Quite often the glue department is the orphan of the carton factory, a place that receives investment only after the rest of the operation has been satisfied. It's also typically the last point where value is added to the carton before shipping, the last defense against sub-standard product passing on to the customer and the last opportunity to impact the overall productivity of the plant.
So, how can the modern, quality conscious box plant ensure the folder-gluer department maintains their high quality standards and maximum productivity?
Organize Upstream
The majority of folding and gluing problems begin well up stream of the folder-gluer. Every process and everyone up stream has a direct effect on the quality and productivity of the folder-gluers. This starts with the salesman and progresses to the designer and to the diecutter operator.
Each has the ability to positively or negatively affect the folder-gluer operation. We should not forget the person doing the scheduling. If the folder-gluer is constantly being changed from crashlock, to straightline, to four corner, etc. it will certainly have a negative impact on productivity, especially if you're running short orders. As I said earlier, improving folder-gluer productivity starts well upstream.
First, organize a game plan for the job and stick to it. Have each department agree and sign-off on the carton design and specifications. If in-process changes are needed, make sure everyone is aware and agrees with the change. Something as simple as the diecutter backing off the score a bit to relieve cracking, may have a dire affect on the folding operation.
Second, if problems are encountered up stream, solve them as soon as possible. Don't pass on problems to the next operation, hoping to make it their problem. Once it gets to the folder-gluer there's no one to pass it onto and productivity will most likely take the hit.
Third, organize the production schedule to minimize box style changes. This in turn will reduce make-ready times and provide more production time.
And lastly, avoid delaying a job because another is "more urgent." If the folder-gluer has to tear down and set up again, or stop to wait for the job, then productivity goes right out the window. This is a bad habit to start and an easy one to become addicted to. If "urgent" jobs are overriding the production schedule on a daily basis, then there is probably a process up stream that needs to be addressed.
Organize the Folder-Gluer
Once we have a perfectly designed, perfectly printed, perfectly flat carton delivered to the folder-gluer as a perfectly aligned pile of blanks, the folder-gluer operator is out of excuses. But, he still needs the proper tools to make him efficient.
Some type of lifting device might help the assistant get the blanks into the feeder. The operator should be able to find the tools quickly and easily, so organize your tooling and equipment on shadowboards. We say "a place for everything and everything in its place." This way the operator knows where everything is and, equally important, knows if something is missing.
The Next Step
If you take the time to organize and plan the up stream operations, communicate any changes while the work is in-process, give the operator a well organized work area and allocate the time for proper maintenance, your folder-gluer operation will stand a much better chance of meeting, or perhaps even exceeding your production expectations. Once we have this part of the process under control, we can look at optional features and ancillary equipment that can take your productivity to the next level.
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