Del Monte Implements Visual Factory
- Client: Del Monte
- Location: Plover, WI
- Installation Date: October, 2006
- Audience: Employees on the Plant Floor
Client Challenge:
Maintaining and improving its competitive marketplace edge is important to Del Monte, the largest producer and distributor of canned fruits and vegetables in the U.S. Management at the Plover, Wisconsin facility sought improved production volume in the palletization area. Cans entering this area by conveyor are packed into cases, then shrink-wrapped and palletized. Each pallet’s configuration, based on can size, changes multiple times per day. With thousands of cans palletized each day, and multiple product changeovers per shift, production workers need to know in real-time whether or not they are meeting the production goals established for each can size.
Rationale:
Visual Factory Management is a system for improving productivity, safety, quality, and employee morale through the use of visual controls. It helps employees avoid wasting time by providing them the information they need, where and when they need it. AutoComm recommended that Del Monte implement this type of system through placement of LED displays in their palletization area, with specialized software to clearly show production goals versus actual results.
Visual Factory Management is a system for improving productivity, safety, quality, and employee morale through the use of visual controls. It helps employees avoid wasting time by providing them the information they need, where and when they need it. AutoComm helped Del Monte implement visual factory through placement of LED displays in their palletization area, with specialized software to clearly show production goals versus results.
Results:
Since employees can see performance results in real-time, they’re able to maintain production levels at or above goal for the entire shift while working at a steady pace throughout the day. Supervisors can quickly evaluate the line’s performance and intervene when necessary. Over a span of three months, the palletization line experienced a 15 – 20% performance increase!
Because of these results, Del Monte is preparing for the next phase – to add similar visual controls throughout the remainder of their facility.
Product/Service Solution:
LED displays show the current goal, actual number of parts produced, and the difference between the two. This data is color coded to quickly inform employees of their performance: green for acceptable, amber for marginal, and red for unacceptable.
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