Automotive Insulations Limited - the digital journey, Paul Walker
-
Upload
wmg-centre-high-value-manufacturing-catapult -
Category
Technology
-
view
23 -
download
0
Transcript of Automotive Insulations Limited - the digital journey, Paul Walker
Who are Autins Group plc?
• We are specialists in materials and components for noise and heat management.
• We offer a complete solution to acoustic, thermal and NVH problems.
• We invest in technology and research to make things:
• lighter
• quieter
• thermally efficient.
2
• From a small business in Rugby to a multi-company European group with worldwide business partnerships.
• Approximately 230 staff across the Group.
• Group turnover in the region of £21m and rising.
• Company mantra across all businesses is to provide solutions.
• Innovation has been fundamental to finding those solutions for our customers.
3
Who are Autins Group plc?
The Autins Group Vision
To become Europe’s premium acoustic and thermal insulation materials and components manufacturer.
We will provide sustainable growth through:
• Product and process innovation
• Gross margin improvement
• Committed and continuous improvement
• Supplier of choice
• Skilled, motivated and engaged workforce.
4
What were our key challenges?
• Ageing equipment, some machines nearly 20 years old.
• Processes operator-led, very little uptake of new technologies.
• Rapid growth provided limited opportunities for review.
• Difficult to collect/review machine performance data.
• Management Information Systems not as efficient as could be.
5
Working with WMG
• Internship programme
• 3 successful internships
• One intern retained as staff member
• Postgraduate Award - “Innovative Business Leadership”
• Innovative collaboration on specific projects
• Material research support
• Use of testing equipment and facilities
• Lean Six Sigma Assessment and Review
• Technology implementation e.g. Smart Factories, Industry 4.0
6
Our Industry 4.0 Journey
• Implementation Plan scoped and created for live machine data capture.
• Standardisation and serialisation of barcoding
• Software and technical proof of concept phase
• Final deployment of IT technologies
• WMG collaborated with IT partner to adopt latest thinking and technologies into a company customised solution
7
Lean Improvements with WMG
• Recent project led by WMG alongside Manufacturing Engineering interns
• Comprehensive assessment of our Rugby manufacturing processes
• Significant lean improvement opportunities were identified:
• layout changes for machines
• reduction in tool changeover times
• ‘poka yoke’ systems for crucial operations
9
Lean Improvements with WMG
“Once again, WMG have done a great job in understanding our requirements and coming up with a set of recommendations that could
help us save over £70,000 and improve usage of our equipment”.
10
Innovation and product development
• Significant investment in last 5 years
• Development and adaptation of new production machinery
• Material research to enhance product performance
• Enhancing our capabilities to meet customer needs
• Addition of companies to the group with different but complementary capabilities
11