Productivity
At The MJW Group, we create solutions that work in the real world, and we have the track record to prove it.
Continuous Operations of Material Processing Throughput
Environment
Manufacturing: Kaolin Processing
The Problem Definition
Increase the rate of processed kaolin through the rotary vacuum rinsing Process.
IMPROVEMENT
FOCUS
Develop a method of rinsing kaolin filter cake that minimizes the probability of stripping collected kaolin from the filter mesh. This Improvement should lower the problematic occurrence of watering down the solid percentages of the slurry feed.
Results:
We implemented a new methodology for rinsing the kaolin through the Client's Processing step. All requirements of the Improvement Focus were met. Meeting these requirements brought an end to years of resource and Capital Expenditures for which our Improvement Implementation was once deemed an unviable Solution.
Optimizing the rotary vacuum kaolin rinse Process increased Productivity yields per filter by an estimated one ton per hour.
In addition to throughput increases, this Innovation also lowered the chemical dispersant requirements necessary for transporting slurry to downstream Processing Operations. The site-wide annual Operating savings value of this effort was targeted at well over $1 million.
Scrap Reduction
Environment
Manufacturing: Vinyl Films with Adhesives Backings for Wrapping Applications
The Problem Definition
Decrease setup scrap.
IMPROVEMENT
FOCUS
Lower the average scrap requirements for aligning converting operations to the required cutting setups.
Results:
Laser alignment practices were introduced into the client's converting setup operations to give visibility of cutting blades on opposing sides of machinery. The resulting reduction of the average length of startup lengths by 60 meters led to savings of over $1 million in annual scrap removals.
Single Minute Exchange Die (SMED) Projects
Environment
Manufacturing: Optical Cable
The Problem Definition
Decrease the downtime between production runs by at least 50 percent.
IMPROVEMENT
FOCUS
Separate opportunities of parallelisms of production steps from those that needed to be performed sequentially.
Results:
Using our unique methodologies, we captured quantifiable opportunity costs for the client and gained a cohesive best foot forward approach for removing and sustaining reductions of 50 percent to 60 percent setup reduction times.
