Cycle Time Reduction Research Articles

Global medicinal chemistry and GPCR conference: interview with Stevan Djuric.

Stevan Djuric speaks to Benjamin Walden, Commissioning Editor. Stevan Djuric is head of the global Medicinal Chemistry Leadership Team at AbbVie and is also Vice President of the Discovery Chemistry and Technology organization within their Discovery organization and chemistry outsourcing activities. He spoke at the Global-Medicinal-Chemistry and GPCR summit on the imperative to develop chemistry related technology that can reduce cycle time, cost of goods and improve probability of success. To this end, he discussed his efforts in the chemistry technology area with a focus on integrated synthesis-purification bioassay, and flow photochemistry and high temperature chemistry platforms.

A human mimicking control strategy for robotic deburring of hard materials

ABSTRACTThis paper deals with the use of an industrial robot (IR) for the deburring of hard material items (i.e. cast iron items). The control strategies introduced in this paper aim to mimic the human behaviour during the manual deburring. On the basis of force feedback, provided from a 1-axis load cell, the nominal deburring trajectory is optimised and deformed making multiple repetitions. The deburring trajectory is repeated until completing the nominal deburring path. The removal of thin layers of materials allows the robot to operate at high feed rates avoiding spindle stall and without exciting elastics effects on the mechanical structure of the system. Furthermore, a method to automatically detect the force changepoints, related to the presence of a burr, without tuning force thresholds, is discussed. The human mimicking control strategy is compared with a standard industrial approach demonstrating a reduction of the task cycle time and an improvement of the finishing quality.

Process improvement through Lean-Kaizen using value stream map: a case study in India

Lean-Kaizen is composed of two words lean and Kaizen; lean means elimination of non-value added activities (waste) and Kaizen means continuous improvement. Hence, Lean-Kaizen means continuous elimination of wastes through small-small improvements. This paper presents implementation of Lean-Kaizen concept in a small- and medium-scale enterprise (SME) at a non-capital region in India. The existing situation of the shop floor of selected SME was recorded, and current state map was prepared. The takt time was calculated, and bottlenecks were identified. Finally, a future state map was developed and gap areas were identified that served as a guide for determining the future lean activities. The “5-why” method was employed for identifying root causes in order to bridge the identified gap, and Kaizen events were proposed as solutions. In this study, two Kaizen events were proposed. In the first Kaizen event, the poka-yoke technique was used to control the variation caused by the slide of cylindrical grinding machine which eliminated wheel touch mark problem on the selected product. In the second Kaizen event, the brainstorming technique was applied to clamp the workpiece on the serration side rather than the slot side which eliminated the roughness on outer diameter. After the implementation of Kaizen events, reduced inventory level, reduced lead time and reduced cycle time, rework elimination, improved productivity, and improved product quality were achieved. It is concluded that Lean-Kaizen is an effective and reliable improvement technique which helps to tackle all types of inefficiencies hidden in the organizations.

Influence of the cooling behaviour on mechanical properties of carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastic/metal laminates

For several years, thermoplastic hybrid laminates form a new class in the field of material compounds. These laminates consist of fibre-reinforced plastic prepregs and metal layers in alternating order. Compared to conventional thermosetting multilayer composites, these laminates are suitable for large-scale production and can be manufactured with significantly reduced cycle times in the thermoforming process. In the framework of this contribution, the influence of the cooling rate of carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites and hybrid laminates was investigated with regard to crystallinity and the resulting mechanical properties. Polyamide 6 and thermoplastic polyurethane as matrix systems were examined, in particular.Additionally, the differential scanning calorimetry was used in order to investigate the influence of the cooling rate on the crystallisation behaviour. It could be determined that the cooling rate has a limited influence on the crystallisation of polyamide 6 and this influences the mechanical properties. Furthermore, a reliance of process parameters on the characteristics profile of composite materials and material compounds with thermoplastic polyurethane could be identified. Depending on process conditions, tensile, bending, and interlaminar shear properties fluctuate up to 20 % in fibre-reinforced laminates and up to 32 % in hybrid laminates. Moderate to fast cooling rates result in optimum mechanical characteristics of tensile properties in fibre-plastic-compounds. Fast to very fast cooling rates are advisable for bending and interlaminar shear properties. Highest tensile and bending characteristics are achieved in hybrid laminates by using fast to very fast cooling rates, while interlaminar shear properties tend to be highest in slow to moderate cooling rates.

