Line Performance Analyser LPA: OEE computation now easier

Do you always know exactly what’s “going on” in your line? Do you know the cause of every single machinery standstill? Do you have all the important key figures for performance and quality assessment of your line available at all times? Unfortunately, many production companies are still having to answer the above questions with a “no”. In times of ever-increasing product diversity and high pressure on deadlines and costs, this can very quickly become a strategic disadvantage in a business environment characterised by fierce competition, because more and more firms are recognising the potential of comprehensive production transparency and dependable statistics, from which performance-boosting action can be derived.

For companies that want to achieve a lasting increase in their line efficiency, Krones has developed a high-performance tool with which any non-productive times on a filling and packaging line can be simply acquired and the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) computed automatically. It’s called the Line Performance Analyser, or LPA for short.

Close-to-line use of the LPA

• reveals where costs are being caused in a production line
• singles out potentials for optimisation in the filling and packaging operations
• identifies time-stealers and their effects on the reference machine

How are the data acquired? What analyses are possible?

The LPA provides all key figures in a conveniently user-friendly form that are required for a well-founded efficiency analysis of the line concerned. This practical tool enables all machine standstills to be acquired in detail – including those that are caused by external factors, like cleaning and change-over phases, lack of material supply or breaks. This means our clients have all the data available for analysing their production operation in its entirety, and optimising it for maximised profitability.

As a distinctive building block in Krones’ overall IT portfolio, the LPA automatically acquires all important data and control states of the reference machine. Standstills whose causes cannot be detected automatically, moreover, can be manually classified on the spot directly (e.g. at a terminal near the reference machine). These include, for example, stops due to breaks, change-overs or lack of material supply.

From the data collected, the LPA then automatically creates reports with differing focuses: besides a temporal analysis, users can also select shift or product-referenced analyses on OEE, availability, performance and quality. They are outputted conveniently using web reports on the office PCs in the company’s network.

The LPA thus provides tangible information on a line’s value creation. Because with the important sectoral ratio OEE (overall equipment effectiveness), the client receives accurate particulars on OEE. The combination of automatic acquisition and manual classification of the non-productive times delivers an especially sharp and detailed picture.

One of the LPA’s salient advantages is that the system determines the key figures with reference to both orders and shifts. Because the integrated order management feature enables shift plans to be drawn up and production orders scheduled. A target/actual comparison capability means that orders acquired during ongoing production can be monitored and compared after production has ended.

Flexible deployment: machine-independent and customised

Whether alone or in a team: in each case, the LPA turns in a strong performance. Because this tool can be used both as an autonomous stand-alone solution and as a complement to an existing line documentation system (LDS). With a combination of LPA and LDS, the client even benefits from an automatically determined time-stealer suggestion, which can then be either accepted or where appropriate reclassified.
The LPA can be linked up to both new and older lines – irrespective of the machinery manufacturer involved. The installation as such does not require any cost-intensive preparation of the machines, since it is only at the reference machine that the requisite control states like machine malfunction, lack of bottles and back-up are acquired. There is no need for a complex preparation of the entire line.

Since a majority of our clients are using their own computational models for determining key statistics and internal categories in regard to non-productive times, during development work for the LPA a high priority was attached to customisable adaptability. Irrespective of whether the “OPI” has to be computed at Heineken, the “SLE” at Coca Cola or the reliability at Nestlé, this is no problem at all for the Line Performance Analyser.

The integrated central configuration enables users to respond flexibly to altered circumstances in the company. For instance, new standstill classes can be user-configured, shift schedules altered and user rights granted in line with the particular role distribution involved, without Krones’ having to update the system each time. This saves you running costs during use.

The advantages for our clients

• Production transparency: comprehensive transparency based on analysis of production, non-productive and downtimes
• Key ratios: all important ratios at a glance (OEE, availability, performance, etc.)
• Benchmarking: harmonised KPIs enable lines, and if necessary facilities, to be compared
• Order/product referencing: assignment of availability, performance, quality data to the order
• As basis for line optimisation
• Continuous performance monitoring: identify, maintain and upgrade your own efficiency

You will find further information under:

1) Krones website: http://www.krones.com/de/produkte/it-loesungen/lpa-line-performance-analyser.php?category=6&subcategory=3

2) Interview at the Brau Beviale in Nuremberg: http://www.beveragedaily.com/Processing-Packaging/Line-performance-analysis-means-a-win-of-money-for-producers-Krones