Every manufacturing firm wants to make their operations as efficient and productive as possible. Doing so is the only real way of reducing costs without having an adverse effect on the quality of the products that they make.
One of the key parts of the manufacturing process is the packing of items for dispatch once they have been produced. For that to be carried out quickly and effectively, the benches used for completing the packing processes must be optimised for efficiency. In other words, they should be designed and built with the principles of lean manufacturing in mind.
But what is lean manufacturing and how can packing benches fit into it?
The idea behind lean manufacturing
Essentially, lean manufacturing can be described as a method that prioritises the reduction of waste and the maximisation of productivity. When we talk about waste, it means everything from wasted time to wasted materials and money. It is anything that does not contribute value to the company and that its customers or clients are not prepared to pay for.
The principles behind lean manufacturing can be traced back to the 1950s and the car company Toyota. This Japanese firm sought to remove what it referred to as ‘seven wastes’ from the manufacturing process. These seven wastes are:
- Superfluous inventory
- Overproduction
- Over-processing
- Excessive transportation
- Unnecessary automation
- Inactivity Defective products
Thus, the idea of lean manufacturing has something in common with that of just-in-time manufacturing, as that involves avoiding overproduction, over-processing and superfluous inventory by only producing enough products to meet confirmed orders. The idea spread beyond Japan pretty quickly when its benefits in terms of time and money saved became clear and it was re-dubbed ‘lean manufacturing’ in the United States by the late 1980s.
It is now a widely recognised way of carrying out business for manufacturing companies, although not all firms deploy it. Streamlining everyday operational processes is the obvious way of reducing waste, even if it is not officially called lean manufacturing, but what exactly do packing benches have to do with that?
The role that packing benches can play in lean manufacturing
In addition to reducing actual production to ensure that a business does not end up with excess inventory, lean manufacturing also emphasises reducing transportation and waiting times. That is where packing benches enter the equation. Packing items so that they can be dispatched is a vital part of many manufacturing operations, and the right benches and tables can significantly improve efficiency.
To start with, these benches should always be made of sturdy materials that will last for decades, so that money and time do not need to be wasted on buying replacements. A combination of steel for the frames and hard wood or laminate for the benches will provide you with that.
They should also be designed and built in such a manner that everything packers need to be able to complete the process is available to them in a single place. In practice, this can come in the form of a light so that they can work at the bench during the evening, a waste paper basket, sufficient shelves for storing all items, racks for holding cardboard boxes and a bracket for a computer monitor and keyboard for the administration side. An example of a bench that contains all of these features is our main tubular steel packing bench.
Having this kind of equipment for your packing processes will cut back on time wasted in transportation by making sure that every stage of the packing can be completed in one go. By making the process quicker and more efficient, it will also have the effect of reducing the waste caused by inactivity. Toyota identified this issue as being down to queues to carry out tasks due to things taking too long; so a high-quality packing bench fitted with everything needed for the job is the solution to the problem.
Furthermore, the packing benches should help to streamline the overall process by reducing time lost to employee illness and injury. It is possible to accomplish that by focusing on ergonomic design when creating benches and tables for packing. Ergonomic design is all about making sure that the tables or benches are comfortable for employees to use and do not lead to the emergence of physical health problems.
That means every part of the bench should be at a height – and in a position – that does not demand frequent stretching or bending by employees to reach it. That is the sort of thing that leads to strains and other health problems that will disrupt and slow down the manufacturing processes of your business.
At Steely Products, we design and manufacture ergonomic steel and laminate packing benches. Use the contact form to get in touch or place your order.
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