OEE and LEAN

Incorporating and tracking performance using Lean metrics doesn’t make a company Lean any more than tracking weight puts you on a diet.  Measurements are like decisions, nothing changes unless actions are taken. How does this apply to OEE?  How does OEE apply to LEAN?  As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, many companies invest a significant amount of time, money, and effort to develop exorbitant […]

OEE – A Vantage Point Metric

We use the term Vantage Point Metrics to identify those metrics that are core to the day to  day management of your business.  The objective is to distinguish these metrics from the “noise” that is easily created by other less significant metrics. Determining Vantage Point Metrics is simply a matter of identifying those metrics that are critical to the profitability of your operation.  […]

OEE and Capacity Management

Capacity – Available or Required? From a scheduling perspective it is very easy to determine how much capacity (or time) will be required to manufacture a minimum quantity of parts.  However, it is not just a matter of multiplying the Standard Cycle Time by the Quantity of Parts and dividing by the part or process OEE %. As you may recall, the availability component of […]

Improving OEE: A Hands On Approach

We have explored Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) from several perspectives and how it can be used as an effective performance metric.  The purpose of measuring and monitoring OEE, at a minimum, should be three fold: To ensure the current performance levels are sustained, To identify new opportunities for improvement, To assess the effectiveness of current improvement initiatives. The Culture of Continuous Improvement and […]

OEE For Dedicated – Single Part – Processes

OEE For Dedicated – Single Part – Processes Definition:  Dedicated – Single Part – Process:  A process that produces a single product or slight variations on a theme and does not require significant tooling or equipment changeover events. A single part process is the easiest application for a OEE pilot project.  The single part process also makes it easier to demonstrate […]

Availability and OEE

What is Availability? In its simplest form, availability measures the uptime of a machine or process against the planned production time.  As one of the factors of Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE), Availability is expressed as a percentage.  The uptime is calculated by taking the difference between the planned production time and total duration of the downtime events that occurred during the planned production period. We […]

Variance, Waste, and OEE

Variance is Waste. Variation and OEE are complementary metrics that need to be considered together.

Problem Solving with OEE – Measuring Success

OEE in Perspective As mentioned in our previous posts, OEE is a terrific metric for measuring and monitoring ongoing performance in your operation.  However, like many metrics, it can become the focus rather than the gage of performance it is intended to be. The objective of measuring OEE is to identify opportunities where improvements can be made or to determine whether the changes to your […]

OEE for Multiple Parts – Single Machine (Multipart Processes)

How to Calculate OEE for Single Machine and Multiple Parts. Flexible manufacturing provides the advantage of producing many different parts on the same piece of equipment.  The same is true for processes such as stamping presses, molding machines, or machining operations. The first question most often asked is, “How do we calculate OEE for a piece of equipment that is capable of manufacturing multiple […]

How to Reduce Costs with OEE: Cost Control

OEE can be used to improved your bottom line. We provide a little insight to getting it right.