Save Money By Reducing Bottlenecks

We’ve talked about how to identify bottlenecks using the 5 Why’s, but we want to help our customers avoid having bottlenecks before they even start! Every dollar wasted on a bottleneck is a dollar less to your bottom line!

Our number 1 rule for avoiding bottlenecks all together is to set up your production line as effectively as possible. By analyzing the space you have and what machinery you already own, Wakefield can help you plan the space in a way that makes sense. It’s amazing how often we see shops where operators must transport parts all the way across the shop floor multiple times. It’s often one of those silly solutions that is so obvious once implemented, yet can save huge amounts of time by simply streamlining the distance a particular piece travels between each step in the manufacturing process. We have several sample assembly line renderings so you can see how your space could operate.

Another important rule to avoid bottlenecks is to purchase the right material handling and assembly equipment for your business. Wakefield offers custom-built material handling equipment like dollies, tilt tables, and storage systems. They can all be built to your shop’s space, budget and product sizes.

Using the right assembly equipment can lead to:

• Shorter run times
• Steady workload
• Smooth material flow
• No searching and sorting
• No expensive stocks

We also recommend automating the machinery that you already have. This is significantly more affordable than purchasing a single large piece of equipment. By implementing automated equipment like TigerStop, you’ll eliminate bottlenecks at critical production points. TigerStop can be added to Chop Saws, Cold Saws, Punches, Compound Miter Saws , Drills , Upcut Saws, Double Miter Saws, and Horizontal Drills. Our customers who have added Tigerstop to their equipment have seen improved productivity, reduced scrap and an overall boost in employee satisfaction.

While the cost to optimize your shop might seem daunting, it will pay off in the long run. Wakefield can also help you take advantage of Section 179, the tax code designed to help small and large businesses alike purchase machinery. It allows businesses to deduct the full amount of equipment purchased, leased, or financed, up to a certain amount.

Contact Wakefield Equipment for assistance with making sure your manufacturing line runs bottleneck free!