Published: 08/08/2018
Link: http://www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk/features/people-power-2
Author: Chris Beck
Source: Manufacturing Management Magazine
A focus on lean manufacturing and employee engagement has seen Oxford manufacturer Crowcon increase output and reduce costs
The shopfloor at the Abingdon factory of gas sensor manufacturer, Crowcon, needed reworking. On the line making the company’s Gas-Pro range, two operators worked independently of each other, both individually building, calibrating and packing each unit. There was no logical flow to the way the products were made, and a focus on batch-building led to fragile sensors being stacked roughly in a corner and breaking – in turn leading to costly re-working.
On the neighbouring Gasman line, operators often found themselves without the necessary parts or tools to hand, and were spending long periods of time searching for the right bits. Work-In-Progress was out of control across three separate build stations, three calibration stations and a packing area.
The T3 production line was being hamstrung by a perceived need to constantly check the product at every stage of the production process. Once again, there was no product flow, and one person made each product.
Something clearly needed to happen, and fast. However, this was a company mired in a particular way of working, and in dire need of a major shake-up…
Read the rest of the article here http://www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk/features/people-power-2