Transient thermal stresses analysis and thermal fatigue damage evaluation for skirt attachment of coke drum

In the last decade, the demand for delayed coking capacity has been steadily increasing. The trend in the past 15 to 20 years has been for operators to try to maximize the output of their units by reducing cycle times. This mode of operation can result in very large temperature gradients within the drums during preheating stage and even more so during the quench cycle. This research provide the optimization estimation of fatigue life due to each for the absence of preheating stage and cutting stage. In the absence of preheating stage the decreasing of fatigue life is around 19% and the increasing of maximum stress in point 5 of shell-to-skirt junction is around 97 MPa. However for the absence of cutting stage it was found that is more severe compare to normal cycle. In this adjustment fatigue life reduce around 39% and maximum stress is increased around 154 MPa. It can concluded that for cycle optimization, eliminating preheating stage possibly can become an option due to the increasing demand of delayed coking process.

Design of An Energy Efficient Hydraulic Regenerative circuit

Increasing cost and power demand, leads to evaluation of new method to increase through productivity and help to solve the power demands. Many researchers have break through to increase the efficiency of a hydraulic power pack, one of the promising methods is the concept of regenerative. The objective of this research work is to increase the efficiency of a hydraulic circuit by introducing a concept of regenerative circuit. A Regenerative circuit is a system that is used to speed up the extension stroke of the double acting single rod hydraulic cylinder. The output is connected to the input in the directional control value. By this concept, increase in velocity of the piston and decrease the cycle time. For the research, a basic hydraulic circuit and a regenerative circuit are designated and compared both with their results. The analysis was based on their time taken for extension and retraction of the piston. From the detailed analysis of both the hydraulic circuits, it is found that the efficiency by introducing hydraulic regenerative circuit increased by is 5.3%. The obtained results conclude that, implementing hydraulic regenerative circuit in a hydraulic power pack decreases power consumption, reduces cycle time and increases productivity in a longer run.

PENINGKATAN PRODUKTIVITAS MENGGUNAKAN METODE LINE BALANCING PADA PROSES PENGEMASAN DI PT.XYZ

PT.XYZ is a logistic service provider company. One of their division is a contract logistic. Contract logistic is division that maintain the warehouse of customer. One of Operation in warehouse is value added service (VAS) that additional services based on customer requirement one of VAS process in PT.XYZ is a packaging process. In order to meet the customer requirement, PT.XYZ should be productive and efficient in Operation. It can be happen through by line balancing. This paper explains about line balancing implementation in VAS process at PT.XYZ to increase productivity. Line balancing analysis in VAS process for current condition among others total cycle time are 131 second by 10 operator, it’s impact to productivity by 106 box/operator/day, and line efficiency by 94%. Based on this fact, improvement conducted through balancing workload and waste reduction to get optimum condition. The result of improvement are increase productivity by 104%, increase line efficiency by 3%, and cycle time reduction by 15%. PT.XYZ need to continue conduct waste elimination and regular monitor of line balancing analysis to achieve sustainability of optimum productivity.

Optimization in a flexible die-casting engine-head plant via discrete event simulation

The current research studies a flexible die-casting plant in order to increase productivity pondering investment risks in case of placing new components in the production line. Digital models were developed by means of a Plant Simulation software package. Modeling tools are helpful to represent the movements and functions of the production line components and also to identify the bottlenecks in the production line which improves the decision-making process to increase the productive efficiency. Several numerical models were evaluated; findings suggest significant reductions in the production cycle times which span from 1.13 to 65.25% at the best scenario. The most drastic change in the simulations was to add a new robot to the system improving the process flow. Moreover, the results suggested that the productivity increased for more than 300%, mainly due to the synchronization of the flexible plant elements.

