In the fourth quarter of 2018, manufacturers contributed $2.38 trillion dollars to the U.S. economy. And the majority of the manufacturing companies producing that large sum of money are small.

Whether you’re a large manufacturing facility or a small one, increasing productivity is always one of the main goals. Especially if you’re finding that your revenue numbers are stagnant or worse, decreasing.

We want to help ensure that your manufacturing plant is successful for years to come. Keep reading to learn our favorite tips on how to increase production at your manufacturing facility.

Increase Production By Examing Your Current Processes

Productivity improvement begins by taking a look at the current processes you have in place at your facility. Take a close look to find out what’s working and what’s not.

This is the perfect opportunity to gather all your employees together. Find out what they feel is working well, what isn’t, and what they think the solution(s) are.

Dig Into the Data

Digging into the data lets you see where existing processes are breaking down. You can also use that information to determine what conditions are required to reach maximum efficiency.

Start by looking at processes that are the most cost-intensive. Not only will you be able to increase productivity, but you may also find you save money as well.

Gain Insight Into Process Efficiency

Not only will you gain valuable insight from the people who are using the systems every day, but involving your entire team makes everyone feel as though they have a voice.

This will help your employees feel more valued which will motivate them to work harder for the company because they feel a higher sense of loyalty. When morale is boosted, the entire crew feels as though they are working together as a team to achieve the same shared outcome.

Declutter and Organize Everything

Anything that doesn’t need to be in your facility needs to go. That can be anything from paper files to excess parts.

See if there are any ways to reduce or reuse anything. Then get your facility organized.

Every item should have a designated spot where it belongs. This will cut down on clutter and reduce time lost due to people searching for tools, etc.

Educate Your Employees

Your employees are your greatest asset. And thanks to new technology, the manufacturing industry is constantly changing for the better.

New technology often means increased productivity. But only if employees are properly trained so they have the skills and know-how to perform certain tasks.

Invest in New Technology

Sometimes you need to spend money to make money. Investing in things like educating employees or upgrading new technology often pays in dividends.

Innovative machines such as ones used for water jet cutting or CNC mills may come with up-front costs but investing in new machinery helps a manufacturing plant stay competitive in their market or allows them to move into entirely new markets, enabling the company to expand their customer base.

Invest in Maintenance

There are two types of maintenance to focus on:

Employees

It’s much easier to fix an issue through maintenance than it is to fix a problem once it’s broken. With employees, you should always keep the lines of communication open at all times.

Employees should feel comfortable and safe sharing ideas and expressing concerns as soon as they arise rather than letting problems and concerns fester.

Equipment

With equipment, performing routine maintenance means there’s less of a chance of a piece of machinery breaking down entirely. That means less downtime where productivity comes to a screeching halt.

Also, when employees are properly trained to use their machinery, it’s easier for them to troubleshoot problems immediately.

Reduce Waste

Waste can mean a lot of things such as:

• Energy
• Employee hours
• Space
• Materials

Material waste in a manufacturing plant is often the most expensive. Thankfully there are ways to reduce material waste such as:

Evaluate Your Shipping Department

While shipping materials aren’t a huge expense, it can add up and there are ways to reduce shipping expenses.

Take a look at what your current shipping processes are and look for ways to reduce materials and costs.

Find Ways to Use All Material

Look for ways you can use all the materials you have available. Perhaps you can sharpen and reuse tooltips.

Look for ways that each scrap of discarded material can be used to increase process efficiency.

Focus on Design

Find ways you can reduce the number of materials used from the beginning of your manufacturing process. Design parts using methodologies to improve yield such as:

• Value engineering
• Design for manufacturability

Get your employees involved in each part of the process. Ask them for ideas on how to cut down on waste.

Recycle

You may find that you can use recycled material.

However, even if you can’t, you can often sell those items to another factory which will also increase profits while allowing you to declutter your space.

Find Ways to Automate Processes

While employees are invaluable, there are times when they can get in their own way. That’s why automating as many processes as possible is so effective.

Create systems and processes for everything within your factory. Make sure everyone is aware of and well-trained on how to properly operate all systems.

Reduce Errors

Invest in software to automate manual tasks. Automating systems will help you with the following issues:

• Reduce employee mistakes due to repetition
• Help ensure regulatory compliance is conducted properly

Automated systems also help workers complete their tasks faster and often more efficiently.

Maintain Optimal Inventory

Too much inventory and there’s no place to store it. Not enough and you may not be able to meet demand.

Here are a few ways to ensure optimal inventory levels:

• Use software to keep track
• Create favored vendor relationships to ensure the quality of parts and timeliness of deliveries
• Look at past inventory levels during different times of the year to help predict potential shortages

These ideas will help you prevent future production delays.

Keep Learning

The more you keep learning about how to increase production in the workplace, the more seamlessly your factory will run. Not only that, but you’ll enjoy additional benefits such as increased employee morale.

You may even notice that your customers see a difference. We can help you continue to grow your business. Keep coming back to read the latest news in our business section.