Introduction
Beck Manufacturing is currently running a manufacturing plant that is running at a fairly steady pace; however, a closer look at the production numbers reveals that there is much room for improvement. The owner of Beck Manufacturing, Mr. Beck, has stated his ambitions to expand manufacturing operations, but he would like to accomplish this goal with as minimal expense as possible. As the situation currently stands, the majority of the manufacturing equipment at Beck Manufacturing is in good working order, and does not appear to need replacement. However, some of the equipment, in particular the milling and the grinding machines, do not seem to be running at full capacity, and could probably benefit from professional servicing and possibly calibration. Often, simple repairs to milling and grinding equipment will increase their efficiency at as little cost as possible, and with maximal reward. Additionally, the Beck Manufacturing facility currently runs only two eight hour shifts each day. If Mr. Beck were to add a third eight hour shift to operations, this could exponentially increase the capacity at Beck Manufacturing in a very brief time. Ultimately, Mr. Beck has multiple options at hand if he wants to expand his operations.
Capacity of Each Machine Center and the Capacity of the System
The capacity of the milling machine center currently stands at 2,328 units per day. The capacity of the grinding machine center is currently 2,128 units per day. The capacity of the boring system is currently 2,592 units per day. The capacity of the drilling machine is currently 2,411 units per day. The overall capacity of this system is thus 9,459 units per day. Generally speaking, the overall capacity of the system at Beck Manufacturing is in good working order.
Focus of Future Expansion Efforts
If Beck wants to expand his manufacturing facility, he should primarily focus his efforts on making the milling machine center more efficient. The milling machine center is presently the center that has the lowest efficiency overall, and as it is the first step in the production process, the fact that the milling machine center is currently inefficient means that the whole of the production system is experiencing reduced efficiency. Additionally, the grinding machine center seems to be on reduced efficiency, as well. If Beck wants to implement his plans to aggressively expand his manufacturing operations, he should take a close look at both his milling machine center and his grinding machine center in order to increase the efficiency and capacity of both of these centers. Moreover, the fact that both of these centers currently have reduced efficiency seems to indicate that there may be future issues with the safety of the manufacturing equipment. If either the milling machine or the grinding machines cease to perform their respective jobs well, this could cause problems for worker safety for the entire Beck Manufacturing Facility, and cause an abundance of lawsuits for Mr. Beck.
As for the avoidance of a bottleneck in the manufacturing process, Beck should ensure that if he updates his milling and grinding machines, that his boring and drilling systems can keep pace with the speeds of the first two machines. If the milling and grinding machines produce too much raw material for the boring and drilling systems, the overall efficiency of these machines will be greatly reduced, and Beck Manufacturing will experience the bottleneck effect (Rushton, Croucher & Baker, 2014). If the bottleneck effect occurs, this can have an extremely negative impact on the facility as a whole, and reduce overall worker safety in the facility.
Expanding Capacity Without Purchasing New Equipment
If Mr. beck wishes to expand the capacity of his manufacturing facility without purchasing new equipment, there are several things that he can do. The first suggestion is that Beck hire an equipment technician to evaluate all of his existing machinery, and ensure that it is in good repair, and that it is operating at normal capacity. Often, when machines such as a milling machine or a grinding machine require calibration or other simple repairs, they will still perform, but they will not perform as quickly or as efficiently as they normally are capable. However, one thing that Mr. Beck needs to be mindful of is that sometimes it is cheaper to simply buy a new, updated machine than it is to attempt repairs on outdated equipment.
In addition to repairing all of his existing equipment, Mr. Beck can also expand the capacity of Beck Manufacturing by employing a third shift at his operation. Beck Manufacturing currently runs two eight hour shifts, but if Mr. Beck were to add a third eight hour shift, and make his plant a 24-hour facility, he could greatly increase production within a short period of time. However, in the addition of a third shift, there are many caveats to consider (Schonberger & Brown, 2017). First, it can often be hazardous for employees to operate heavy equipment during a third shift. Very few workers are capable of adapting to the biological changes that are invoked by working the third shift, and will often be more prone to making errors. Further, third shift employees often become sick more often, and will also demand higher rates of pay for working this shift. Further, operating a manufacturing plant during the third shift often results in higher overhead costs, as the electricity and other utilities must be kept on for a 24 hour period.
