Often, installing a new oven or adding on to an existing one can create bottlenecks up and down the line.
A moving target
Installing new equipment to enhance capacity often creates another bottleneck elsewhere on the line. In some cases, it’s almost like whack-a-mole where one improvement causes another problem to pop up.
That said, perhaps another game can solve the situation. “The approach to optimizing a line can be similar to playing chess,” Mr. Barnes suggested. “Anticipating scenarios three or four moves in advance helps uncover potential pitfalls and lost production. Playing out the ‘what if’ scenarios should be a key element in the planning and preparation to hopefully avoid bottlenecks before they occur.”
Other moves involve determining the maximum speed of each machine, logging them onto a spreadsheet and identifying gaps to show potential solutions, Mr. Favors noted. Such an analysis may even suggest replacing the entire line as a viable option. In that case, a facility’s size, configuration or ability to expand often play a role as the initial consideration. “We have had customers who in some instances added onto their existing buildings when space allowed but were forced to upgrade or replace portions of the line in locations where they cannot easily add to the existing facility,” Mr. Favors said.
Other factors, primarily new products and alternate packaging formats, commonly spur capital spending. Before scouting out new equipment, Mr. Nagel urged bakers to examine their current product portfolio and the operation’s ability to accommodate new product requests in the future. Additionally, if a production line isn’t running 24/7, he suggested the bakery examine how to modify it to provide a potentially more expedient and affordable alternative to installing an entirely new line.
If bakeries have the luxury of space, they can opt for the best of both worlds by installing a newer, more efficient line while also keeping the old one. Such a decision could allow a bakery to drive efficiencies through better scheduling, Mr. Morabito said. “Use your old line for the short runs, and put all of your new, heavy volume on the new line,” he suggested. “A donut company can keep its 12-ft fryer and make all of its cake donuts on this fryer. Then the company can make its higher volume yeast or both yeast and cake donuts on its new line. Either way, it is splitting production to make sure that it is running both lines longer, at optimal speed and often with fewer changeovers.”
It’s payback time
To determine the best options, gather accurate documentation to properly select the right solution and design a system that addresses the root causes of problems rather than just treats symptoms, according to Mr. Renaud.
With robotics, it’s critical to evaluate both short- and long-term needs so systems can be designed and programs adjusted to shifts in the market over time. “There is no real way to predict the future, but we try not to build in obsolescence,” Mr. Renaud said. “We have to ‘imagineer’ what could be future product capabilities through industry knowledge and talking with clients in the marketplace.”
ROI can also be a moving target based on numerous factors. Frank Achterberg, president, CBF Bakery Systems, advised bakers to focus on areas that have the most downtime and require the greatest maintenance. “Look at cost and determine your quickest payback,” he said. “Base your decision on this information. There are lots of pieces of equipment that can be updated and integrated easily within the existing line.”
Other considerations may be workers’ comp costs and employee safety. Look for pinch points and other potential safety gaps between new and existing systems. Additionally, make sure that the equipment complies with local codes. “This is always a challenge, but we generally do a thorough safety review and understand the code requirements of each geographic installation,” Mr. Renaud said.
Perhaps the most difficult part, however, is anticipating what the future will hold. “Bakers should know how they want that production line to be running in five years,” Mr. Harrington said. “Then they should project how they would like to see the production line in 10 years and use that information in their initial design to accommodate any future changes that might occur with minimal investment going forward.”
