constraints and a stated plan for each day’s work lead to “seat of the pants” scheduling. SCP needs a way to priori- tize the castings in the queue in front of each operation, and it needs a stated plan so that operators and manag- ers can proceed with known expectations. Finally, the lack of pro-
duction history time data leads to difficulty in deter- mining cost information on a product-by-product basis. SCP’s existing enterprise
software appeared to have tools capable of scheduling work in the cleaning room. SCP also benchmarked some non-competing iron casting facilities who are more experienced using an ERP system in day-to-day operations. Te module in the ERP system
Fig 2. The paper traveler contains routing steps for each casting.
allows for two-way information exchange with employees through custom- ized screens on shop floor computers. Employees can enter production data and look up information about a specific product or order. If production reporting takes place
at each cleaning room operation, the system can produce a list of products awaiting a given operation. For this to work correctly, the shop order for a product must have an accurate routing that contains the operations in the correct order. Each product can have a unique routing that shows the proper sequence of operations.
Finding the Right Data Collection Configuration
SCP first tested the methodology behind the software system with paper travelers. When melting production was entered into the ERP each day, operators printed a traveler sheet for each shop order poured. Te traveler contained the routing steps that the casting should fol- low through the cleaning room. Employees installed
a set of mailboxes in the cleaning room for each operation in a casting routing. Te lead men in each opera- tion would mark the traveler sheet when they worked the quantity of castings for that shop order. Ten, they would place the traveler in the box for the next operation on the routing.
One of SCP’s main concerns about implementing the ERP system was that computers would not hold up to the rough environment in a metalcast- ing cleaning room. SCP decided to buy desktop computers, which have held up well in the foundry environ- ment. Te system uses a work station
consisting of a Windows- based desktop computer, flat screen monitor, waterproof keyboard and mouse in a protective cabinet. In addition, a flat-
screen monitor was installed in plain view at the entrance to the clean- ing room. This dashboard displays the queue of castings for each operation that reports production. Anyone can browse this list of orders and see how many pieces are scheduled, how many have been pro- duced and any associated promised ship dates. The computer screens
are highly configurable. SCP can choose to display
a list of available castings at a par- ticular operation. The list is sorted by due date, with the earliest date at the top of the list. The operator can select a line item that represents the work he plans to do. Clicking the “Start Job” button will create a start- ing time stamp for that shop order. When the operator is finished,
a click of the “Stop Job” tab opens a screen that prompts him for the quantity produced at that opera- tion. It also creates a stopping time stamp. If all products in the “quan- tity to do” field for that shop order are completed, the shop order line disappears from his list. The ERP builds a
cumulative record for quantity and hours worked for that product, so that a historical aver- age rate of completion for that product at that oper- ation can be determined, which is important for scheduling purposes and product cost estimates.
Lessons Learned Talk with Employees:
Fig 3. The cleaning room dashboard monitor shows shop orders being worked on in green.
40 | MODERN CASTING January 2016
SCP spoke with employees about what was being done and why. Most employees in the cleaning room rec- ognized the need for better
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