Comprehensive intervention focusing on changing the production schedule and shift pattern to reduce energy cost, implementation of visual controls and an internal milk-run system, reassignment of team members to value-adding positions, improved maintenance and process flow optimization
- Project timeline: 26 weeks
- Project cost: $145,711
- Project annualized savings: $2,589,689
- Return on Investment: 17.8
Project: Shake out
| Before | Budgeted | Future State | Difference | |
| Staffing | 11 | 11 | 10 | 1 |
- Current operation requires 3 operators: 1 controls the crane, one pours the metal, the third measures and records the temperature and times the pouring.
- No apparent sequencing or organisation of molds in the pouring area.
- Operator who controls the crane will measure and record the temperature and record the pour time.
- Proper organisation of molds in the pouring area will help to gain more labour efficiency for future volume increases.
Project: Shake out
| Before | Budgeted | Future State | Difference | |
| Staffing | 11 | 11 | 9 | 2 |
- Current operation requires 2 operators: 1 operates the shake out machine and the other drives the forklift with which he flips the flask.
- Forklift drops flask after product is removed. Operator uses hoist to put flask on the shakeout machine and to remove the flask. The forklift returns, flips the cope flasks and returns them to the storage yard.
- Cope flasks fitted with forklift pockets
- Forklift loads flask onto shake out machine, operator dismounts to activate and run the machine, then removes the flask and returns it to the storage yard. No flipping operation and no hoisting operations required.
