Manufacturers often consider purchasing additional machinery when production targets become difficult to achieve. However, before making a new investment, it is worth understanding how effectively existing machines are being used.
A machine may be available for an entire shift but spend a considerable amount of time waiting for materials, adjustments, maintenance or operator availability.
Improving machine utilisation can help businesses get more value from equipment they already own.
Machine Availability Is Not the Same as Productive Use
Consider a machine scheduled to operate for eight hours. It may remain unused for part of the shift because materials arrive late. It may also stop during changeovers or wait for quality approval.
Although the machine was available, its actual productive time was lower than expected.
Madasky encourages businesses to examine the reasons behind lost machine time instead of relying only on equipment availability reports.
Identify Common Sources of Lost Machine Time
Manufacturers should review:
- Unplanned equipment breakdowns.
- Delays during machine setup.
- Material shortages.
- Operator availability.
- Waiting for quality inspections.
Frequent production schedule changes.
Recording these reasons can help managers understand where improvements are possible.
Improve Coordination Around Equipment
Machine utilisation depends on more than maintenance.
Production planners need to schedule suitable jobs, purchasing teams need to ensure material readiness and supervisors need to coordinate operators and changeovers.
For example, preparing the next batch's tools and materials before the current batch finishes may reduce the time a machine remains idle.
Madasky supports businesses in examining these connections and improving equipment-related processes.
Track Performance Consistently
Managers should compare scheduled machine hours with actual running time and understand the reasons for major differences.
Madasky encourages manufacturers to use this information to prioritise improvement activities rather than making equipment investments without sufficient analysis.
Final Thoughts
Better machine utilisation does not always require purchasing new equipment or extending operating hours.
By reducing avoidable stoppages, improving preparation and coordinating production activities, manufacturers can make better use of their existing machinery. Madasky supports businesses in improving these operational practices.