Large manufacturing facilities are superbly organized to facilitate fast, efficient operations. This reduces wasted time and resources, increasing profitability and minimizing confusion. With some forethought and planning, your CNC machine shop can also streamline operations for greater efficiency and less waste. Follow these tips to organize your CNC tools machine shop layout.
Reduce the Journey Between CNC Machines
If a piece of work must crisscross your shop repeatedly to different CNC tools in its journey of transformation, this is time wasted and additional confusion. Instead of hiring a traffic cop, arrange your CNC tools so that work follows the most direct path from one to another. This natural flow reduces time and movement, and increases productivity.
Arrange Processes in Order
The most common work in your shop typically follows certain processes. Building on the idea of reducing the journey between CNC tools, those processes that are similar or occur simultaneously should be grouped closely together. For example, quality control should be closely followed by the packaging and fulfillment area. Pieces can more naturally work their way across your shop floor in an orderly fashion, saving time and effort.
Allow Plenty of Space for Assembly
Have you ever had to clear space on a worktable to make room for assembling different pieces of a single job? This is a sure ticket to confusion, lost components and more. Depending on the scale of your machine shop, try to place your assembly area in a central location, near any equipment or CNC tools that routinely send pieces directly for assembly. Allow large, clear and uncluttered areas and worktables so pieces are easily kept together and assembled.
Organize Clamps, Bits and More for Efficiency
Nothing wastes time like searching for lost clamps, bits and other small tools. Provide adequate storage that is highly visual, like a huge set of wallboards with hooks, with labeled spaces for collets, clamps, bits and other vital equipment. Train your team to use these items, clean them and replace them in the correct places to keep work flowing smoothly.
Eliminate Unused Equipment
When a piece of equipment breaks down, don’t shove it to the side and let it gather dust and get in the way. If it cannot be repaired, get rid of it. Sell it for parts or scrap, recycle it or something – but do not allow it to become a “shop queen” that collects dust and becomes part of the scenery.
Accurate Machine Tool Services in Muskego, WI offers several levels of preventive maintenance to keep your CNC tools up and running longer. Plus, we also provide mechanical and electrical repairs and parts for many brands and models of machinery. Contact us for your CNC tools repair and maintenance needs.