Page 40 - MetalForming September 2017

Lean Press-Brake Operations
Simple changes can go a long way toward improving productivity, reducing waste and increasing revenue.
In any fabricating operation, there is potential for myriad inefficien- cies that hurt productivity. These include intellect, waiting, motion, transportation, inventory, defects, over- processing and over-production. Iden- tifying where waste occurs can be chal- lenging, but the press brake—often the bottleneck in many shops—is a good place to begin.
A press brake generates revenue when it bends material. Other actions relating to press-brake functionality, such as tooling setups, programming, material handling, sorting parts and reworking bends, do not contribute to profits. However, they can reduce waste, improve productivity and increase revenue through implemen- tation of these five best practices.
1) Identify Areas for Improvement
Shops should film setups and changeovers. This is a cost-effective method for identifying areas in the shop that can be improved. By simply using the video function on a smart- phone, operators can identify areas of waste such as time spent looking for
Steve Brown is press-brake product manager at Wilson Tool International, White Bear Lake, MN; 866/752-6531; www.wilsontool.com
Placing tool storage near the brakes decreases setup times.
BY STEVE BROWN
tools, tool storage location, operator movement between the brake and tool storage, and transport of the part blank and tools.
Observing the cycle time between the first good part and last good part can help increase lean operations on the brake as well. Simply producing a good part is often the goal, regardless of the time and effort it takes. While that mindset can be an asset to quality, it can limit operational efficiencies.
Weighing the value of the part when it arrives at the press brake against the
waste generated to produce the bends proves critical for reducing waste and increasing efficiencies. Once the oper- ators identify the special tools, setups and shimming, or other custom pro- cedures required to make the bend, they then determine what to eliminate in order to complete the bend using just one setup and one part-handling action.
2) Standardize Programming and Bend Sequencing
Engineers can create standardized
38 MetalForming/September 2017
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