DPL Premier Gloves Ltd
www.dplgroup.com
Increasing production
capacity of plant Q1
Prepared by
Pasindu madhawa
Executive Summary
This report outlines the current status and proposed changes for
increasing the production capacity of Plant Q1, a latex rubber gloves
manufacturing facility. The plant currently operates at a speed of 31.5 Hz with a
round time of 60 minutes. The primary goal of this project is to enhance
production efficiency by increasing the plant speed to 34 Hz and reducing the
round time to 55 minutes. This report provides an overview of the existing setup,
details the proposed modifications, and discusses the anticipated benefits and
potential challenges of the project.
Introduction
Plant Q1 is a sophisticated latex rubber gloves manufacturing facility
housing various sections including cooling tank, coagulant main tank, lighting
area, glove tank, IML tank, fanning area, adhesive tank, flocking unit, light area,
fixing tank, leaching tanks, cuff washing unit, pre-oven, main oven, post-cure
leaching tank, and gloves stripping point. Currently, the plant operates at 31.5 Hz
with a round time of 60 minutes.
Proposed Enhancements.
The pivotal strategies to elevate gloves production entail the following
transformations:
o Augmentation of Plant Speed: The operational speed of Plant Q1 will
be elevated from 31.5 Hz to 34 Hz. This amplification aims to optimize
manufacturing throughput by condensing the cycle time for each
round.
o Round Time Reduction: The round time will be truncated from 60
minutes to 55 minutes, achieved through meticulous streamlining of
workflows and optimization of operational sequences across all plant
sections.
Anticipated Benefits
o Ramped-up Production Output: By enhancing operational speed and
slashing round time, the production capacity of Plant Q1 is poised to
witness a substantial surge. This escalation will enable the company to
seamlessly cater to burgeoning market demands, thereby fostering
exponential revenue growth.
o Enhanced Operational Efficiency: The streamlined workflows and
optimized cycle times will catalyze heightened operational efficiency,
significantly curbing idle time and resource squandering within the
manufacturing continuum.
o Heightened Competitiveness: With augmented production output and
fortified operational efficacy, the company is primed to assert a
formidable stance in the latex rubber gloves domain, both domestically
and globally.
Current Plant Operations.
Plant Q1 currently operates at a speed of 31.5 Hz with a round trip time of 60
minutes. The production cycle encompasses various sections, including:
o Cooling Tank
o Coagulant Main Tank
o Lighting Area
o Glove Tank
o IML Tank
o Fanning Area
o Adhesive Tank
o Flocking Unit
o Light Area
o Fixing Tank
o Leaching Tank 1
o Cuff Washing Unit
o Leaching Tank 2
o Pre-Oven
o Main Oven
o Post-Cure Leaching Tank
o Gloves Stripping Point
Initial Trial Strategy
The initial trial strategy focused on increasing plant speed and reducing round
trip time while maintaining product quality. The speed was raised from 31.5 Hz to
34 Hz, which translates to a theoretical increase in production rate of
approximately 8.3% (34 Hz / 31.5 Hz - 1). Additionally, the round-trip time was
decreased from 60 minutes to 55 minutes. This aimed to achieve a higher
production output within a shorter timeframe.
Trial Results and Analysis.
• Production Rate:
o Did the number of gloves produced increase as anticipated by
approximately 8.3%?
o Provide pre-trial and post-trial production data for comparison.
o If the increase was lower than expected, analyze potential causes.
• Process Bottlenecks:
o Did any sections of the plant struggle to keep pace with the increased
speed?
o Identify any bottlenecks that emerged during the trial.
o Consider factors like:
•
Coagulant Main Tank: Did the coagulant application process
experience delays?
• Fanning Area: Was drying time sufficient for the gloves at the
increased speed?
• Ovens: Did the pre-oven or main oven struggle to maintain
proper curing temperatures?
• Gloves Stripping Point: Did the process of removing gloves from
the formers become a bottleneck?
Product Quality:
o Were there any deviations from established quality standards in terms of:
• Glove thickness?
• Tear strength?
• Presence of holes or imperfections?
• Visual inconsistencies?
• Investigate the cause of any quality issues that arose during the
trial.
Next Steps.
Based on the results of this initial trial, the following steps are recommended:
• Data Analysis: Conduct a thorough analysis of the collected data to
identify areas for improvement.
• Fine-tuning Speed: If bottlenecks were identified, adjust the speed
incrementally to optimize production without compromising quality.
• Section Optimization: If specific sections became bottlenecks,
investigate strategies to improve their efficiency. This could involve
equipment upgrades, process adjustments, or layout modifications.
• Long-term Strategy: Develop a long-term plan that incorporates
learnings from the trial and explores additional strategies like
automation or manpower optimization.
I. Conclusion.
The initial trial provided valuable insights into the potential for increasing
production at Plant Q1. While the increased speed showed promise, further
analysis is required to identify and address any bottlenecks that may have
emerged.
This report serves as a foundation for further optimization efforts. By
implementing the recommended next steps, we can refine our approach and
achieve our goal of significantly boosting latex glove production at Plant Q1.