Key Benefits of Adopting Lean Manufacturing Principles in Indian Construction Industry

Objectives of a lean production system (LPS) is to maximise value and minimise waste, by applying specific lean tools and techniques such as 5S, LPS, JIT, VSM, PULL, Kaizen, Six Sigma and many others techniques in a new production process. LPS is a philosophy based on the lean principles developed in Toyota by [1] [2] named as lean manufacturing principles and further developed as lean philosophy [3]. The main benefits of utilising 5S are identified from the literature review and a structured questionnaire is prepared. The data is collected using convenient sampling technique from the professionals working in the industry. The collected data is analysed using different tools and techniques. A total of 9 benefits were identified from the literature review and the expert opinion from the industry. The findings of the study contribute to the existing body of knowledge and lay down few suggestions to the industry for implementing 5S in the Indian context. The findings of the study conclude that the lean principles support the Indian manufacturing industry to improve productivity, quality, and reduction in cycle time The study is conducted using primary data collection and the sample size is small (86).

Development of a Model for Predicting Cycle Time in Hot Stamping

In manufacturing, reducing the cycle time results in lower production costs. The cycle time in a hot stamping process affects the quality characteristics (tensile strength) of formed parts. A faster cooling rate (˃27 K/s) of the blank guarantees the production of a part with the required microstructural properties (martensite). This compels researchers to continuously develop ways of increasing the manufacturing speed. On the other hand, it is important to predict the minimum cycle time for a given set of parameters which does not compromise the quality of formed parts. In this paper, a model for predicting the cycle time for a hot stamping process is presented. The lumped heat capacitance method is used in formulating the model since the temperature gradient across the blank and heat transfer within the plane of the blank are considered negligible. To validate the equation, a finite element simulation was conducted using Pam-Stamp software. The results show that the proposed model can be useful in further studies targeted towards cycle time reduction in hot sheet metal forming processes.

Effect of Process Parameters on Hole Diameter Accuracy in High Pressure Through Coolant Peck Drilling Using Taguchi Technique

Machining with pressurized coolant is nowadays widely accepted technique in the manufacturing industry, especially in high performance machining conditions. The data on the effects of variation of high coolant pressure in drilling operation is limited. This paper presents the effect of high coolant pressures along with spindle speed, feed rate and peck depth on hole diameter accuracy. Experiments were performed on EN9 steel with TiAIN coated through coolant drill on CNC vertical machining center. Taguchi technique was employed for design of experiments and analysis of results. Results showed that the higher values of optimal coolant pressure and spindle speed were demanded for drilling at bottom of hole as compared to that for drilling at top of hole. The optimal values of feed rate and peck depth were same for both the cases of drilling at top and bottom of hole. Use of high coolant pressure in drilling permits higher peck depth for better hole diameter control which results in reduced cycle time and hence production cost.

Experimentation and Analysis of Granite Super-Finishing Process for Flatness Testing

Granites are used in high precision machines and metrological applications. Final finishing operation on granite is done by means of manual lapping operation based on three body wear principle. Traditional granite lapping is time consuming process and requires high skill of operator which may lead to variation in process parameters. Taguchi method is applied to optimize the lapping process to reduce variation based on process parameters such as abrasive size, load applied and time of lapping.For this purpose three process parameters with three levels are considered and accordingly L9 orthogonal array is used for experimentation. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is performed to study the effect of these process parameters on the surface flatness as response variable. For final finishing operation of 630 X 630 X 80 surface plate optimum parameters for surface flatness are found to be 14 µm abrasive size, 8kg load applied and 40 minutes of cycle time and they are ranked based on significance to process. Abrasive size is most significant than other parameters for flatness response of granite surface plate.Thus this experimentation and analysis is useful toobtain optimum parameters for maximum flatness value lapped results in reduction of operation cycle time for finishing of granite surface plates manufactured by reputed industry for various applications.

