Abstract

In the present study, the main objective was to enhance the production yield of the steel slitting process in the Slitter 1 and 2 machines of a manufacturing company. Factors influencing the low production yield were analyzed, work roles for each operator were reviewed, and idle times were studied. Time analysis was conducted using the man-machine diagram for Slitter 1 and 2. Subsequently, potential causes of low performance were identified using the Ishikawa diagram, employing the 5 whys technique. Furthermore, a spaghetti diagram was developed and analyzed to pinpoint downtime, uncoiling delays, lack of tooling, and high strapping time. Due to the absence of standardized activities for each operator, a set of roles (entry, central, exit, and assembler) was proposed, resulting in a 21.04% increase in Slitter 1 and a 19.31% increase in Slitter 2 in the number of rolls per shift. By suggesting the implementation of pneumatic strapping, strapping time was reduced by 43.08% compared to manual strapping. Additionally, a list of missing tools was compiled, including the required quantity, frequency of use, reason, and comments, and a tool checklist format was developed for tracking purposes. Finally, it is concluded that the methodology employed improved production yield and, being a best practice, it is recommended for implementation in other production lines.