Motion waste refers to the extra physical steps taken by employees and equipment to accommodate inefficient process layout, defects, reprocessing, overproduction or excess inventory. Additional and unnecessary motion takes time and adds no value to the product or service.

Moving and adding value is called work. Moving and not adding value is adding costs to your company and is motion waste.

IntelliFinishing removes motion waste simply by its technology and design. We know we cost more than an average Power and Free system. We are okay with that, because we know the value our completely automated finishing system adds to our customer’s production processes and profit margins.

Here is how we add value and help our customers remove motion waste:

  • SMALL FOOTPRINT
    Many of IntelliFinishing’s system layouts result in a smaller footprint than systems that use overhead monorail conveyors or power and free conveyors. A smaller footprint ultimately means less conveyor to maintain, less floor space operators have to cover and a reduction in the space requirements of your building. An Intellifinishing system can be designed within a smaller footprint because:

    • the conveyor does not have a chain so you don’t have to plan for the return chain
    • our conveyor moves forward and backward allowing you to spur parts to a masking area or load/unload area
    • we use shuttles or deadheads for large parts eliminating the need for large bulb turns
    • we give you flexibility within zones, allowing the conveyor to run faster or slower based on the process, eliminating the need for a large oven
  • LAYOUT DESIGN FLEXIBILITY
    When we are designing systems, we look for ways to share operators and resources between stations. In one system, we were able to position the mask and unmask stations next to each other, allowing for one person to perform both tasks. Frequently, the same resources may be used for loading and unloading since the system can stop in a zone without affecting other areas.
  • SYSTEM OVERVIEW DISPLAY AT ALL HMIs
    Operating stations track each carrier within each zone allowing you to quickly identify any issues and exactly where it is located, saving time and money in motion waste. Work instructions may also be displayed at stations and are useful for masking and labeling instructions.
  • SPEED UP THROUGH NON-VALUE ADDED ZONES
    IntelliFinishing complete paint systems give you the ability to move at variable speeds within zones, along with the value added option to stop the line within a zone or process without affecting the rest of the line, eliminating unnecessary movement of equipment.
  • DECREASED MOVEMENT EQUALS FEWER INJURIES
    With less overall movement by workers and equipment, the chance of injury decreases. Have you ever wondered how beneficial decreased movement can be to your bottom-line? For example, the average back injury (sprain/strain) can cost more than $10,000 in direct costs (National Safety Council Statistics) and anywhere from $30,000 up to $100,000 in indirect cost. The direct cost for all U.S. workers out of work due to Musculoskeletal Disorders or MSDs is estimated at $13-20 billion annually with indirect costs between $26-110 billion annually.