For More Information Please contact Canada Techs Operation Analysis Human Factors R. Z. Angila.

For More Information Please contact For More Information Please contact Canada TechsCanada Techs

Operation AnalysisOperation Analysis

Human Factors

R. Z. Angila

IfIf Methods EngineeringMethods Engineering Focuses Primarily Focuses Primarily on improving productivity though (re)design of:on improving productivity though (re)design of:

Tools(Products)

Work Process

Work environment

Organizationalstructure

Motivation:Incentives/rewards

Work operations

ThenThen Operations AnalysisOperations Analysis Focuses Focuses Primarily on improving productivity though Primarily on improving productivity though

(re)design of:(re)design of:

Tools(Products)

Work Process

Work environment

Organizationalstructure

Motivation:Incentives/rewards

Work operations

The 9 Primary Approaches to The 9 Primary Approaches to Operation Analysis Operation Analysis

1. Operation Purpose

2. Part Design

3. Tolerances and Specs

4. Material

5. Manufacturing Sequence and Process

6. Setup and Tools

7. Material Handling

8. Plant Layout

9. Work Design

Also consider: management and reward changes

Simultaneously consider Simultaneously consider manymany ways ways

of making improvements!of making improvements!

1. Operation Purpose1. Operation PurposeAsk: “Does this operation serve a useful purpose?”“Is this operation really needed?”Try to: Eliminate operationsCombine operations

As many as 25% of operations in American Industry can be eliminated.

Example 1: Operation EliminationExample 1: Operation Elimination

Many stores have dropped the requirement that customers sign their credit slip for small totals: less than $15 - $50.

This makes the payment transaction very fast!– E.g. in coffee shop study,

Average payment transaction time: 27 sec

Example 2: Operation Elimination Example 2: Operation Elimination Outsource operationsOutsource operations

Ask: “Can a supplier an operation more economically than we can in-house?”

Operation: pack ball bearings in greaseModification: purchase sealed bearings

from supplier.

Example 3: Operation Elimination Example 3: Operation Elimination Eliminate re-workEliminate re-work

Coffee shop worker:

1. Worker pours milk into stainless steel beaker,

2. Steams milk, pours into cup.

3. Runs out of milk – must pour and steam more while customer waits impatiently.

Solution: Add measuring lines to inside of beaker so worker

does not have to estimate how much milk to pour.

2. Part Design2. Part DesignDesign for manufacturing Design for manufacturing

and life-cycleand life-cycleReduce parts – simplify designsReduce processing operationsUtilize better materialLoosen tolerances where possibleDesign for manufacturing: choose an easy

to manufacture shape over a difficult one.

Minimum cost designMinimum cost design

It helps designers if they understand processes such as: casting, molding and punching, bending, etc.

Example: instead of: – Four bends in sheet metal to make part, – Make lower cost extrusion with 4 bends already in it.

This type of thinking is called

“Design for Manufacturing”

3. Tolerances and specifications3. Tolerances and specifications

Designers tend to incorporate tolerances that are more rigid than necessary

Why? To be extra sure that product will function in all situations.

It is perceived to reduce risk, but it can add much unnecessary cost,

Need to consider risk/cost trade-off. Taguchi (86) methods develop quality products

and reduce cost.

4. Material4. MaterialIncorporate better, more economical

material in designs:– Less expensive– Easier to process– Use materials more economically– Use supplies and tools more economically,– Standardize materials– Find best vendor: price, stock. Can achieve

10% to 15% reductions by shopping around, sometimes every year.

Example: New materialExample: New material

Substitute glass tubing for Micarta spacer bar in transformer. (Micarta is a glass cloth, epoxy resin laminate material)

less expensive and better cooling

Replace stamped gear with plastic gear in assembly.

saved $0.13 per unit, $10,000 per year.

Keiretsu: (Japanese term) interlocking relationship between manufacturers and suppliers.

5. Manufacturing Sequence 5. Manufacturing Sequence and Toolsand Tools

Re-sequence operations Group operations that can share common fixturing Mechanize manual operations where economically

feasible (see section on setup) Use more efficient facilities (see section on

layout) Example, substitute Super automatic cappuccino machines for old style.

Manufacture near-net shape. Use Robots (where economically feasible –

usually for long product runs, small product variability)

Example: re-sequencingExample: re-sequencing

Original sequence:1. Paint part 12. Paint part 23. Paint part 34. Paint part 45. Rivet parts together

New sequence:1. Rivet parts together2. Paint one assembly

6. Setup, Tools and Fixtures6. Setup, Tools and Fixtures

Carefully consider economic trade-offs:– Will the setup, fixtures, or tools be used enough

to justify their expense?

Prevalent mistake of tool makers and planners:– Too much specialized tooling and fixturing

Example: ToolingExample: Tooling

Good choice: Tooling that saves 10% on each job and is used frequently.

Poor choice: Tooling that saves 90% on each job but is used only twice a year. (Will not recover expense of creating and storing tooling).

7. Material Handling7. Material Handling

The best way to handle material is NOT to handle it.

Moving, storing, positioning, tracking.Insuring that materials get where they need

to be when they are needed.Material Handling Institute survey says 35

to 85% of the cost of getting a product to market is associated with material handling.

Better material handling:Better material handling:

Reduces cost, timeIncreases safety, health and well being of

workers:– 40% of plant accidents happen during material

handling– 25% are caused by lifting and shifting material

Approach to reducing material Approach to reducing material handling timehandling time

Reduce time spent picking up materialUse mechanized of automated equipment

(where economically feasible)Make better use of existing handling

facilitiesHandle material with greater careConsider bar coding

8. Plant Layout8. Plant Layout Poor layout can result in major costs through

increased travel time, increased material handling, etc.

Two types of layouts for plants:– Product layout: machines placed in the order used in

the manufacturing process. Advantage: reduces travel time

– Process layout: machines grouped by type: e.g. all lathes together, all drill presses together, etc.

Advantage: makes training easier. Later we will discuss Muther’s Systematic Layout

Process (SLP).

9. Work Design9. Work Design

Eliminate operations,Re-sequence, re-design operations

Many of our remaining chapters focus on many different types of work design!

Muther’s (1973) Muther’s (1973) Systematic Layout Process (SLP)Systematic Layout Process (SLP)

1. Chart out relationships between areas based on magnitude of material handling,

2. Establish space requirements,

3. Make activity relationship diagrams

4. Space relationship layout

5. Evaluate alternative layouts

6. Select best layout, plan installation.

Goal: identify how to rearrange space to make it more effective for a task.

Decision MatricesDecision Matrices

 Renovation

Cost

Material handling cost Use of Space Aesthetics

Goodness Score

importance(1 -

least, 10 -

most) 8 10 5 7  

Option 1 3 3 4 2 88

Option 2 4 3 4 1 89

Option 3 2 4 3 3 92

Performance score, where 4 = best, -1 = unacceptable

A performance parameter is whatever is important to the decision maker in the situation,“Goodness” score for each option i is Σ (importance weight j * performance score i j)

Performance Parameters

6. Select the 6. Select the best best layout for your purposeslayout for your purposes

Choose the Layout with the highest “score” from your decision matrices

1.

2.

3.

88

89

92

Best!