Operations

Using Throughput Analysis to Increase Efficiency

April 1, 2009

Are you stuck in the downtime dilemma? Attacking downtime problems is the most efficient path to improved productivity. Therefore, a list identifying the top causes of downtime is the primary tool for increasing plant output, and addressing each of the top downtime issues is the accepted best practice. This line of thinking contends that improving downtime is the best way for management to meet overall goals for increased profitability.

While downtime is one of a number of very useful measurements of plant performance, focusing on it to the exclusion of other indicators can be deceiving. Using only a "top 10 downtime list" can lead to wasted resources and missed productivity goals. At the extreme, it can cause your enterprise to lose its competitive edge. In this session at the 2009 IW Best Plants Conference, Mathew Rynard, Chief Technology Officer, Activplant proposes an alternate approach to downtime -- throughput analysis -- as a more modern and effective method for acquiring objective data about the causes of plant inefficiency. Analyzing the flow of product through the plant, identifying chronic constraints of all types and sequentially attacking those that will have the maximum impact on plant performance can dramatically improve manufacturing efficiency. Get out of the downtime dilemma and look beyond your downtime list to solve your inefficiency problems with throughput analysis.

In This Presentation You Will Learn

What Activplant is and does (in minute 1)
Shop floor challenges (in minute 7)
Throughput analysis (in minute 22)
Throughput capability metric (in minute 25)
Losses driving the Throughput capability metric (in minute 33)
and more

About the Speaker

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Mathew Rynard, Chief Technology Officer, Activplant

Mathew Rynard now serves as the chief technology officer at Activplant Corporation, after a successful 5-year term as vice president, research and development. Prior to joining Activplant, he was the senior vice president of research & development at Avotus Corporation, a global provider of enterprise communications-management software. While at Avotus Corporation, Rynard served as a member of the executive management team and ran the software development organizations in Mississauga, Ontario and Summit, New Jersey. Responsibilities included the development and support of multiple product lines, including SMB packaged software and high-end, enterprise solutions.

Prior to his role at Avotus Corporation, Rynard was with MDR Technologies where he held a number of positions including VP of technology, director of engineering, and chief software architect. He has worked with many large technology organizations on co-development and consulting engagements, and brings a background in applying software development processes to high-energy environments. He started his career in control systems design with Bailey Controls after graduating with a degree in Computer Engineering from McMaster University.