How to gain operational efficiency over your competitors
May 28, 2020
6 MIN READ
In the current market, producers in every industry are facing tough competition. Every opportunity to increase operational efficiency is worth considering. Efficiency leads to increased revenue, and increased revenue leads to happy investors. Efficiency is key to competing.
How vacuum pumps can increase operational efficiency
Pump-down times are built into production times and are sometimes considered immutable. They're just part of the process. But with new and improved vacuum pump technology, lower pump-down times are now a real possibility. This means increased efficiency that can yield impressive results in your production numbers over the course of a year.
Take, for example, an industrial leak tester for automobile radiators at a plant in Indiana. Their pump-down time on each machine was about 12 seconds. By upgrading their vacuum pumps, they reduced that time to 8 seconds per machine. That reduced cycle time profoundly impacted their production. They were able to test thousands more radiators each year, resulting in revenues that quickly paid for the pump upgrades.
Related: Calculate the performance of a specific Leybold pump, or find Leybold pumps and oils that match your requirements using our Leybold Vacuum Calculation tools.
"If I reduce my cycle times, I will throw off my workers’ schedules."
Every manufacturing plant operates on a unique schedule, timed down to the minute or even to the second. If you reduce your pump-down times by several seconds, you may have to rework some of your routines. But, as mentioned before, efficiency is key to competing.
A factory in Portland puts coatings on plastic parts for various applications. They needed to replace some of their vacuum pumps because their older equipment had been phased out. A Leybold representative showed them how they could get increased production by upgrading their pumps. Better pumps would reduce their pump-down time substantially. Initially, they were concerned that their workers' schedules would be thrown off and that they wouldn't be able to make use of the faster pump-down times. But, since they needed to replace their pumps anyway, they decided to give it a try.
Within a few months, the increased efficiency meant they were able to hire another worker to operate the machinery faster. The more efficient pumps paid for that additional worker several times over.
More efficient use of power
Many plants face restrictions on the amount of power they can draw from the electrical grid. Nationwide, many electrical grids have little to no extra capacity. In these areas, manufacturing companies have to apply for permission to put in an extra power supply.
One solution many manufacturers are trying is exporting production to locations with fewer restrictions. However, as we're quickly discovering, moving to a new location is quite a disruptive process.
Therefore, if you want to increase production, it makes sense to seek out ways to improve the production capability of the equipment you already have in use. Improving your vacuum pumps is a significant and reliable way to do that. A Leybold representative can help you calculate just how much you would save per machine each year.
More efficient use of labor
Facilities are also facing challenges employing staff. This is a reflection of our current phase in the economic cycle. Right now, it's very hard to find a competent worker. The more technical the work, the more expensive and difficult it is to find someone reliable to do it. If you're working with a minimized crew, as many are, you are probably seeking ways to reduce their burden.
One way to reduce the burden on this strained labor force is to reduce the amount of maintenance required for your vacuum equipment. For example, traditional oil-sealed pumps require regular oil changes and disruptive repairs when those changes aren’t made. By switching to dry vacuum pumps, you remove this requirement altogether. Dry pumps, like these in the Leybold range, require drastically less maintenance. This frees up your workers to do the important, lucrative work they were hired to do.
Related: You may still be using a traditional, oil-sealed pump and that's okay. Find out how to make them last longer in our blog post, 5 Tips to Make Your Rotary Vane Pumps Last Longer.
Case in point: Downtime in botanical production
Vacuum pumps are a critical component in botanical processing. In many cases, cheap Chinese oil pumps are being used. The oil has to be changed at least once per week, and sometimes every day. Let's say it takes an hour to change the oil once per week. Some of these botanical facilities generate thousands of dollars per hour. So you can imagine the impact that one hour per week (or 52 hours per year) of downtime would make on their annual revenues. The cost of an upgraded pump, when viewed at that level, suddenly seems very reasonable.
Inaction Is Your Most Costly Decision
Sometimes it's hard to prioritize the best maintenance plan or equipment upgrades because there are too many fires to put out elsewhere. It can be hard to think beyond the urgent.
But, if you choose inaction in these competitive times, you are likely missing out on revenues that could be accumulating on a daily or even hourly basis.
You might be surprised by how much money you're leaving on the table. Inaction is costing much more than you think.
Final considerations
Keeping your facilities modern, quiet, and safe is critical to remaining competitive.
When a top client walks in the door, you want them to see modern, high-powered facilities. This gives them confidence that you're up to the task.
Upgraded pumps make for quieter equipment. Mistakes happen in facilities where noise prevents workers from hearing each other.
The best workers want quiet facilities and quality equipment. Investing in high-quality equipment is critical to retaining high-quality personnel.
Upgraded vacuum pumps make a significant improvement in operational efficiency. They increase production without increasing power consumption, which is often a limited commodity. They also reduce the maintenance burden on an already strained workforce. Manufacturers in all industries can see greater operational efficiency from these improvements.
Got questions? Chat to the Leybold team! We're always happy to help answer questions that keep you ahead of the game with vacuum technology. Click the button below to get in touch.
