Track and measure overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) with VIMANA

OEE stands for Overall Equipment Effectiveness. It is a key performance indicator (KPI) used in manufacturing to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of production processes and equipment. OEE provides insights into how well a manufacturing process or machine is performing by quantifying the actual output as a percentage of its maximum potential output under ideal conditions.

OEE is typically calculated using three main factors:

1. Availability: This measures the portion of scheduled production time during which the equipment is operating and producing quality products. It takes into account factors such as downtime due to breakdowns, changeovers, and other planned or unplanned stoppages.
2. Performance: This represents the speed at which the equipment is running compared to its maximum designed speed. It considers factors such as slow cycles, idling, and minor stoppages that affect the production rate.
3. Quality: This accounts for the percentage of good-quality products produced compared to the total products produced. It includes defects, rework, and scrap.

The formula for calculating OEE is: OEE = Availability × Performance × Quality

Manufacturers track OEE for several reasons:

1. Performance Monitoring: OEE provides a comprehensive view of how well manufacturing processes or equipment are performing. It helps manufacturers identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and areas for improvement.
2. Process Optimization: By analyzing the individual components of OEE (availability, performance, and quality), manufacturers can pinpoint specific areas that need attention and optimization. This could involve reducing downtime, increasing production speed, or improving product quality.
3. Resource Allocation: OEE data can guide decisions about where to allocate resources, such as maintenance efforts or investments in new equipment. It helps prioritize areas that have the greatest potential for improvement.
4. Continuous Improvement: OEE is closely tied to the concept of continuous improvement. By monitoring OEE over time and setting improvement targets, manufacturers can engage in ongoing efforts to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
5. Data-Driven Decision Making: OEE provides quantifiable data that facilitates data-driven decision-making. Instead of relying on guesswork, manufacturers can make informed choices about process changes and investments.
6. Benchmarking: OEE allows manufacturers to compare their performance against industry standards or best practices. This benchmarking can provide insights into how competitive a manufacturing operation is on a larger scale.
7. Cost Reduction: Improving OEE often leads to reduced costs. By minimizing downtime, optimizing production rates, and reducing defects, manufacturers can lower operational expenses and improve profitability.
8. Employee Engagement: OEE tracking can be used to engage employees in the process of improvement. When employees see the direct impact of their efforts on OEE metrics, they are more likely to become proactive in identifying and addressing issues.

Overall, OEE serves as a valuable tool for manufacturers to measure, analyze, and enhance the performance of their production processes, leading to increased productivity, reduced waste, and improved competitiveness.

In the manufacturing world, time truly equals money. OEE can be tracked and monitored to acquire important information on how to methodically improve your operational process. Knowing the exact metrics of your company’s machine downtime can help reduce future shutdowns, increase productivity, and increase the quality of the products produced. OEE can be used as a benchmark to compare the organization’s performance to industry standards, as well as create an analysis to measure results for multiple shifts working on the same item.