The thesis discusses the manufacturing process of nickel-plated ribs to be mounted on the lever arch mechanism for files. Part of the process consists of surface coating of ribs in an galvanic line of hangers in which the ribs are nickel-plated. This process is a bottleneck of production, therefore I was assigned to examine the functioning of the line and by implementing adequate improvements, I had to improve its efficiency and later to optimize the whole process of rib production.
In 2004 I started working at galvanic line, where my job was to describe the current state of the line with electro plans, program on the controller and operating instructions. With the help of operators I became familiar with the ways of how the line is operated and I monitored the problems and delays on the line.
Most delays were caused by transport carts. By minor software and mechanical changes I eliminated the slow lowering of rib carriers into a position. I optimized lowering of rib carriers to the lower end position. I increased running speed and positioning of transport carts. The line cycle was indirectly shortened and higher reliability of operation was achieved. It turned out, that the effectiveness of the galvanic line of hangers primarily depends on the human factor.
Transition to nickel-plated wire was the breakthrough. My attention was drawn to finding the ways to improve the process and to increase productivity. The process of ribs production was gradually changing. First by introducing direct charging of nickel-plated ribs, relocation of rib-production machinery and by shutting down the galvanic line of hangers. The implementation of three-station charging followed. Advanced control of holes in nickel-plated rib was introduced and a transport system of ribs was put into operation. All the changes were carried out by the end of 2014. The productivity of rib-production process has tripled compared to 2004. With higher level of automatization and management of production process, higher quality of products is achieved.
|