Tips for Increasing Productivity in Your Machine Shop
In a world where time is money, productivity can be everything. After all, over the past few years, self-help books, blogs, and articles have been promoting methods of productivity for good reason. The more productive employees are, the more any business in any industry can grow and expand profits.
If you want to increase machine shop production and send shop productivity through the roof, there are a few tried and true tips to get you started.
We’ve listed the best suggestions for increasing machine shop production below, so read on to find out more!
Make sure to use reliable machines in your shop
As simple as it might sound, having reliable machinery is half the battle in increasing productivity in your shop. After all, if you constantly have to stop or slow production due to a faulty or unsafe machine, you will be wasting precious time and falling behind on your work.
Sometimes, getting reliable machines in your shop requires replacing older or less reliable machines with updated models. In other cases, a simple update to the equipment and basic fixes will keep your machines running like well-oiled machines. In turn, your shop will run like a well-oiled machine, too.
Choose simplified machinery for easy set up
One big time waster in machinery is choosing equipment that is too complicated for your needs. Having portable, automatically feeding, and properly clamping machines will make it so that you don’t have to worry about your machines running seamlessly.
Opt for the correct motor for high production levels
To produce faster, better, and more accurately, try to choose machines with a motor that is right for your needs and industry. Some machines work best with pneumatic motors, while others fare better with a hydraulic motor. Others still do their best when they are powered by an electric motor. Pay attention to overheating, sluggishness, and other signs of strain on the motor.
Waiting for a machine to cool down because it is running on the wrong motor can create issues with productivity in the short term and the long term. On the flip side, replacing the motor with the appropriate kind of motor can solve short-term and long-term issues, which increase productivity now and ten years from now.
Manage the floor in an organized manner
While this might seem like a no-brainer, plenty of shops lose out on possible productivity spikes because their floor is unorganized. From the machines to the staff, it pays to keep everything in order. Ensure that the floor plan has a natural flow that makes sense of the different aspects and stages of production. Minimize the time it takes for workers to move from one related station to the next to increase productivity. Most importantly, make sure that the floor’s laid-out system clears up any confusion.
Follow safety protocols
Simply put, a safe shop is a productive shop. When you can avoid injuries, you can increase productivity.