Agriculture and construction machine manufacturer – Tool holder optimisation - case study

Our customer is an agriculture and construction machine manufacturer who has launched with Labadis a complete production plant transformation. We have led a workshop in order to design an optimized tool holder that improves the gestures to pick up and release the tool, and also to simplify the work station implementation.

Results

Following this workshop and the complete transformation the results are:

Productivity

+ 20%

Surface

– 40%

Customer situation

Our customer produces between 10 and 40 equipment per day. To keep the plant running he needs to improve productivity.

The final product is big, but it’s an assembly of small a middle sized parts that are riveted, screwed etc… with several different types of tools

Picture : Labadis Laval tool holder

Analyse Labadis

Cycle time is about 20 to 60 min and seeking for saving seconds is not the current improvement state of mind

Waste :

Operator has to walk to reach his tools
It takes time to find the right tool amongst the stack of tools, pick it up and it then let it go
Every other cycle he grabs the tool in the wrong position and then needs to flip it in his hand into the right position
Some basic tools are multi-purpose and requires a set up to be operational

Picture : Labadis Laval tool holder

Labadis solutions

We have downsized the tool holder to install it closer to the point of use. No flat surface so as soon as the task is done, there is no choice than dropping the tool on its specific holder so always placed in the right position.

A single task tool is a cheaper and more reliable tool than a multi task tool. When needed, we have duplicated the tools to keep them close to the point of use

The tool holder is more than just a stand to place the tool while it is not needed, thanks to this solution, the operator has direct access to the tools which are presented always in the same position, ready to be picked up and used. Grabbing the tool becomes a mechanical reflex for the operator.

Flat surface is a landing area for tools that are dropped even thrown down by the operator eager to start on the next step. Every flat surface has been removed.