What Are the Different Plant Operator Jobs?

The so-called factory configuration is to plan and specify the configuration methods of various capabilities (such as people, materials, machines, and equipment) that support factory activities. For the above-mentioned various capabilities, if the configuration is randomly added for no purpose, it will lead to various wastes and confusions in operation and management. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt an effective allocation method sufficient to achieve the business objectives. ^[1]

There are two basic forms of factory configuration: product configuration and manufacturing method configuration. Below, we briefly introduce the characteristics of these forms, as well as their respective advantages and disadvantages.

(1) Product configuration

Features

This is because the machinery and equipment are arranged according to the order of their operating procedures for different products, so it is a generalized form of flow operation. This form of prior process design is very important, especially paying attention to the balance between processes. This form is generally used for continuous production.

advantages

A, because the flow of operation is straight, it can prevent the delay of operation.

B. Because it is close to the machine or the operating position, it is a continuous production, and there is less moving activity.

C. The combination of operations is tight.

D, reduce semi-finished products.

E. Shorten the production cycle.

F. Due to the concentration of products, the area occupied by the average unit product is less.

G. The process is simplified.

Disadvantages

A. Due to the duplication of production line settings, the number of machines has increased.

B. As long as one production line is stopped at a low speed, the overall labor productivity will be low.

C. Reduces the need for work-related interactions.

D. The technical skills of workers are reduced.

E. Operators are confined to unitary production and work is more monotonous.

(2) Manufacturing method configuration

Features

Since this form concentrates the same kind of machinery or equipment with the same function in the same place, it is a configuration of different functions or a configuration of different machinery. It is a method of coordinating different operations and is generally used for individual production methods .

advantages

A. It is easy to adapt to changes in working procedures.

B. In the same process, it is possible to switch operators.

C. Operators' technical capabilities have improved rapidly.

D. Production can be performed even with a small number of machines.

E. Easy to adapt to product variety changes and production volume changes.

F. Even if a piece of equipment fails, other mechanical equipment can be substituted.

Disadvantages

A. The number of semi-finished products between processes has increased.

B. Long production cycle.

C. The business of controlling production schedules becomes complicated.

D. The carrying distance becomes longer and the number of carrying people increases.

E. Item management is more complicated. ^[2]

(1) Principles of meeting the requirements of employees and ensuring safety

Meeting the requirements of the practitioners and ensuring safety are essential. The implementation of this principle often brings many unexpected benefits.

(2) Comprehensive principle

The so-called integration principle is to integrate all the elements necessary for production in the most economical way in an independent unit of activity. This includes all elements of machinery maintenance, production management, disaster prevention-air conditioning, and other service equipment. At the same time, the role of these elements will be brought into full play, and various costs will be reduced to a minimum.

(3) The principle of keeping the shortest moving distance

It is to reduce the production process as much as possible and shorten the conveying distance.

(4) Principles of flow operation

In the entire process from feeding to product shipment, it is best to avoid crossover and confusion and move in accordance with the production process (however, it is impossible to move completely in a straight line in one direction).

(5) The principle of making full use of space

Factory configuration mainly refers to three non-collocations of various sites related to production. Therefore, not only must the ground be fully utilized, but space must also be maximized.

(6) The principle of flexibility

This principle places particular emphasis on the proper configuration of the plant in advance so that it can be easily improved in the future with minimal costs. This is particularly important in an era of diverse user requirements, frequent product updates, and rapid technological innovation.

(7) Principle of balance

The factory configuration should not only be satisfied with a certain part, but should fully consider how to ensure balanced production.

(8) High-level principles

When making a plant configuration plan, you should aim at a high level of system as possible. This method of making plans is ideal. ^[1]

The specific purposes of the factory configuration are as follows:

(1) Ensure the safety of employees and increase their enthusiasm for work.

It is the primary purpose of the workshop to develop a safe environment suitable for work to increase their enthusiasm for work.

(2) Reduce the walking distance and movement of the operator.

Minimize the walking distance of the operator and make it work with the minimum necessary actions.

(3) Shorten the production schedule and reduce the number of work in process.

Ensuring the balance of the production process and using the remaining waste effectively will shorten the production schedule, compress the work in process, and improve the efficiency of capital.

(4) Reduce the number of handling and manual operations of raw materials and products.

Reduce the number of raw material and product handling and manual operations, and then realize mechanization, which will save handling time and costs.

(5) Use the site effectively.

Eliminate excess space and make full use of space to keep it to a minimum.

(6) Improve the efficiency of machinery and maintenance.

Reduce people and other work, work and other people and other non-operation time, improve the efficiency of people and machinery, and then save manpower and machinery and equipment.

(7) Convenient management and supervision.

A good factory configuration can facilitate supervision and improve the quality of supervision (such as the middle-level affairs agency is convenient to supervise field operations, the configuration according to the flow operation mode is convenient for product inspection, etc.)

(8) Eliminate the phenomenon of uneven work between workshops and operators.

By balancing the capacity between the workshops and operators, the load is expected to eliminate waste of people and machinery.

(9) Facilitate coping with changes in operating conditions.

Good configuration can be flexibly adapted to the factory. Changes in operating conditions caused by workshop expansion and unexpected events.

(10) Alleviate the administrative work related to the work and make the contact garden full.

Streamline or lighten on-site operations and make transactional contacts with other shop management departments faster and more accurate.

(11) Reduce product quality issues.

Good configuration also studies quality issues at the same time (for example, precision machining and testing workshops are afraid of vibrations, and their installation locations should be far away from large vibration departments such as stamping workshops).

(12) Other

Strengthen the effect of publicity to prevent pollution. ^[1]