Four tips for mass-producing parts.

Mass production is a simple idea: producing as many parts as possible to boost cost-efficiency and meet customer demands. In practice this simple idea quickly becomes complicated. Highly productive UNITED GRINDING precision machines can offer a platform to produce in large quantities. However, organizational measures for mass production must also be taken to achieve the required throughput rates. You should not neglect these four aspects when scaling production or perfecting existing large series processes:

The modern world is based on mass production. As a consequence, contemporary production specialists have spent many decades analyzing the best procedures for producing large-scale series. Manufacturers from Henry Ford to Taiichi Ohno came to fame and gained a reputation because they were able to find the most efficient and cost-effective ways to produce parts in large quantities.

The resulting philosophy is known nowadays as lean manufacturing and is best summed up as an aggressive minimization of waste in all areas and the continuous improvement in the search for completely optimized processes.

As a result of the large-scale introduction of concepts, such as just-in-time (JIT) production or cell-based production your company most likely already applies lean principles. Consider the implementation of a formal system, such as 5S or lean six sigma to evolve these ideas.

In some companies investments in safety are considered a waste of profits to pamper employees. However, in reality the opposite is the case.

A study by the Aberdeen Group dating back to 2011 showed that the most successful manufacturers that are categorized as "best in class" according to objective key performance indicators (KPIs), also have the best safety record. Merely 1 in 2,000 staff members reported an injury compared with around 1 in 100 at manufacturers with an average score.

A safer workplace is a more productive workplace. For this reason, companies keen to maximize profits from mass production are well advised to minimize risks and make occupational safety a pivotal aspect of their corporate culture. 

While high-performance, automated solutions for grinding technology can make a massive contribution to safeguard fast mass production, manufacturing itself still relies on capable staff members. Make your team a part of the solution by fostering feedback and asking for suggestions to improve processes.

Many company owners and managers are surprised that their staff members have been aware of problems for weeks or months before they become an issue. Prevent these problems by incorporating the entire team into the continuous improvement process. Put staff members in the position that they report problems so that they can be handled constructively and proactively.

It goes without saying that none of these tips matter if the machine does not meet requirements.

UNITED GRINDING Group brands are your partners throughout the entire production process, from delivering the grinding machine to implementing customer-specific automation systems.

Contact us to find out more.