Flexible Machines for Lean Manufacturing

Mikko Lindstrom, President

   There was a time when a company achieved “lean and mean” status by merely reducing employee headcount. But the term “lean” has evolved to encompass the total corporate environment, including product mix, engineering, R&D, procurement, manufacturing, distribution, etc.

   Today, the Lean Manufacturing concept requires flexibility from machinery and manufacturing systems to adapt to the production stream. At its best, Lean Manufacturing eliminates or dramatically reduces set-up times to a minimum. Other benefits include the ability to complete more operations in one step, faster throughput, less material handling, and, ultimately, the result is an enhanced cost-efficient, quality component part.

   At times, the solution to achieve Lean Manufacturing is to acquire additional fabrication equipment. And while equipment manufacturers always love that scenario, the objective of Lean Manufacturing is not to purchase excess equipment that sits idle, waiting for jobs that may appear just once a month on the production schedule. But rather, its true purpose is to allow the purchase of flexible equipment that adapts instantaneously to particular production needs in order to efficiently manufacture parts when, where, and in the quantities that they are needed.

“Finn-Power has the “Lean & Mean” sheet metal fabrication solution for any Lean Manufacturing opportunity.”

   Lean Manufacturing sets new standards for sheet metal fabrication equipment. We believe these standards match Finn-Power’s product line perfectly. Our modular concept adapts to a multitude of production needs and changes. The Finn-Power product range offers a complete package to answer the challenge of Lean Manufacturing. For many years, Finn-Power has added versatility to individual work stages by integrating them with automated material management and making automation as flexible as possible. Our goal has always been to improve our customers’ productivity.

Night Train FMS with an in-line automated bender.

   Today, we have proven, globally-acknowledged solutions for any sheet metal fabrication need with a variety of work stages and methods. In addition, we not only have the modules for optimal automating process material flow, but also the application engineering knowledge to specify the optimum in each case. Our product range is wide enough so that our customers do not have to compromise to achieve Lean Manufacturing in their fabrication facilities.

   Traditionally, automation has been seen as a “long-run”, “mass production” solution. Today, however, automation involves producing parts faster and more accurately while completing more operations in one step, small lot sizes, and with less effort than 5-10 years ago. For example, our E5 Work Center can punch, nibble, upform, bend, cut, mark, and tap in a single machine…in a single setup.

   Integrating machinery to work together seamlessly from part to part and operation to operation has been resolved by Finn-Power’s Night Train Flexible Manufacturing System. In addition to punching, shearing and/or laser cutting, the Night Train allows the addition of robotic press brakes or an in-line automatic panel bender to automate the component bending process. This system allows customers to bend only the parts that are needed today. They are able to bend parts in different sequences from when they were punched to match their assembly needs, thus eliminating extra work in-process while increasing throughput.

   Finn-Power has the “Lean & Mean” sheet metal fabrication solution for any Lean Manufacturing opportunity.

710 Remington Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173 USA
Phone: (847) 885 3200
Fax: (847) 885 9692
www.finnpower.com

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