Technical Survey to develop an Assembly Line.
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A technical survey for an assembly line project consists of a comprehensive collection of information, physical measurements, and operational data directly at the work site (industrial plant). Its main objective is to document the current state ("AS-IS") and understand the requirements necessary to design, automate, or modify a production line, ensuring that the new project is viable, efficient, and accurate.
- What the detailed process involves:
- • Taking physical and spatial measurements: Distances, room dimensions, column locations, ceiling heights, material entry points, and passageways are measured. This is digitized into 2D or 3D plans (CAD/BIM).
- • Production Process Mapping: This involves breaking down the "step by step" of manufacturing, identifying how the components are joined, the cycle times per operation, and the line balancing.
- • Identification of technical resources: Mapping of existing machinery, tools, safety equipment, workstations and current automation technology (sensors, robotic arms).
- • Site survey: Verification of auxiliary services required for the assembly line: electrical power, compressed air, hydraulics, lighting and ventilation.
- • Validation with stakeholders: Once the information has been gathered, it is reviewed with the operators and supervisors of the area to ensure that the survey accurately reflects the reality of the operation.
- Key phases of the technical survey:
- 1. Scope delimitation: Define which specific lines, processes or areas will be part of the study.
- 2. Selection of tools: Choice of measuring instruments (tapes, laser meters, 3D scanners) and information collection tools (questionnaires, interviews).
- 3. Field execution (Collection): Site visit to collect data, photographs and videos of the workflow.
- 4. Documentation and modeling: Organization of information in flowcharts, process maps and technical drawings.
- 5. Validation and Closure: Confirmation of the accuracy of the data with stakeholders to ensure that the project design starts on a correct basis.
This procedure is essential to avoid errors in the installation of new machinery, reduce waste, and achieve the desired production capacity.
- DATA:
To design and balance an efficient assembly line, it is necessary to gather accurate data on the product, the process, the times, and the demand. This information allows you to define the line speed, the number of workstations, and minimize bottlenecks.
The following describes the fundamental data divided into categories:
- 1. Product and Design Data (Structure).
- • Bill of Materials (BOM): Detailed components that make up the final product.
- • Design for Assembly (DFA): Simplification of parts to facilitate assembly and reduce the number of operations.
- • Product variations: Identify if different models or sizes will be assembled on the same line.
- • Assembly or sequence drawing: Understanding how the pieces are assembled, which one goes first and which one comes next.
- 2. Process and Sequence Data (Precedence).
- • Precedence Diagram: Ordered list of tasks and which tasks must be completed before starting another.
- • Task Breakdown: Identify the individual tasks needed to assemble the product.
- • Work area: Space requirements for machinery, operators and material at each station.
- 3. Time and Production Data (Balancing).
- • Cycle Times (Standard Time): Measured time it takes to perform each operation/task (time study or MODAPTS).
- • Total Work Content: Sum of the times of all the tasks necessary for the complete product.
- • Customer Demand: Required production volume (daily, weekly, monthly).
- • Takt Time: Speed at which the product must be produced to meet demand (Available time / Demand).
- 4. Operational and Resource Data.
- • Human Resources: Number of available operators and their skills.
- • Machinery and Tools: Specifications of the tools required at each station (robots, pneumatic screwdrivers, work tables).
- • Materials logistics: How the material arrives at the workstation and how the finished product leaves.
- Steps for using this data.
- 1. Analyze the work content: Calculate the total time.
- 2. Calculate the Takt Time: Define the rhythm of the line.
- 3. Determine stations: Calculate the minimum number of stations (Total Time / Takt Time).
- 4. Balancing: Assign tasks to stations without exceeding the Takt Time.
Accurate data collection helps reduce downtime, identify bottlenecks, and improve the final product quality.
- ASSEMBLY LINE VERSION WITH MES.
- To develop a management or monitoring system for assembly lines (such as an MES - Manufacturing Execution System), you need to collect data covering three key areas: process, machinery/resources, and quality.
Here are the essential data to collect, organized by category:
- 1. Production Data (Process and Flow).
This data allows us to measure the efficiency and pace of the line.
- • Cycle Time: How long it takes for each operation to complete.
- • Takt Time: The pace required to meet customer demand.
- • Production Volume (Target vs. Actual): Planned units versus actual units produced per hour/shift.
- • WIP (Work in Progress): Amount of product that is in buffers or between workstations.
- • Changeover Time: Time spent changing the production of product A to product B.
- 2. Machinery and Resource Data (Availability).
Essential for preventive and predictive maintenance.
- • Machine/Station Status: Operating, stopped, in failure, in configuration (active/inactive).
- • Uptime and Downtime: Effective operating time versus unplanned downtime.
- • Reasons for Stoppage: Specific codes for why the line stopped (e.g., lack of material, electrical failure, buffer blockage).
- • Process Parameters: Temperature, pressure, vibration or speed of key equipment.
- 3. Quality Data.
- • Scrap Rate: Number of defective units that must be discarded.
- • Rework: Number of units that require going through the assembly process again.
- • Inspection Results: Critical Quality Points (CPPs/CQAs) verified at each station.
- 4. Traceability and Context Data.
- • Product Identification: Serial or batch number (RFID, Barcode).
- • Operator ID: Who is operating the station (helps identify training needs).
- • Consumption of Materials/Supplies: Use of components, energy, or compressed air.
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to Monitor.
Using the above data, the system should calculate:
- • OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness): Measures the overall efficiency of the equipment (Availability x Performance x Quality).
- • Line Efficiency: Balancing between workstations.
- • Production per Hour/Shift.
- Recommendation: Implement a system that captures this information in real time through PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) or manual data entry stations for operators (HMI).
- Additional Requirements:
- List of processes.
- List of procedures.
- List of machinery.
- List of machines.
- List of systems.
- List of departments.
- List of personnel.
- Customer list.
- List of roles.
- List of production lines.
- List of production plans.
- List of main faults.
- List of current problems.
- List of losses.
- List of kpi's main departments.
- If you are not yet convinced about purchasing our product, service, or course, we can conduct a technical assessment at your facility to provide greater clarity and precision regarding the scope of the report we deliver. This assessment costs USD $60,000.00 and will be carried out over two weeks at your location. This fee will be refunded upon purchase of the product, service, or course; otherwise, it will not apply.
- Technical Assessments: Service Description.
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