Where is inefficiency hiding ? 7 Places to look
The last 6 months have seen a wrath of unprecedented increases . Materials , Energy , Fuel , Raw materials and tax have in some cases been close to 3 times their cost in the past 12 months .
When the rises are in conjunction with labour and material shortages with growing worldwide uncertainty , there has never been a more important time to revaluate your process , see where processes can be improved , eliminate wastage , automate tasks , or generally do more done with less as a way to improve your bottom line and gain control of those elements within your grasp .
Inefficiency can hide in a number of places not always immediately apparent .
Here are 6 places where inefficiency can be hiding :
BULK FLUID CONTAINER UTILISATION Fluids , chemicals , flavorings or staples such as butter used as ingredients within processes are not always easy to decant from tubs , 205L drums , or IBCs due to their characteristics namely their viscosity .
12 FDPP - www . fdpp . co . uk
Pump age can also play a part in improving results , where newer more efficient designs are available for applications .
Quite often containers can be returned to suppliers , partially filled with as much as 5-10 % of liquid remaining within it , usually stuck to the sides of drums , or at the bottom of IBC ’ s which can be recovered providing the right pump technology is Invested in , with fluid recovery rates between 97-99 %.
Quite often it is not only the amount of liquid which is extracted from a container which is important but how the liquid is handled and how accurately measures are dispensed .
CONSISTENCY OF RESULTS Some materials are shear sensitive meaning they are sensitive in the way they are handled or transferred .
If agitated too much fats can separate out from the liquid or mixtures change in consistency from what is expected . This can often lead to batches being rejected or inconsistent final recipes increasing wastage .
Having a pump which can accurately dispense fluids repeatedly at the touch of a button ensures whatever recipe is created , it is the same every time .
MANUAL HANDLING Manual handling is often used during the initial stages of trialing a new process or method . When a new process , technique , additive , or mixture is created , it is sometimes necessary for personnel to manually test it , refining procedures until they work as desired .
But what if this new process creates an unforeseen issue and not reviewed after implementation ?
Manual handling is often a process where users see the most benefit from automating by reducing risk of spillage , accidents , inconsistency of results and increase speed of dispensing .