Capacity planning

High volume production lines are typically centred on a key unit operation where the product is matched to its primary package. We identify the requirements of the secondary packaging and material handling processes necessary to support the critical operation for all products and pack configurations. Planning capacity requirements for each unit operation balances the line and ensures right-sized equipment upstream and downstream of the bottleneck. Our methods consider the specific characteristics and accurately calculate cycle times to effectively plan for the forecast mix of products.

Capacity planning is central to our packaging line designs. Before the first drawing begins we identify exactly what is required at each stage of the process. We ensure that conceptual layouts meet certain minimum requirements. This reduces rework and helps to ensure a ‘Right-first-time’ approach to line design. This focuses layout design on achieving optimal material and information flow.

ScenarioBase™ modelling

ScenarioBase™ is a powerful system for collecting key data for packaging line design and for quickly evaluating the capacity requirements for various unit operations in the system. The tool is flexible to adapt as key design factors change. Data are stored in a single location so that as assumptions change, all calculations cascade through the analysis. These implications can then be quickly communicated to the whole project team.

This tool excels at ‘what-if’ analysis. Detail is captured from the unit operation level and builds to a model of annual capacity weighted by product mix. Questions about the impact of more frequent changeovers, unexpected growth in demand, unit operation reliability and others are all quickly answered. We facilitate brainstorming sessions using ScenarioBase™ that allows the project team to quickly understand the implications of design refinements.