Final end-of-line output reflects a product that has completed processing, is packaged, and is sellable and available to ship to customers. This production represents the cumulative efforts of all the processing lines and material handling flowing through the entire plant. Until material is packaged and labeled, it remains either raw material or work-in-process inventory. Operators looking to measure factory efficiencies at one of the most critical points in the factory and for a reasonable cost should consider collecting their performance data on end-of-line packaging equipment.
Worximity offers state-of-the-art solutions for gathering real-time production line performance data. Their experience is broad and includes extensive implementations for food and beverage companies using MULTIVAC packaging machines, although Worximity’s approach works for any packaging equipment provider. When the complete flow of products through a factory is considered, it is clear that the only products that matter are those that have been packaged and labeled for the consumer. Because the end-of-line can be thought of as a “choke point,” measurements taken here reflect the overall performance of the factory, regardless of how individual lines may be performing. Further, one of the best measures of performance is the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) metric.
Why Measure OEE?
OEE is an excellent and comprehensive measure of performance. OEE is calculated by combining three important operating values: availability, performance, and quality. Each of these reflects important functional characteristics. These individual values are arrived at as follows:
- Availability—the actual run time as compared to the planned run time.
- Performance—the ideal cycle time multiplied by the total count. This result is then divided by the run time.
- Quality—the good count divided by the total count.
OEE values in the 40-60 percent range are common but indicate improvement is achievable. World-class OEE is considered to be 85 percent.
Why Use OEE?
OEE measure can be used for a single piece of equipment (such as a MULTIVAC packaging machine), a process line, or a group of lines. The power of this metric is that it combines several essential aspects of line performance and presents the results in a single number. Tracking the OEE provides a picture of overall performance for the operation.
Some caution must be exercised when evaluating line performance using OEE. Problems might be buried in the numbers and overlooked. Managers using OEE should always look “behind the numbers” to ensure that performance in one or more functions is not deteriorating. This more in-depth analysis means that having a good understanding of OEE and how it is developed is essential to its proper use.
Why Measure Your Packaging Line?
If a processing plant is reasonably well-balanced, then the throughput at final packaging can be used as a proxy for the performance of the entire plant. Monitoring performance at end-of-line yields a rough estimate that can be used to quickly gain insight into the plant’s performance. Some lines in the plant may be operating at very high OEE values, but only the output at final packaging represents what the plant can sell.
Why Worximity?
Worximity Inc. is a leading supplier of real-time, state-of-the-art machine monitoring and performance reporting for the food and beverage industries. Worximity’s Smart Factory analytics software uses smart sensors and machine performance monitors attached to production equipment. This data is continuously communicated directly to Worximity’s Smart Factory software, which calculates performance metrics such as OEE. Performance data is then displayed on dashboards (TileBoards) located throughout the factory.
Worximity has completed more than 30 MULTIVAC packaging machine implementations. Taking advantage of this experience, Worximity can design and implement first-class OEE monitoring of your final packaging lines. With extensive experience in both food and beverage processing and highly trained and responsive support staff, Worximity is the go-to supplier of plant performance solutions. Not only that, but we’ve also developed a rapid deployment “plug-and-play” solution for MULTIVAC users, so we can get your MULTIVAC lines quickly reporting performance with minimal interruptions.
But Worximity’s capabilities don’t stop with MULTIVAC. Regardless of the type, style, or size of packaging equipment installed, Worximity’s abilities cover them all. That’s because Worximity’s solutions are designed to handle the toughest problems out there. Our systems are easily configurable to provide the measures you need for your operations. With our approach, you begin to get results and benefits in the shortest possible time. Interested in a trial? Contact us for complete details.