Streamlining and Cycle Time Reduction of the Start-up Phase of Clinical Trials

Abstract Objective The start-up phase of a clinical trial (CT) plays a vital role in execution of novel drug development. Hence, this study aims to identify the factors responsible for delaying the CT start-up phase. Further, it focuses on streamlining and reducing the cycle time of the start-up phase of newly sponsored CTs. Methodology Thirteen sponsored CTs conducted (between 2016 and 2017) in clinical research department at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh were analyzed to identify the data specific start-up metrics using Find an improvement area-Organize a team-Clarify current practices-Understand source of variation/problem-Select a Strategy-Plan-Do-Check-Act (FOCUS-PDCA) cycle. Five measures incorporated in the metrics were: date of initial contact with site to the signing of confidentiality agreement; date of receiving questionnaire from sponsor to date of its completion; time taken to review protocol and approve investigational drug service (IDS) form; time taken to review protocol and approve pharmacy and pathology and clinical laboratory medicine (PCLM) form and date of receipt of institutional review board (IRB) submission package to final IRB approval. Fishbone analysis was used to understand the potential causes of process variation. Mean time was calculated for each metrics prior to and post implementation of the intervention protocol to analyze and compare percentage reduction in the mean cycle time of CTs. Results Of the various potential factors of delay identified through Fishbone analysis, the two major ones were lack of well-defined timeline for approval and review of the study protocol; and inconsistent IRB meetings. Post introduction of the new intervention protocol, the entire CT lifecycle was reduced by 45.6% (24.8 weeks9 vs 13 weeks, before and after intervention, respectively). Conclusion Varied factors are responsible for delay of the start-up phase of CTs and understanding the impact of each factor allows for optimization and faster execution of the start-up phase of CTs.

A Computational Framework for Automatic Online Path Generation of Robotic Inspection Tasks via Coverage Planning and Reinforcement Learning

Surface/shape inspection is a common and highly repetitive task in the factory production line. Using robots to automate the inspection process could help to reduce the costs and improve the productivities. In robotized surface/shape inspection application, the planning problem is to find a near-optimal sequence of robotic actions that inspect the surface areas of the target objects in a minimum cycle time, while satisfying the coverage requirement. In this paper, we propose a novel computational framework to automatically generate efficient robotic path online for surface/shape inspection application. Within the computational framework, a Markov decision process (MDP) formulation is proposed for the coverage planning problem in the industrial surface inspection with a robotic manipulator. A reinforcement learning-based search algorithm is also proposed in the computational framework to generate planning policy online with the MDP formulation of the robotic inspection problem for robotic inspection applications. Several case studies are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. It is observed that the proposed method could automatically generate the inspection path online for different target objects to meet the coverage requirement, with the presence of pose variation of the target object. In addition, the inspection cycle time reduction is observed to be 24% on average compared to the previous approaches during these test instances.

Prototype, emulation, implementation and evaluation of SCARA Robot in industrial environment

In today’s world, industrial technological advancement includes robotics and automation for its faster response and maximum predictable performance. In this paper, a 4- degree of freedom (DOF) Selective compliance Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA) robot has been implemented in an industrial domain for component handling. Since simulation is the backbone of real time implementation, so the overall design has been developed using CAD software. The control technology to guide robotic movement has been developed using ACE controller instead of using any conventional controller. Emulation model has been developed in 3D Visualization using controller software. The entire model has been implemented in a workspace area of 980 mm x 910 mm. Moreover, production, quality, maintenance and managerial aspects has been taken into consideration along with data capturing from different location. The real implementation done has improved the process which was being done manually and it has shown its efficacy on the basis of cycle time reduction by 50%, accuracy being improved to 100% operating cost reduction by 60%. Moreover, this improved method has further led to quality improvement with satisfaction to customers through timely delivery, reduction in manual intervention and improved safety aspects.

Multi-station molding machine for attaining high productivity in small-lot productions

In typical resin molding, multi-cavity molds are generally used to reduce cycle time and increase productivity. However, these types of molds are large, which also increase the size of the facility. The newly developed compact multi-station resin molding machine features single-cavity molds and split process which are conducted in parallel in four stations to cut down on cycle time. To realize this method, small molds with self-clamping is required. This paper reports the results of the method for obtaining the optimum conditions for suppressing the generation of flashes and the degradation of dimensional accuracy in a short time using CAE.

