Improving the Workshop Set-up to Speed Up the Assembly Process
The assembly of products and components is an integral part of the production process for many businesses. This process can involve a number of steps and can be labour intensive depending on the complexity of the assembly in question. In order to maximise efficiency, it is important to ensure that the workshop set-up for assembly operations is optimised. The advantages of this practice are varied, but include a reduction in the necessary labour hours, shorter assembly times and an increased production rate.
As such, this paper will provide an overview of assembly and the importance of workshop set-up, before delving into the various ways businesses can improve their assembly workshop’s set-up to speed up the process.
Overview of Assembly
Assembling products can involve both manual and automated processes. The manual processes can involve anything from screwing components together to labelling them, whilst automated processes can involve using computer numerical control (CNC) machines for more complex components and robotics for large scale production. Regardless of the method used, it is generally accepted that the process can be very labour intensive and often time-consuming.
In any case, the process of assembly requires components to be gathered, inspected and verified before they are optimally arranged and put together. This process of gathering, inspecting and verifying can add significantly to the labour hours needed and increases the cost of production.
Value of Workshop Set-up
Due to the labour intensive nature of assembly processes, the effective set-up of the workspace is absolutely integral to the efficiency of the overall production process. Without the correct set-up, assembly processes can be slowed down noticeably, as workers spend longer time locating and transporting components, setting out tools and various other tasks.
An optimised and well organised workshop set-up ensures everything which is needed for the assembly process is easy to find and is distributed in an efficient manner. This, in turn, reduces the time taken to locate and gather parts, meaning assembly can begin much quicker.
Improving the Workshop Set-up
There are a number of ways by which businesses can ensure their workshop set-up is optimised to speed up the rate of assembly. Firstly, businesses should ensure that components are stored and organised in an easily accessible manner, e.g. on pallets or in racks. This reduces travelling time for workers who are searching for components and ensures uniformity in the process.
Furthermore, having the appropriate tools close to each station where they are used not only increases worker convenience but also improves the safety of the workers, as they do not need to spend time travelling between stations to collect the tools they need.
Businesses should also ensure there is sufficient space close to the assembly station as this ensures workers have enough room to work safely and also allows easy movement of components. It is also important to ensure that the assembly station itself is properly set up and that the components are placed within easy reach of the workers.
In addition to these steps, there is also the need to take into account the working environment in general. Businesses should ensure a safe environment for the workers by adhering to the relevant health and safety regulations and that the temperature, lighting and ventilation are all adequate.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the assembly process is an essential part of many production processes, and optimising the workshop set-up for assembly operations is pivotal for increasing efficiency. There are a number of steps businesses can take to ensure that their assembly station and the working environment in general are optimised for maximum efficiency, including arranging component storage, providing adequate tools and ensuring a comfortable and safe working environment. By following these steps, businesses are able to speed up their assembly process significantly and reduce their production costs in the process.
