The Troubleshooter: How to Become a World-Class Injection MolderThe Troubleshooter: How to Become a World-Class Injection Molder

Hardcore mountain climbers see Mount Everest as one of their dream achievements. Making it to the top requires a climber’s full arsenal of tools and skills. Many have failed or even died trying to be among the few who can claim to have seen the natural beauty of the valleys below her majestic peaks.

World-class performance is the “Everest” of many plastics processing facilities. The climb to the top is not easy: It demands strong, avid participation by all departments. Even with collective collaboration, though, few companies ever make it to a world-class perch. They may see great improvements in their operations, but never quite reach elite status. What does it take, you might ask. What are the steps? This article will define what it means to be world class, and what plastics processors need to do to turn that desire into reality.

What does world class mean?

World class begins with a company’s vision. The mission statement is what tells your customers who you are and what services you provide. It outlines the goals and procedures of your organization. To be world class, the entire organization must believe in the company’s vision and strive to meet company and customer expectations. You will never achieve it without the support of your entire team. The true judge and jury of your commitment to world-class performance will be your customers. Here are the manufacturing systems that truly offer the best data for improving and even excelling as you move your plant toward world-class performance:

Machines and auxiliaries performance

Machines and auxiliaries merit a book of their own. Equipment performance is key to the overall success of your operation. Maintenance events should be planned — not left unplanned — to prevent costly downtime caused by rushed repairs or missed deliveries. Devote time and deliberation to the analysis of your equipment. Are your presses frequently breaking down, or simply not producing quality product? If so, you might want to consider machine overhauls, or even their replacement if repairs become too costly. Auxiliary equipment must be properly maintained, as well. The performance of dryers, hot runners, thermolators, and external valve gate units should be routinely monitored and repaired as necessary. Remember, it is always recommended that auxiliary equipment be married to the press to prevent in-process fluctuations.

Automation

The use of automated cells and robotics is key to improving quoted costs through labor reduction. It also shows customers your dedication to quality using vision systems and pick-and-place robotic routines. Setting a goal of zero-operator systems may be impossible, but it might be enough to reduce a one-operator job to a one-third of a person operation. It is important to remember that less human interaction can reduce human error.

Engineering

Engineering practices are critical to developing a world-class system. Poor engineering events only lead to poor performance in production. Design/engineer/assess/redesign/re-engineer/re-assess until all bugs are worked out of your production system. Processes should be repeatable and cell layouts should be easy to set up and police. Scrap goals should be 0%. Sorting parts often leads to failure. Engineering samples should be signed by your customer and stored carefully to be used as needed.

Mold setup

Mold changes need to be standardized and repeatable. Each shift should set up the press in the same manner as all other shifts every time. Hard plumb whenever possible to prevent mistakes in watering. Remember: Poor setups lead to poor startups.

Process validation

Processes need to be standardized and repeatable. Scientific processes require two-step validation. In the first validation step, the process must run for eight hours producing little to no scrap at 100 to 105% efficiency and at 100% yield. The second step is performed when the mold is set for the second time. With the setup being the same as the previous one, prior setpoints are again loaded into the controller and verified. Second-stage validation is proven by starting the press and getting good parts by the third to fifth shot without making more than a couple of small adjustments. True validation is a process that makes good parts in three shots without adjustments.

Quality assurance

A robust quality system is a key component of a world-class system. Your customers expect good parts every time. When your customers receive parts that do not meet their quality expectations, it endangers the work you currently are doing for them as well as the potential work they might send your way. World-class facilities set their goals high, with a standard of zero defects per million parts. How does your quality system compare?

On-time delivery

On-time delivery is of vast important to the integrity of your company’s world-class strategy. Failing to meet your customers’ timelines can result in huge penalties or having to expedite shipments. What factors cause you to miss on-time deliveries the most: Unplanned maintenance? Mold-change downtime? These are the questions you must ask yourself when trying to improve on-time shipments.

Customer service

The level of customer service adds to or detracts from the integrity of your company. Are you communicating professionally? Do you pay attention to your customers’ needs and look for ways to impress by going above and beyond expectations? The more positive the customer experience, the stronger the relationship that can help both companies grow.

Housekeeping

Plant upkeep reflects your commitment to excellence in the customer’s eyes. Tours are a big part of taking on new customers or receiving more work from current ones. Your plant floor should be kept in showroom condition at all times. One of your customers should be able to walk into your plant at 3 a.m. and be impressed by the cleanliness. Six Sigma, 8 Deadly Wastes, Kaizen, and KanBan are great tools to help you improve your housekeeping performance and overall image.

Becoming a world-class organization can seem like a mountain of work that will take forever to achieve. Just remember to take a breath and dive in by tackling one small project at a time. Don’t focus on where you want to be — identify the failures that are currently affecting your systems and address them one at a time until you suddenly realize you have reached a point of just maintaining what your team built. Thinking bigger and building better can take you farther than you had imagined was possible.

Got a problem with this, that, or the other thing? You might find answers in some previous "Troubleshooter" columns:

Standardization Is Key to Consistent Injection Molding Processes

Separating Fact from Fiction in Color Molding

Developing Robust Maintenance Procedures in Plastic Injection Molding Operations

Setting Up Your Injection Molding Process for Success

A Primer on Plastics Processing Fundamentals

How to Interpret Plastic Injection Molding Data

How to Identify and Correct Shear-Related Splay Defects

The Role of Moisture in Injection Molding Splay Defects

Preventing Flash in Injection Molded Parts

How to Prevent Common Failure Modes in Injection Molding

Building a Validated Plastic Injection Molding Process

Fixing Color Defects in Injection Molded Parts

Key Steps for a Stable Injection Molding Process

Fundamentals of an Injection Molding Plant or Cell Startup

What to Consider When Buying an Injection Molding Machine

How to Prevent Mold-Change Failures

Fundamentals of Injection Molding Press Startups

Preventing Speed- and Time-Related Defects in Injection Molded Parts