3 Ways to Take Advantage of Seasonal Shifts in Manufacturing
Guest blog by MHI member company Conductix-Wampfler
Seasonal shifts play a role in any industry’s operations, not just manufacturing. While an upcoming summer slowdown might be natural for many businesses, it doesn’t necessarily mean that manufacturing operations must come to a standstill, inevitably affecting uptime and revenue. There are steps that facility managers can take to address these historically slower operational periods, including routine preventative maintenance checks, assessing current infrastructure, and exploring new investments to stay ahead of the curve.
These considerations can keep operations on track while reducing unplanned downtime, which is one of the costliest events for any manufacturing facility. In fact, downtime, whether scheduled or not, can monopolize 1%-10% of available production time and cost up to $50 billion a year. Anticipating these fluctuations and preparing accordingly reduces the possibility of unplanned downtime while allowing facilities to upgrade equipment and introduce innovative processes. Let’s take a look at three different ways facility managers can use seasonal manufacturing shifts to their advantage instead of letting them negatively impact operations.
1. Understand Operational Patterns
Understanding when seasonal fluctuations occur within your industry is an important place to start. Reviewing historical data and current market conditions can provide insight into specific drivers behind these shifts and help you avoid possible downtime. Some of these drivers include:
- Temperatures: Rising summer temperatures can have a negative impact on both workers as well as the equipment. Machinery and equipment can overheat in high temperatures, leading to breakdowns or the need for more frequent maintenance. Overheated equipment can also slow down operations or halt them entirely if repairs are needed.
- Labor: Naturally, there is a rise in vacation time during the summer, and scheduling can become more of a challenge, along with an already tight skilled labor pool.
- Customer demands: Depending on the industry, consumer demand can have a substantial impact on operations. There may be more demand during the holidays or during the summer due to shutdowns, so while the customer’s business is not up and running, facility managers are tasked with ensuring they are able to supply the solutions they need to install, replace, or repair during that time.
2. Assess Current Infrastructure
In preparation for seasonal shifts, it’s important for facility managers to perform routine preventative maintenance checks to evaluate existing equipment and understand any additional needs or upgrades. Equipment inspections and maintenance will help facility managers avoid costly issues during peak times and understand larger replacement projects.
For example, a summer slowdown could be a great time to assess a facility’s current infrastructure to understand if there’s an opportunity for replacements or installations that are otherwise difficult or costly to complete during peak times. Installing electrification equipment like conductor bars, festoons, charging contacts, and more can be time-consuming projects that temporarily impede facility productivity. Unlike unplanned outages, which may occur due to unexpected equipment failures or safety emergencies, “planned outages” are strategically scheduled to minimize disruption and optimize production efficiency.
Scheduling planned outages is particularly advantageous when coordinating with various vendors and aligning delivery dates. Coordinating these outages well before the summer slowdown is important for scheduling and completing work since companies and competitors will be thinking similarly and with a potentially limited labor market.
3. Explore New Investments for Future Operations
A shift or slowdown in operations provides the opportunity to explore innovative solutions that may not have been on a facility manager’s radar earlier in the year. Investing in new solutions or automation, including AGVs/AMRs, radio remote controls, monorail systems, safeguard sensors, etc., can help streamline operations while enhancing competitiveness by staying on top of evolving trends.
Data, along with power transmission, is a critical component of modernizing facilities and handling the complexities that come with a slower manufacturing period. This can be beneficial in many areas, such as supporting efficiencies, improving productivity, enhancing safety, and providing advanced analytics. Data visibility is valuable in understanding production metrics and allows for improved decision-making. Facility managers should consider investing in data solutions that can be easily integrated into existing systems, like a conductor bar, reels, festoon, etc.
Additionally, automated solutions are increasingly making their way into manufacturing operations, but facility managers might shy away from integrating them throughout their facilities due to the time needed to train employees on new equipment. A slower season of operations allows facility managers to test these solutions when demand isn’t at its peak, troubleshoot as needed, and enhance efficiency in the long run.
Strategically Embracing Slowdowns
Ignoring seasonal fluctuations in the manufacturing space is virtually impossible, but there are ways to capitalize on the inevitable slower periods. Understanding how a facility can benefit from less demanding operating times can help set them up for success once peak season hits.
Partnering with vendors who understand the importance of always keeping businesses moving is integral to continued success throughout the summer slowdown. Consider vendors who offer comprehensive maintenance services to help facilities optimize the performance and reliability of their electrification systems during downtime. Additionally, those who can provide technical support and consultation can be effective in helping facilities assess their current infrastructure, identify areas for improvement, and develop tailored solutions to enhance efficiency and productivity.
Author: Meg Distefano, Product Manager at Conductix-Wampfler
Meg’s Bio
Meg Distefano is the Product Manager of Linear Motion Platform at Conductix-Wampfler, a leader in the industrial electrification industry. Meg has a passion for innovative thinking and supports product development across the manufacturing verticals Conductix serves.
