For high-volume manufacturers that want high production rates and low costs, the solution may be found right on the line. United Grinding Group AG was one such company that made this discovery. It recently celebrated the launch of a new flow assembly line in its Kuřim, Czech Republic–based Walter Maschinenbau GmbH production facility. Guests were greeted by Walter CEO Jürgen Schock and Flow Assembly Line Project Manager Markus Schulze, who introduced the innovative line.
The streamlined assembly was designed for production of the Walter Helitronic Power, Helitronic Mini Power and Helitronic Vision 400 L. The project is a multimillion euro investment by the company to improve process stability and production flexibility and reduce delivery and lead times. The innovative design, which spans the facility, includes a fishbone-shaped component assembly line that feeds a 90-meter-long conveyor belt, creates 18 assembly stations, and ultimately brings products directly to the shipping department for packaging.
The company boasts the new workflow already has improved efficiency for Helitronic Power and Helitronic Mini Power production. It plans to add the Helitronic Vision 400 L later this year. The line is still a work in progress. A pick-to-light system to help manage material supply to the assembly line has been incorporated for added efficiency. Additional plans include targeting the logistics department for continued workflow and production optimization.
Flow line manufacturing has many benefits, the main one being its name: flow. Smooth, logical flow of materials is the basis of this method. Dedicated machines manufacture products at a high rate with separate flow lines for each product. This also simplifies associated tasks such as scheduling jobs, controlling materials and performing machine operations. A flow line reduces lead time and the amount of required material handling.
But, this method may not be the solution for every manufacturer, especially those that do not continuously manufacture a high level of parts. The move to this type of line is expensive. The many pieces of equipment required to make it work can be costly. Plus, a machine may not be fully utilized. This type of assembly line also creates a less-than-flexible production line. Because dedicated machines are set up for limited operations, reconfiguring them for different products is not an option. Lastly, if the flow gets interrupted, the whole line goes down.
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