The data is analyzed to determine the extent of the problem and decide which areas to focus on. Successful completion of the project in accordance with this document will ultimately help SAB to reduce variable costs and become more profitable.
Introduction & Background
- The Beer Industry
- The South African Breweries
- The Rosslyn Brewery
- World Class Manufacturing
- The Problem Statement
In support of their vision, SAB strives towards the goals outlined by world-class manufacturing principles (Macmillan 2004). If these performance targets are not met, SAB may fall short of their vision of being the most admired company in South Africa and fail to achieve their world-class manufacturing goals.
Project Scope
Product
Process
Exclusions
Rationale
Performance Target
Project Aim
Project Approach and Deliverables
- Define
- Measure
- Analyse
- Improve
- Control
Determine the areas to focus on and identify the main causes of bottle loss in these areas. Find possible alternative solutions to reduce bottle wastage in order to achieve an acceptable target.
Problem Context
- The SABMiller Manufacturing Way
- Benchmarking
- Performance Metrics
- Organisational Design
- Low Level Process Analysis
- Raw Material Acquisition
- De-Palletiser
- Rinsers
- Filler
- Pasteuriser
- Labellers and Taptones
- Shrink-wrapper, Tray-packer and Palletiser
Appropriate in the context of the problem, SABMiller "performance is measured against internal and external benchmarks." The company believes that internal benchmarking facilitates self-analysis and provides a clear view of current capabilities. Koch (2013) defines 'focused improvement' as 'providing improvements in the main areas of organizational performance by focusing on variability, high losses and other problem areas.' Focused improvement results in a structured, data-driven approach to improvement by establishing systems to monitor and analyze loss and waste.
Literature Review
- Introduction
- Define, Measure, Analyses, Improve and Control (DMAIC)
- Define
- Measure
- Analyse
- Improve
- Control
- The Six Step Problem Solving Approach
- Statistical Process Control
- Control Charts
- The Control Chart for Individual Measurement
- Run rules
- Performance and Capability Studies
- Pareto Chart
- Cause-and-Effect Diagram
- One Point Lessons (OPL)
- Decision between Alternative Solutions
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Weighted-Sum Method (WSM)
- Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP)
The objective of the measurement step is to examine the current state of the process (Montgomery 2009:51). These indices provide a convenient, simple and quantitative way to represent process performance and performance.
Data Analysis
Capability and Performance Study Based on X and MR Control Charts
These two periods were chosen as the points representing the best performance of the process and used to calculate X̅0. It also shows that the best performance of the process is inherent and therefore the process is able to achieve an average of X̅0 = 0.99%. To determine the potential impact of an improvement, the Cpk index is calculated to show the performance of the process if the process goes off target but with minimal variation.
To determine the potential impact of an improvement, the Cp index is calculated to indicate the performance of the process if the process is operating on target with minimal variation.
Pareto Chart
Even if the process has the least possible variation, it will still not conform to specifications. The results of the performance and capacity studies show that there are inherent problems in the process that cannot be solved by simply correcting a few attributable causes. The process is unable to achieve its target of 0.45% bottle loss without restructuring the process.
As can be seen from the graph, most of the bottle loss can be attributed to the area between the pasteurizer and labeling equipment.
Focus Areas
The bottle loss in this area is calculated by subtracting the labeling production (before labeling rejects) from the PFBI throughput (after filler rejects); therefore, the area contains both the pasteurizer machine and all the conveyor belts between the PFBI and the labelers. This may be due to the fact that many bottles burst due to the variations of pressure in the filling process.
Measurement System
Measurement System Analysis
Measurement System Improvement
- Short Interval Control (SIC)
- Rejects Monitoring
- Cullet Tracking
- Measurement System Considerations
It is important to accurately count the number of bottles that are rejected from the line to determine the extent of rejections related to the problem of bottle loss. An example of the sheet that was developed for labeller operators to complete can be found in Appendix E. One of the easiest ways to measure bottle loss along the line is to monitor the amount of turbidity (broken glass) found in each process area.
Stability refers to the capacity of the measurement system to produce the same values over time when measuring the same samples (MoreSteam).
Conveyers
Conveyer Analysis
Conveyer Improvements
- Conveyer Design
- Conveyer Guide Rails
- PLC System Optimisation and Conveyer Maintenance
- Bottle Loss Awareness
The maintenance planner has been notified and a weekly maintenance schedule has been established to improve the condition of the conveyor system and PLC systems. Bottles can move and fall over due to misalignment of conveyor slat heights. In order to implement sustainable solutions to the problem of bottle loss, it is important that all operators and employees working on line 2 are aware of the problem and make a conscious effort to solve it on a daily basis through good work practices.
The operators need to know the extent of the problem and the loss the company faces in terms of variable costs if improvements are not made.
