Walk into any manufacturing facility or assembly line and you’ll most likely see that steps are being taken to try and streamline processes.
You might see lean manufacturing principles in action such as shadow boards for keeping tools in order or colour coded systems designed to simplify inventory and organization.
This is because in large-scale manufacturing operations, time is money. Every hiccup or delay is multiplied by the volume of goods being produced – which means that even small bottlenecks can become costly problems that eat into profitability.
At Applifast, we support our customers’ lean manufacturing goals by helping them to identify and eliminate roadblocks that occur as a direct result of their fastening operations. Let’s look at five key ways we can help your business to simplify and streamline its manufacturing and assembly processes.
Hands-On Consultancy
The primary value Applifast brings to the table is expertise. For the past 50 years, we’ve worked closely with manufacturers to streamline their assembly lines, listening carefully to their painpoints and aspirations, and keeping our finger on the pulse of developing technology that directly addresses those challenges.
We’ve not only collected a portfolio of some of the most advanced fastening systems on the market, we’ve also gathered unmatched expertise and knowledge around those products. Our face-to-face consultancy service means we can come to your location, watch your line in action, hear about your problems first hand, and then suggest practical solutions to help you eliminate delays, bottlenecks, and downtime for a more efficient and productive operation.
Manufacturing Process Improvement Support
In addition to this high-level strategic consultancy, we offer a range of consultative support packages for manufacturers looking to achieve specific goals with their manufacturing, including:
Smart Start
Our Smart Start program is aimed at helping manufacturers to set-up their Applifast tooling systems and software ‘right the first time’. We take the lead on installation and programming to ensure optimized set-up and warranty protection. Then we carry out all necessary testing to ensure the system is working to capacity before training your team on the correct operation and troubleshooting of your system, ensuring production gets off to a flying start.
Production Boost
Our Production Boost service ensures you’re getting the best possible performance from your fastening systems by quickly identifying and eliminating assembly/manufacturing errors and flawed processes. We’ll conduct a torque audit to make sure your tightening processes are up to date plus a thorough process review to identify manufacturing process improvements, then provide a detailed report with recommendations you can implement right away.
Advanced Fastening Tools and Technology
When we’re approached by manufacturers looking to reduce production time, the first thing we usually look at is the tooling systems and fasteners they’re using.
If the system is outdated or simply not suited to the specific manufacturing or assembly process at hand, there’s an opportunity for significant efficiency savings. Things we typically look at include:
Application Speed
How fast is the current tooling system? Depending on the complexity of the fastening or assembly task in question, simply changing to a more powerful tool capable of applying more rivets in less time can make a big difference to outputs.
Material Compatibility
Are the current fasteners/tools well-matched to the materials being fastened? Fastener selection in particular is extremely important for efficient manufacturing and assembly, since incorrect fasteners can lead to poor quality joins or damage to the material, resulting in costly re-work.
Tooling Adaptability
How well can the current fasteners and tools adapt to different tasks on the production line? How easy is it to change out parts or switch to different fastener sizes? Do the tools mitigate for common manufacturing challenges, for example, face down rivet application or variable torque angles? The easier it is for tooling systems to adapt – and do so without specialist human input – the more streamlined the manufacturing process will be.
Applifast’s advanced selection of tools and fasteners is curated from industry-leading brands around the world and designed to offer high performance, material compatibility, and adaptability for a wide range of manufacturing applications. We’re very proud of our exclusive partnerships with world renowned brands like Huck, which are an endorsement of our expertise and enable us to bring our customers the most elite fastener technology on the market today.
Servicing and Maintenance
Setting up right the first time is key to efficient assembly and manufacturing lines – but for ongoing success, regular maintenance and servicing is just as important.
Our Preventative Maintenance, Tool Care, and Service Support services ensure Applifast customers have access to expert help in every area of servicing and maintenance, from repairing broken down equipment to diagnostics and torque calibration or help with software. We offer in-person and remote service options to help you stop problems before they arise, and resolve them quickly if they do, maximizing uptime on your production line.
Training & Certification
A key theory of lean manufacturing is that everyone involved in your business should have a good understanding of the entire manufacturing process, even if they are not directly involved in that process. This knowledge allows them to spot small ways to improve how things are done in their specific area of work.
When everyone knows how their work fits into the bigger picture, they can see opportunities to make their tasks more efficient, reduce waste, or avoid mistakes that could slow down production. These small improvements, when made across the entire company, can add up to big gains in efficiency and quality.
Applifast offers Training & Certification services for all employees involved in manufacturing operations, from basic fastening theory through to advanced fastening techniques, error spotting, software training, quality control, and safety training. Our training programs are customized to meet your needs and can be delivered onsite or remotely via webinar.
Industry 4.0
For companies looking to take their assembly and manufacturing lines to the next level of efficiency, the power of software and automation provides an additional layer of insight and control.
Often referred to as Industry 4.0, this technology enables advanced tooling systems to collect, transmit, and interpret data in real-time, feeding back to system operators what needs to be changed and when in order to optimize the line to its fullest potential.
In addition to supplying the latest software-driven fastening technology from world-leading brands like Desoutter, Applifast is ideally placed to help your business navigate the complexities of this game-changing technology.
We’ll assist you in identifying the right systems for your business needs, and help with strategies for phased introduction of the tech, backed by comprehensive Industry 4.0 training that ensures your team can step confidently into a new, more efficient era of manufacturing and assembly.
Want to Know More?
If you’re interested in engaging Applifast’s services to help make your production or assembly line more streamlined, we’d love to hear from you.
Get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation and learn what our business can do for yours!
