12 June 2017 //
As a Project Engineer, Production Manager or Operations Manager, one of the hardest things to do when you’re tasked with buying a new shrink bundling machine is to keep everybody in your organization happy. How do you keep those in the Purchasing Department, who may never actually see the new system, just as happy with as those in the Production Department who will actually be using the system? Below are three steps to achieving a happy and focused organization.
STEP 1 – Clearly Defined Goals for the Packaging Machine
For any organization, it’s imperative that as you begin the search for a new shrink bundling machine that everyone involved in the process are on the same page when it comes to defining the goals of the new packaging machine. Whether it’s labor reduction, packaging material reduction or increased production throughput, these goals need to be agreed upon and clearly communicated to all parties.
Clearly defined packaging goals can also help to develop a comprehensive RFQ, allowing your shrink bundling machine manufacturer to proposed a system designed to meet your requirements. Furthermore, understanding these goals at the beginning of a project can ensure your project does not derail, and stays within budget.
STEP 2 – Pre-Engineering Support
After clearly identifying the goals of the project, there are several additional factors that come into play prior to completing a proposal and critical to the success of a project. This includes items such as space allocations within the plant layout, electrical issues, and eventual pack quality issues. Contacting an equipment manufacturer that provides pre-engineering support including system drawings, plant layout drawings and product samples can help address any potential challenges. Many OEMs will provide this support at at little or no cost, depending on the application.
STEP 3 – Quantitative Return on Investment (ROI) Information
Once the goals have been defined, the system layout and plant layout issues resolved and product samples have been completed, there’s one more vital step – quantitative ROI information.
In every potential project there are always several “nice to haves,” but really only one “must have” and that’s an ROI that makes sense for the organization. But even ROI information is subjective, depending on the organization’s ultimate metrics for the project. That’s why it’s important to look at ROI from several different perspectives whether that’s tangible items such as total labor reduction, cost of materials decreases or increased production throughput versus the cost of the system, or in less tangible items such as improved pack quality for retail environments, reduction of system footprint for future plant layout issues or elimination of liability issues for repetitive motion injuries.
Not all ROIs are judged the same, and every potential project is different, but utilizing these three steps will can help keep the process simpler – and keep everyone happy while doing it.