How to get close to 100% efficiency?

OEE systems are used across all manufacturing industries to measure efficiency. These identify the percentage of manufacturing time which is truly productive, known as Fully Productive Time.

The aim of OEE systems is to get manufacturers to understand what is going on, measure it and use this information to improve.

A typical OEE system

OEE systems typically split the measurement of Fully Productive Time into three components; availability, performance and quality. 100% availability, also known as uptime, means that a manufacturing process is always available and not compromised by unplanned stops. 100% performance means that the process always operates at its design speed and is not compromised by short stops or having to run more slowly because of equipment problems. 100% quality means that all products are top quality with no rejects.

Marel takes OEE much further

Marel has taken the OEE concept and developed it further. Its IMPAQT system (Intelligent Monitoring of Performance, Availability and Quality Trends) retains the split between availability, performance and quality, adapting each heading to the particular circumstances of a poultry processing operation.

Taking availability first! Perhaps the best example of maximum availability is filling each shackle all of the time. A shackle not filled in the hang-on bay will result in further empty shackles throughout the process, an avoidable loss. IMPAQT helps plant management pinpoint the reason for empty shackles and can distinguish between organizational and technical issues. Maybe there were no live birds available. It could, however, be that the shackling team doesn't work efficiently enough. Either way, IMPAQT displays the reason, allowing management to take appropriate action.

Time is now real money

Let’s now look at performance. Today’s top capacity plants are handling 12,000 to 15,000 birds per hour. Each minute when the line can’t run means a loss of up to 250 birds. If the line has to run more slowly because of an issue with a machine, efficiency will be reduced by the shortfall in line speed. Maximum performance also means that all products passed by the veterinarians make it to the end of the process. IMPAQT not only records any shortfall in performance but identifies and displays the machine responsible. IMPAQT is even capable of narrowing down an issue with a machine to an individual unit or units. Plant engineers will not have to waste valuable time finding out exactly where the problem is.

Safeguarding quality too

Lastly quality! A 100% score means that all products produced can be sold as “A” grade. Once again, IMPAQT goes further than a standard OEE system. It splits quality into two headings; process quality and product quality. Process quality is compromised if, for example, an otherwise “A” grade is not re-hung correctly by an automatic transfer unit and has to be hung back to the shackle manually. This requires manual input which should not be necessary.

Product quality is self-explanatory. Product quality can be compromised in any number of ways. Equipment settings can be incorrect or part of the process can be malfunctioning. Once again, IMPAQT gives plant management the precise reason for any quality issue.

Chronological, hard facts

IMPAQT takes its data from switches, circuits, sensors and IRIS cameras. This data is filtered according to predefined conditions, allowing IMPAQT to determine reasons and consequences. Unlike standard OEE systems, it shows actual downtime, the time when the line was unable to run and production was lost. It also clearly displays the reason for the line stop. Technical staff has hard fact at their fingertips and does not have to rely on “experience” or “gut feel”.

Further IMPAQT advantages are that it displays line stops in chronological order. Busy technical staff, keen to get production running again, can often mistake which problem caused the line to stop first. IMPAQT pinpoints the original cause. IMPAQT will also show trends in equipment performance. A slow deterioration, which might otherwise go unnoticed, is highlighted.

Dashboards inform at a glance

IMPAQT displays its information clearly on centrally located screens. It makes use of easy-to-read dashboards, where management can pick up any availability, performance or quality issues at a glance. These can then be addressed without technical staff having to keep running into the plant.

Quite simply, IMPAQT should be seen as indispensable tool in any volume processor’s quest to achieve maximum efficiency. IMPAQT is OEE++, addressing not just the effectiveness of all equipment installed but the efficiency of the total process as well.