Process reliability improvement of slitting machines in an industrial setting

This paper aims to demonstrate an effective approach for improving process reliability within a flexible packaging manufacturing organization. As the need for efficient industrial processes grows globally, industries tend to seek robust methodologies to chart their path to business excellence in terms of quality products and services. This research is focused on DMAIC methodology for investigating the root causes of slitting machines, and to proffer the best solution to improve the process. A data collection plan which is based on the lowest-performing machines was obtained, followed by qualitative and quantitative process analysis to identify the potential cause(s) for the machines' low process reliability. Statistical tools were used to validate the potential factors that are most probably critical for the machine's performance. The analysis indicates that actual operating slitting speed was below standard speed due to the possibility of defective slit rolls, and the presence of flags on jumbo rolls that accounted for 20% - 40% of the gross downtime. Employee’s inability to capture downtime was also identified as one of the critical factors affecting the performance of slitting machines. After implementing solutions, a 25% improvement in the process reliability was achieved without compromising the quality of the products.