Changeover times are hard to control, and they can compromise productivity. Areas that are hard to control include operator error, complex adjustments for various machine settings and sequences, the need to make ongoing adjustments, and variations in the level of employee training and expertise at a given machine. Automating changeovers can reduce changeover time, increase throughput, and improve OEE (overall equipment effectiveness), explained Chris Canna, project manager with Schneider Packaging Equipment, in a presentation at the 2013 Pack Expo. In one application of his automated system, a machine with 14 points of adjustment yielded a 28-minute changeover time savings, enabling system payback in four months.
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