Using Proficiency to Make OEE a Reality, 2002 Technology Summit Proceedings

John Johnson

Manufacturers today are interested in the improved utilization of their assets. Squeezing the last drop of performance from assets, whether those assets are machinery, methodologies or people, is an almost universal goal. The goal is not simply to keep the facilities running smoothly but to extend and optimize the performance of the entire process. This goal can be quantified in terms of a measure called Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). The Overall Equipment Effectiveness ratio is a function of the complete manufacturing system, process line, or individual piece of equipment. It consists of three components: availability, performance, and quality. When these three factors are combined, a complete picture of the level of performance of an asset can be painted. Factors that have been formally discussed with speculation and anecdotal evidence are quantified with hard numbers and clearly indicated interrelationships. While this metric can be determined for all equipment in the factory, it is particularly important for bottleneck equipment as it identifies areas critical for the improvement of equipment productivity.