New Approach to Increasing Machine Utilization, 1997 Corrugated Containers Conference Proceedings

Last year TAPPI and the FBA surveyed 350 North American box plants, seeking data on productivity and waste. The resulting “Conugated Productivity and Waste Survey” showed typical press utilization of only about 50%. In a typical eight hour shift, an average flexo folder gluer or rotary die cutter is actually producing a product for only four hours. A significant portion of that down-time is spent setting-up the machine.

In a typical order change, the machine is stopped and opened. Printing plates are brought to the press by an operator who removes the old plates and mounts the new ones. Another operator begins the process of re-positioning the various machine axes to accommodate the new box dimensions. Yet another operator begins washing up the inking system in preparation for the new color. This process can take anywhere from 15 to 35 minutes.

Of the three basic activities involved in order change, axis set-up and ink change account for as much as 80% of total set-up time....