With the current competitive industry, it’s important that every aspect of your shop is working as effectively as possible. This includes your shop layout, as this can help your workers be more efficient. In this article, we’ll be running through some ways to make positive improvements to the layout of your shop. After analysing the flow of your operation, it might also be a good idea to consider getting new equipment to increase productivity.
Effective shop layout
There are a variety of different effective shop layouts, depending on the way your building is constructed. As a sheet metal machinery provider, Acra also offers a service to help with your layout if you’re looking for assistance, or even just a second opinion. But the main thing to remember with layouts is that you’re looking to create the most amount of work output with the least amount of time. This is influenced by the kind of machinery you use; you want to reduce the amount of steps your employees have to take. Taking these kinds of steps towards improving your shop will set a good example for workers, with an emphasis on efficiency, convenience and ease of operation, and who doesn’t want that?
The principles of workflow
A more effective shop layout can be measured specifically through these indicators:
- Workflow: The shop should be organised according to the sequence in which actions are done when making specific items.
- Space available: To be more effective, minimise the amount of space you have available. Wasted space means wasted productivity.
- Safety and employee satisfaction: While you’re focused on efficiency in the workspace, the most important thing is always to ensure that the shop is safe for your employees to move around and work in. You should also ensure that they have to walk the minimum amount of distance between different machinery and projects for ease of workflow.
- Flexibility: The best shop layouts will allow for minor adjustments with minimum cost and inconvenience.
Take these four factors into account, as the overall integration of your layout is potentially the most important of all. Remember, these indicators are only effective if they work well together.
Increased efficiency due to improved shop layouts can lead to many benefits, from reducing accidents to increasing output per hour. Acra offer a dynamic range of services and products for sheet metal machinery manufacturers. Get in touch to learn more by calling 03 9794 6675 for more information today.