IPI - Editorial

IPI
4. Comparison of production output on
the classic CLC configuration and the
modified LSC line configuration
4.1 Comparison of throughput times
Figure 4 shows the cumulative blister
production of the two line configurations
(green=LSC; red=CLC). It is striking how
the respective production outputs diverge
right from the start and the LSC variant
manages a continuously higher output. The
specified production volume of 1.6 million
blisters (approximately 455,000 trade packs)
is reached after 9650 minutes (about 161
hours) in the “classic” line configuration
(CLC), whilst including the LSC variant cuts
this time to 6650 minutes (about 111 hours).
Throughput time can thus be reduced by
about 31%.
If both line configurations were run for the
same time, e.g. 9650 minutes, the LSC
variant would enable 700,000 more blisters -
i.e. about 44% - to be produced.
The reason why the differences are so
considerable can be illustrated by a Gantt
diagram analysis (fig. 5).
4.2 Comparison of line utilisation
sequences
The simulation distinguishes between and
documents the different line conditions
using 4 categories: production (green),
conversion time (pink), fault (red) and
waiting time (blue).
Figure 5 shows a comparative section of
the product sequence for Line 1, once in
classic mode (CLC, lower bar sequence)
and once in LSC mode (upper bar
sequence). It documents the production
times and downtimes for each individual
line. In the case of LSC mode, it is striking
how Line 1 has significantly more and
longer production times (green bar) than in
CLC mode. The reason for this is that in LSC
mode only the larger lots remain on Line 1,
so the ratio of production time to conversion
time is substantially better.
Figure 6 documents the production
times and downtimes of each individual line
over the course of the entire production run.
The two bars on the left represent the
classic CLC concept; the following four bars
show the line configuration modified using
Fig. 5
Gantt diagram:
production
sequences,
Line 1.
Fig. 6
Documentation of
the running and idle
times of all lines, in
the “classic” CLC
configuration (L)
and in “LSC mode”
(R).
the LSC approach. According to this, lines 1
and 2 achieve 38.5 percent overall
equipment effectiveness (O.E.E.) on
average, whilst the same line in LSC mode
achieves an O.E.E. of 64%. Merely removing
small lots from line 1 enables an increase in
use of capacity of 22% and 29% (25.5% on
average) (fig. 6).
Line 2a (CP400 with BIB-BOB) achieves
a similarly good use of capacity; its
production sequence is no longer
interrupted by faults and size changes on
the cartoner side (e.g. just changing the
blister stack height).
The manual packaging station was
hardly used in the example, so “waiting
time” is a predominant factor here.
5. Summary
Particularly when packaging small
production lots, partially decoupling lines
and linking the individual line segments with
a logistics (BIB-BOB) module leads to a
significantly better utilisation of capacity and
distinctly shorter throughput times.
Furthermore, as a result of decoupling, faults
and conversion times only affect the part of
the line involved. The BIB-BOB module has
been designed so flexibly that if necessary it
can dock with existing machinery ■
Dr. Ralph Blum is
Vice President Sales
and Markting at
MediSeal GmbH. In
2003,he joined
MediSeal, a company
well known as a
specialist in the field of
blister packing and sachet packing
machines as well as cartoning machines.
Ralph Blum holds a Masters Degree in
Physics and a PhD in Management
Sciences. He joined MediSeal’s parent
company, Körber AG, in Hamburg in 1999 as
a member of the group's M&A Team.
1.Abbreviation of “Blister into a Box - Blister out of
a Box”. 2.Classic Line Configuration..
54 IPI