Manufacturing
Food producers are increasingly adopting automated solutions.
(CPGs) are increasingly looking to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to develop machines capable of performing more complex operations without becoming harder to operate or maintain. Meanwhile, the growing deployment of 3D printers for producing spare parts for existing automated equipment is likely to positively impact corporate return on investment (ROI), as parts can be manufactured more cost-effectively. This approach also helps to circumvent supply chain disruptions and reduce lead times. Similarly, predictive maintenance is becoming more common on production lines. By capturing and analysing equipment data in real time, manufacturers can predict potential issues before they escalate into costly breakdowns.
Having a state-of-the-art production line promising future efficiencies is one thing; taking account of the basics, such as lean manufacturing, is quite another. Lean manufacturing is defined as maximising productivity while simultaneously minimising waste within a manufacturing operation. This concept promises low- hanging fruit in terms of more efficient workflows, better resource allocation, and improved storage practices, regardless of the company’s size or output. Lean manufacturing traces its origins back to the system employed by the Japanese OEM Toyota during the 1950s and 1960s. The foundational principles of this system were just-in-time inventory management and automated quality control. However, what truly set lean manufacturing apart was its systematic identification of the so-called seven wasteful processes. These include: the waste of superfluous inventory (both raw materials and finished goods), overproduction (producing more than is immediately needed), over-processing (exceeding customer expectations unnecessarily), unnecessary transportation (excessive movement of people and goods), excess motion (failing to improve processes before mechanising or automating), waiting (periods of inactivity due to job queues), and the production of defective products (necessitating rework
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to fix avoidable defects).
Assuming that lean manufacturing can reduce waste in time and resources by eliminating unnecessary processes, it logically follows that energy and fuel costs can also be reduced, thereby delivering an obvious environmental benefit. The adoption of more energy- efficient equipment further enhances this benefit. However, an overly zealous focus on reducing waste may inadvertently lead to management mistakes. For instance, cutting costs in areas not deemed strategically relevant in the short term might create issues that only become apparent later. Thus, an overemphasis on immediate cost savings may inadvertently build up problems for the future.
Furthermore, it is important to question whether scaling up production is always compatible with sustainability. The stark truth is that global manufacturing systems are, in most instances, dominated by major players irrespective of the sector. In short, the big get bigger, and the small are eventually absorbed. Another depressing reality is that economies of scale do not always result in lower prices for the consumer, as dominant firms can exploit their positions through monopolistic or oligopolistic practices to enforce higher prices. In some cases, so-called ‘diseconomies of scale’ arise, where an increase in per- unit production costs accompanies the growth of a firm. Given that scaling up is influenced by decisions, policies and interests throughout the food system, there are numerous opportunities for things to go awry along the supply chain when these interests are not aligned. There are opportunities for things to go wrong when it comes to scaling production lines. The challenge becomes finding the right solution among the many available – one that not only makes the process less painful but also future-proofs operations against potential problems. Achieving this balance is seen as being more than halfway to realising the full potential of technological and operational advancements. ●
Ingredients Insight /
www.ingredients-insight.com
panuwat phimpha/
Shutterstock.com
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