How AREDEX Americas Reduced Changeovers and Saved Time on Those That Were Left With Downtime Tracking
Business Name: AREDEX Americas
Industry: Manufacturing
Summary: Officials at ARDEX’s plant located in Georgia knew that they were experiencing downtime – particularly due to frequent changeovers – but they just didn’t have a viable way of
measuring it. Shift line managers were still keeping records on paper, which made it almost impossible to have complete visibility over what was going on, what was working and what
could be going better.
Within just three to four months of implementing Thrive’s Downtime and OEE software, the team at ARDEX was able to see significant results. Not only were they able to reduce the
number of changeovers by 10 to 20 in a given week, they were also saving about 10 to 15 minutes on each changeover that was left. Even something as simple as employee lunch breaks
– which were supposed to be an hour but were being extended to 1 hour and 20 minutes in some situations – was revealed using the Thrive system, leading to an incredible amount of
savings across the board.
10-15 Minutes saved on each change over
10-20 Changeovers per week
“The neat thing about Thrive is it’s a very user-friendly interface for all associates. It allows management to see downtime data in a detailed manner. There also is a lot of depth to the
software allowing you to track anything you need.” Michael Deppa Senior Project Manager ARDEX Americas [Ga.]
The Assignment
ARDEX’S Georgia plant management knew they were experiencing downtime, especially during frequent changeovers, but they did not have a good way of measuring it. Shift line managers
were jotting down numbers on paper, but management knew the figures were more guesswork than real data that could drive an improvement process. The company decided it needed an
effective downtime tracking system and found Thrive during a Google search. Aided by support from Thrive, the system was easily installed in 2018 by the systems operation manager and an
electrical maintenance employee. Once the company determined what it wanted to track, they established base numbers, developed downtime codes, tested the system and created a
PowerPoint presentation to educate their line operators on how to input data. The biggest challenge was getting everyone on board with the Thrive program because generally employees
do not like to change from their regular routine.
The Results
Within three to four months of implementing Thrive’s software, ARDEX was able to see significant results. Downtime numbers were easier to track and were significantly more accurate. Changeover times improved. Minor equipment issues were spotted and fixed. Even something as simple as employee lunch breaks, normally an hour, were found to be stretching to 1:20 in some instances – an under-the-radar issue picked up with the Thrive system. After compiling the data, the company determined it was saving 10 to 15 minutes of downtime on each changeover. With 10 to 20 changeovers a week, the potential savings was significant. Last year, ARDEX began analyzing its Thrive data and started developing ways to improve their inefficiencies. They honed in on the obvious areas that required attention. Previously, dollars spent on suspected inefficiencies were guesswork. Now, with data from the Thrive program, the company knows exactly what needs to be done to get better.
About Thrive
Thrive is a cloud-based, automated downtime tracking and analysis software. Thrive is plug and play. There’s no server or PLC required and no software to install. Just connect and begin to minimize machine downtime. Within seconds of activation, you can access the dashboard on any device with an Internet connection to start reducing downtime. Get real-time production
monitoring from any device with an Internet connection through a secure, password-protected dashboard.
If you would like to find out more information about the major benefits and breakdowns of overall equipment effectiveness, or if you just have any additional questions that you'd like to discuss with someone in a bit more detail, please visit https://www.downtimecollectionsolutions.com/ today!
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