Ball Bearings

Stages of project

  • development
    August 2016
  • release
    January 2017
  • support
    February 2017 — April 2020

Application functionality

  • Process Automation
  • UHF Band Encrypted Tag Design & Cad Model
  • Industrial Optimization

Solution

To start, we documented their processes. We further made RHIDs to see the most common paths (e.g. of forklifts), how often certain levers were used, doors crossed etc. Later on, we reused these RHID tags to keep track of expensive equipment and reduce theft.

Crunching the data, we came up with a rationalization plan to reorganize the factory floor and minimize time and transit between steps, as well as allow single actions to do more than one production step at once, and save money on automation equipment.

We automated many processes using Siemens Sinamics devices and made a robotic process automation system, so the client could add functionality in the future on a gui.

Team documented client processes and designed custom RHID tags’s on the UHF to collect data (e.g. forklift driving paths, door use rates). After data analysis, we came up with a factory rationalization plan. After reorganizing the factory floor, we automated many processes and developed an easy to use system for the client to further optimize and automate future projects.

Encryption to dissuade cloning A traditional Soviet built factory gone private, seeking to overcome outdated methods, equipment etc. Our task: To increase both increase sheer productivity and quality. At its core, a better process can lead to more efficient resource allocation, less waste, in time and material (decreased downtime, rationalized process configuration), but also increased quality control. All clear! The end result of our collaboration should be increased output, quality meeting the standards of international competitors and decreased costs. Our work was cut out for us. Now, how should that process look? In order to implement statistical process control (SPC) and feed cost reduction models, we needed data. As we had a white canvas without any historical baggage, we opted to leverage the modern glut of cheap electronics to add RHIDs to employee tags, large tools, machine heads, doors, containers, vehicles etc. and automatically monitor their positions, movement etc. to implement automated data collection (saving costs on manual data entry salaries, down time from manual batch completion alerts etc.)

With this data, we were able to use models like the Taguchi loss philosophy to determine the most salient low hanging fruit (highest ROI interventions) and then rationalize the whole process. We negotiated deliveries of different dimensions from suppliers, allowing us to minimize machining and decrease wastage (unmachined pieces). Data collection mechanisms aren’t a one time thing, their fuller visibility over the entire enterprise fuels future insights and metrics for improved strategic decisioning for a long time to come

4 months for 350k and 10 engineers average, peak ~50, 2 assistants, 1-2 translators (we created some technical documentation at the end which we translated into english)

Results

Cost Savings% 0
Data CollectedGB/Hour 0
Minutes/Bearing Made- 0

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