Enhancing Efficiency: How KAIZEN? Reduced Production Losses in Food Manufacturing

In food manufacturing, minimizing production losses is critical to maintaining efficiency and cost control. A large food and beverage company recently faced challenges with its production line after relocating to a new plant in early of the year. The transition required time for ramp-up, and by midyear, the production process was still experiencing a high loss rate, with average losses reaching >4%. The company aimed to bring this down by 25% in order to optimize operations and reduce waste.?

Identifying Key Issues?

The project team identified multiple points where losses occurred throughout the production process, including:?

• Underweight and Overfill: inconsistencies in filling machines created an additional step to manually remove or top up the weight gap.?

• Leftover Ingredients: product mix which remained in tanks, pipes, and machines after production contributed to material loss.?

• Manual Process Variability: Operators faced challenges with manual settings and differences in operator skills further impacted accuracy.?

• Environmental and Equipment Factors: Room temperature fluctuations and equipment issues, like inconsistent condensate steam, affected the product’s viscosity and production stability.?

These factors highlighted a need for both equipment improvements and process standardization to achieve the desired efficiency.?

KAIZEN? Methodology in Action?

Using KAIZEN? principles, the team embarked on a series of targeted interventions to reduce losses and improve consistency in the production process. Key performance indicators (KPIs) were tracked to monitor progress toward the target loss rate.?

Steps Taken to Address the Problem?

1. Standardization of Processes? The team implemented standard procedures for the operators on filling and weighing tasks. This included training to ensure that all operators could follow uniform methods, minimizing human error and variability.?
2. Enhanced Equipment and Automation? To address inconsistencies in the filling process, the team introduced automated weight settings for filling machines, reducing reliance on manual adjustments. They also acquired new scales with greater precision to enhance accuracy in weighing, and a pushing tool was added to ensure that the last portion of the mix was efficiently cleared from pipes.?
3. Environmental and Material Controls? Efforts were made to stabilize room temperatures to prevent variations in mix viscosity, and regular checks of condensate steam were introduced to maintain consistency in the mixing process.?
4. Operator Skill Development? Training sessions were held to improve operator skills, focusing on critical points like accurate weighing and consistent machine handling. This skill standardization aimed to reduce the variability introduced by different operator techniques.?

Impact and Results?

The systematic approach enabled the company to reduce the average loss rate in production, with preliminary results showing significant improvements. The improvements resulted in lower material waste, reduced manual intervention, and better overall production efficiency. By achieving consistency in weighing, reducing overfills, and clearing leftover materials, the company moved closer to its target of reducing mix loss to the desired percentage.?

Through KAIZEN? principles, the company successfully addressed operational inefficiencies in its production line. This case demonstrates how structured problem-solving, combined with continuous improvement practices, can lead to significant gains in manufacturing efficiency, material savings, and operator performance.?

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