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Automotive supplier of stamped and
formed metal
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Staging dies between the maintenance area and production process
The customer wanted to increase their die changeover times
Conventional fork lifts and standard pallet rack would not fit in a strategic area next to the tool repair and adjacent to their row of stamping machines.
Two (2) 2,000 lb. Capacity Prostak systems #P2B-300-156.5-3642-11
A prostak system was installed on both sides of and right next to the die repair area. This was possible due to the small foot print of the prostak system. Each system allows for dense storage of roughly 250 dies in only 510 square feet. The small footprint also allowed the customer to have the die repair area and the Prostak die storage work cells adjacent to their row of machines.
Instead of interrupting the flow of other manufacturing processes by taking a fork truck away from one process to get a die, they now use carts to transfer the dies. They can do this because of the prostak integrated stacker crane and the fact that the work cells are now positioned closely and strategically.
This resulted in an organized, systemized and efficient die changeover process. And not only did they increase their changeover times, but they also increased cycle times in their other processes by not “sharing” fork trucks that are used for multiple processes. They did what every automotive supplier needs to do, and that is to invest in “lean manufacturing” tools like the prostak system.
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