Multi Response optimization of injection moulding Process parameters to reduce cycle time and warpage

The research paper is approach for multi response optimization of injection moulding process parameters. In this Taguchi and desirability function hybridization approach is used. The experiments are plotted using L27 orthogonal array, which is generated with the help of MINITAB-14 software. The process parameters injection pressure, melt temperature, packing time, packing pressure are optimized by multiple response consideration using cycle time and warpage. With the help of the composite desirability value after the desirability function analysis optimal values of process parameters is obtained. The analysis shows optimized process parameters combination of injection pressure, melt temperature, packing time and packing pressure. Confirmation test is also carried to minimization of error of experiments. Experimental result shows that by this injection moulding machine performance can be improved. Injection moulded product has been made by this approach by using virgin Poly propylene. It is thin walled products for the measurement of warpage and cycle time.

DIRECT METAL LASER SINTERING, USING CONFORMAL COOLING, FOR HIGH VOLUME PRODUCTION TOOLING

Existing techniques to manufacture conventional tool steel inserts for the plastic injection moulding process are expensive and time-consuming. Complex mould inserts, difficult to manufacture with conventional processes, can be produced using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) with Maraging tool steel (MS1). MS1 is an additive manufacturing (AM) material made available by Electro Optical Systems (EOS) GmbH. Contrary to material removal processes, DMLS can produce MS1 tool steel inserts directly from Computer-Aided Design (CAD) files suitable for high volume plastic injection moulding. Through DMLS it is possible to create conformal cooling channels inside the MS1 inserts that have advantages in reducing heat rapidly and evenly. This can result in a reduction of cycle times, cost per product as well as improving part quality by eliminating defects such as warpage and heat sinks. This paper will present a comparison between Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations of the injection mould inserts with actual mould trails of AM and conventional manufactured inserts. It also includes the design and manufacturing of conventional and DMLS inserts and compares the manufacturing costs and lead times. Using FEA simulations, the design of conformal cooling channels is optimised by comparing the mould temperature of different cooling channel layouts.

A robotic gripper for picking up two objects simultaneously

Industrial robots are commonly used in a large number of applications because they present superior performance in terms of accuracy, precision, rigidity, and most importantly speed. Although they are fast enough for pick and place operations, sometimes they cannot catch up with the speed of objects on the conveyor thereby missing some pieces. Considering randomly arriving objects on a conveyor, this task becomes even more challenging. In this study, a two-degree-of-freedom gripper for industrial manipulators is developed in order to overcome this difficulty. First of all, design details of the gripper are presented. Second, preliminary analyses are performed using a three axis Delta-type manipulator for a typical pick-and-place task. Third, the developed gripper is integrated into the same manipulator and tested for certain performance criteria. The analysis and measurement results show that the manipulator performs a given task with reduced cycle time and energy consumption when integrated with the proposed gripper rather than a conventional one.

Cycle Time Reduction and Runtime Rebalancing by Reallocating Dependent Tasks

Business Process Management Systems (BPMS) is a complex information system that provides designing, administrating, and improving the business processes. Task allocation to human resources is one of the most important issues which should be managed more efficiently in BPMS. Task allocation algorithms are defined in order to meet the various policies of organizations. The most important of these policies could be reducing the average cycle time, balancing the resource workload, increasing the product quality and minimizing the production costs. Therefore, choosing an appropriate resource in task allocation algorithms could influence on overall policy of the organization. In heavy load conditions or when the number of human resources is limited, workload balancing can increase the stability of the system. In this paper, a task allocation algorithm is proposed to rebalance the resource workload in runtime while minimizing cycle time by offering dependent pair tasks to resources for concurrent processing. The experimental results show that the combination of previous algorithms with the proposed algorithms would have 4.42% reduction in cycle time in contrast to most efficient state-of-the-art algorithms.