your level of compliance by avoiding being reactive while representing a source of potential savings to be exploited.