Pasteuriser
Pasteuriser Analysis
Pasteuriser Improvements
- An Additional Operator
- New Flatbed Conveyer Pasteuriser
- Flash Pasteurisation
An accurate cost-benefit analysis cannot be performed for this solution, as the cost to the business of an additional operator is classified information. The cost-benefit analysis of the purchase of a new pasteurizer that uses a flat-surface conveyor belt as the conveying system instead of a moving beam conveying system will be analyzed as a possible solution to the bottle loss problem. According to the Pareto principle, a new pasteurizer will reduce the bottle loss between the pasteurizer and the labeling machines by 80% from 0.51% to 0.102%.
The cost scale for the company to implement this solution cannot be determined at this point.
Filler and Crowner
Filler and Crowner Analysis
Filler and Crowner Improvements
- Incorrect Fill Heights
- Burst Bottles within the Filler
- Crowner
Star wheels can be color coded for a fool-proof method of choosing the right star wheel for the brand (Marais 2012). Worn or undercut star wheels also occur as there are no clear standards on the preventive maintenance schedule for this (Marais 2012). The maintenance planner should add instructions to the weekly maintenance schedules so that the technicians know to look for worn or undercut star wheels and change the star wheels if necessary.
The solutions to the problems with the conveyor system (Section 3.2.2) and the improvements to the palletizer (Section 3.6.2) will help reduce burst bottles reaching the filler and therefore reduce the number of bottles bursting in the filler.
Labellers
Labellers Analysis
Labellers Improvements
- Historical Data
- Control Charts
- Fill Rejects and Missing Cap
- Rejects Line
Control charts can be implemented as a short-interval control to monitor the number of rejected labelers in each shift. Data from the Rejected Marker Record Form in Appendix E can be used as input to control charts. This can be done by making 'GO' and 'NO-GO' bottles that are clearly identifiable as test bottles.
The team leader may perform checks to ensure that the labeler operators are performing their duties related to the reject line.
De-palletiser
De-palletiser Analysis
Labeling machine operators should be reminded to handle these rejected bottles with care as each lost bottle adds to the bottle loss problem. There is no way to calculate bottle loss from the bulk infeed belt, depalletizer and conveyor belts before the flushing machines. Pallets where many bottles have already fallen off the shelves before the plastic is cut, must be returned to the raw materials department.
Side guides on the conveyor belt when discharging from the palletizer must be covered with a rubber material to prevent contact of glass with metal.
De-Palletiser Improvements
- Man
- Machine
- Measurement
- Method
- Material
The OPL name, 'returning pallets of bottles to raw materials' can be found in Appendix G. There are many problems caused by the Masonite ply boards between the pallets of bottles. The trial was successful and the only problem experienced with the new ply material was that on 12 occasions (2.2% of the trial) the plastic ply was swept onto the line along with the pallet of bottles.
The proposal to fix this problem was to add layer board grippers on the depalletizer so that the plastic layer boards can stay behind while a layer of bottles is swept on the line.
Recommendations for Implementing, Support and Maintenance of Solution
Plan
Do
Check
Act
Change Management
Eight Steps to Create a Lasting Transformation
- Establish a Sense of Urgency
- Form a Powerful Guiding Coalition
- Create a Vision
- Communicate the Vision
- Empower Others to Act on the Vision
- Plan for and Create Short-Term Wins
- Consolidate Improvements and Produce Still More Change
- Institutionalize New Approaches
Change efforts will not have momentum if there are no short-term goals to meet and celebrate (Kotter 1995). If the bottle loss rate decreases slightly, this information must be shared and celebrated throughout line 2. The change must be embedded in the organization's culture before it can be considered a successful change.
Instead of declaring victory, change leaders should use short-term victories to address even greater challenges (Kotter 1995).
Solution Validation
Financial Benefit
It was found that the line is unable to meet its performance target of 0.45% bottle loss, although; the inherent problems of bottle loss can be alleviated by restructuring the process. The Pareto principle can give an indication of the percentage reduction in bottle losses that can be realized in each process area and the economic benefit if all the solutions are implemented. It can be seen that the project's goal of reducing bottle loss and therefore helping the line to reach budget targets can be achieved through the implementation of the given solutions.
The objective of the project was to identify the causes of bottle loss on the line and come up with feasible solutions to reduce the amount of bottles lost on the line, which was successfully completed by the deliverables of this project.
Conclusion
Institute of Brewing and Distilling General Certificate in Beer Packaging (GCP) Division 4 NRB Specialist Division – Non-Returnable Bottles (NRB) and Packaging Materials. A table showing the data obtained from the Weekly Variable Financial Report and the appropriate calculated information obtained from the data. Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total.
After removing the plastic from the pallets, remove any bottles balancing on the edges of the tier shelves. This ensures that the bottles do not fall off the pallets and break while the bulk infeed conveyor is moving.
