Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) is a manufacturing performance measure that identifies areas where improvements can be made. OEE is calculated by multiplying three factors: availability, performance, and quality. Keep reading to learn more about OEE and how it can be used to improve your manufacturing performance.
What is overall equipment effectiveness?
Overall equipment effectiveness is a performance metric that measures the percentage of productive and available equipment during a given period. As stated, the calculation of an OEE means is based on three factors: availability, performance, and quality. Availability is the percentage of time that the equipment is up and running. Performance is the percentage of time that the equipment operates at its rated speed or higher. Quality is the percentage of product produced that meets customer specifications. The formula of OEE is as follows: OEE = Availability x Performance x Quality.
What affects overall equipment effectiveness?
Factors that affect overall equipment effectiveness include machine downtime, speed variability, and quality defects. Machine downtime is the time during which a machine is unavailable for production. It can be caused by various factors, such as machine failure, scheduled maintenance, or unexpected events. The impact of machine downtime on overall equipment effectiveness can be significant.
Speed variability also affects overall equipment effectiveness. Speed variability occurs by changes in product demand, tooling problems, and the tool’s speed. When the speed of a machine tool changes, even if the change is low, the forces and vibrations that the machine must absorb also change. The new forces and vibrations sometimes cause problems with the accuracy and repeatability of the machining process. In addition, the speed of the tool affects the heat that is generated during machining. This heat can cause the tool to wear out more quickly, and it can also affect the quality of the finished product.
Quality defects are a result of incorrect settings on machines, operator errors, or material defects. In some cases, however, external factors such as weather or unexpected changes in demand can also cause quality defects. While quality defects can be frustrating, it’s important to remember that they are often the result of human error and are improved through training and process controls. With the right tools and systems in place, manufacturers can work to prevent quality defects from happening in the first place and ensure that products are consistently high-quality.
How do you make an overall equipment effectiveness plan?
There are a few critical steps to creating an overall equipment effectiveness plan. The first step is to identify the goals of the plan. What do you hope to achieve with your OEE plan? The objectives of an OEE plan may vary from company to company, but typically, they focus on improving productivity and reducing waste. Once you have identified the goals for your overall equipment effectiveness plan, you need to identify the equipment you would like to track.
Some examples of equipment include production equipment, testing and calibration equipment, predictive maintenance equipment, and the spare parts inventory. Each of these types of equipment has a significant impact on your overall equipment effectiveness. Once you have identified the equipment to track, you need to gather data on how well the equipment is currently performing. Your current equipment data includes manufacturing metrics, downtime reports, or surveys of operators. Manufacturing metrics are an essential part of any equipment tracking system.
These metrics identify any problems with the equipment and find ways to improve its performance. Downtime reports identify when the equipment is not working and troubleshoot the problem. Operator surveys give you feedback on how well the operators use the equipment and how satisfied they are with it.
