Eco Latch Systems, LLC Changing The Way The World … · Eco Latch Systems, LLC | Changing The Way...
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Eco Latch Systems, LLC | Changing The Way The World Closes & Re-Uses Boxes | boxlatch.com Jack & James Wilson | Tel: 920.541.3404 | [email protected] | W225 N4014 Duplainville Rd | Pewaukee, WI 53072 1 Eco-Latch Systems, LLC’s Box Latch™ Products Narrative At work for Belimo USA (belimo.us/americas) Abstract: While pursuing efforts to further his company’s lean manufacturing initiatives, Michael Gallo at Belimo USA discovered that using Box Latch™ Products in the assembly of their HVAC actuators and valve systems produced far more benefits than he ever envisioned. Those benefits include saving money and the environment by: 1. Extending the lives of boxes as they repurpose and re- use them 4. Re-using boxes that otherwise would be sent to and through the expensive recycling process 2. Reducing and/or eliminating tape on shipments to and from down- and upstream suppliers 5. Saving expensive floor space that now is available for other uses 3. Reducing transportation and environmental impact costs by replacing heavy, space-wasting, double-high wooden crates with lightweight, partitioned boxes 6. Saving time and motion (labor) by loading parts and boxes more efficiently at assembly cells and reducing assembly touch points 7. Reducing the carbon imprint as petroleum-based plastic totes are replaced with re-usable corrugate boxes Section 1: The Back Story 1. What led Michael Gallo at Belimo® to test and purchase Box Latches™? As a manufacturing engineer, Michael Gallo knew there had to be a more cost effective and environmentally friendly way to transport parts received from his company’s downstream suppliers in Waukesha, WI and Rochester, NY arriving at Belimo’s USA assembly plant in Danbury, CT. His employer was deeply interested in lean manufacturing principles that would support the company’s sustainability mission. Michael’s goal of streamlining the assembly process for Belimo’s products peaked in the summer of 2016 when he learned about the value and availability of the Box Latch™ and how, with innovation, its use could fulfill these objectives. 2. What does the end-user of this narrative manufacture and assemble? Belimo is a listed clean technology company (see website belimo.com) with a staff of more than 1,400 worldwide. The company is a global market leader in the development, production and marketing of actuator and valve solutions for controlling heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Actuators, control valves, and sensors assembled in Danbury, CT make up the company’s core business. Their products create comfort, safety, and efficiency in buildings to increase energy efficiency and reduce installation costs.
Transcript of Eco Latch Systems, LLC Changing The Way The World … · Eco Latch Systems, LLC | Changing The Way...
Eco Latch Systems, LLC | Changing The Way The World Closes & Re-Uses Boxes | boxlatch.com
Jack & James Wilson | Tel: 920.541.3404 | [email protected] | W225 N4014 Duplainville Rd | Pewaukee, WI 53072
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Eco-LatchSystems,LLC’sBoxLatch™ProductsNarrativeAtworkforBelimoUSA(belimo.us/americas)
Abstract:Whilepursuingeffortstofurtherhiscompany’sleanmanufacturinginitiatives,MichaelGalloatBelimoUSAdiscoveredthatusingBoxLatch™ProductsintheassemblyoftheirHVACactuatorsandvalvesystemsproducedfarmorebenefitsthanheeverenvisioned.Thosebenefitsincludesavingmoneyandtheenvironmentby:
1.Extendingthelivesofboxesastheyrepurposeandre-
usethem4.Re-usingboxesthatotherwisewouldbesenttoand
throughtheexpensiverecyclingprocess2.Reducingand/oreliminatingtapeonshipmentstoand
fromdown-andupstreamsuppliers5.Savingexpensivefloorspacethatnowisavailablefor
otheruses3.Reducingtransportationandenvironmentalimpact
costsbyreplacingheavy,space-wasting,double-highwoodencrateswithlightweight,partitionedboxes
6.Savingtimeandmotion(labor)byloadingpartsandboxesmoreefficientlyatassemblycellsandreducingassemblytouchpoints
7.Reducingthecarbonimprintaspetroleum-basedplastictotesarereplacedwithre-usablecorrugateboxesSection1:TheBackStory
1. WhatledMichaelGalloatBelimo®totestandpurchaseBoxLatches™?Asamanufacturingengineer,MichaelGalloknewtherehadtobeamorecosteffectiveandenvironmentallyfriendlywaytotransportpartsreceivedfromhiscompany’sdownstreamsuppliersinWaukesha,WIandRochester,NYarrivingatBelimo’sUSAassemblyplantinDanbury,CT.Hisemployerwasdeeplyinterestedinleanmanufacturingprinciplesthatwouldsupportthecompany’ssustainabilitymission.Michael’sgoalofstreamliningtheassemblyprocessforBelimo’sproductspeakedinthesummerof2016whenhelearnedaboutthevalueandavailabilityoftheBoxLatch™andhow,withinnovation,itsusecouldfulfilltheseobjectives.
2. Whatdoestheend-userofthisnarrativemanufactureandassemble?
Belimoisalistedcleantechnologycompany(seewebsitebelimo.com)withastaffofmorethan1,400worldwide.Thecompanyisaglobalmarketleaderinthedevelopment,productionandmarketingofactuatorandvalvesolutionsforcontrollingheating,ventilationandairconditioningsystems.Actuators, control valves, and sensors assembledinDanbury,CTmake up the company’s core business. Theirproductscreatecomfort,safety,andefficiencyinbuildingstoincreaseenergyefficiencyandreduceinstallationcosts.
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3. WhatledBelimotopursueaclosedlooptransportationsystemwithWisconsinMetalParts(WMP)?BecauseofthehighqualityproductionofpartsmanufacturedbyWMP’sWaukesha,WIfirmandtheireagernesstofillanyandallofBelimoneeds,thesepartieshavebeenworkingtogetherforadecade.Thus,whenMichaellookedforwaystosavemoneyandimprovethetransportationofpartsfromWisconsintoConnecticut,DaveHolzeratWMPwasreadytoembraceanyideasthatwouldwork.FurtherdetailsofthislowtechsolutioncanbefoundinSection2Question5.
4. HowwillthisaffectBelimo’splansfordealingwithsuppliersinthefuture?
Buyersofpartsandproductssettherulesforsuppliers.Becausethisnewsystemhasproducedsuchasuccessfuloutcome,Michaelsaid,“It’ssimple.Wewillsimplytellfuturesuppliersthatthisistheclosedloop,re-usableboxsystemweusewithoursuppliersandweexpectanynewvendorstocomplywithit.”
Section2:BoxLatch™ProductsUsedbyBelimoUSA
1. Asanend-usermanufactureroffinishedproductsforsale,whichofEco-LatchSystems’(ELS)BoxLatch™ProductsdoesBelimouse?
BelimoUSAhasbeenusingtheBoxLatch™Mediumsincethesummerof2016withincreasingapplicationinpackaging,storage,line-assemblyandtransportationsystems.
2. OnwhichBoxLatch™ProductsdoesBelimowanttofocusforthisnarrative?
TheBoxLatch™(BL)MediuminthepastandtheBLLargeforthefuture.However,asamanufacturingengineer,Belimo’sMichaelGalloalsoisinterestedintheBoxLatch™SmallwithoneortwoAnchors.ThatisaonepieceunitinfinalstagesofdevelopmentbyELS.ItsbeautyisthatitiscanremainonboxesandweighslessthanhalfthatoftheotherBoxLatch™Products.However,sincethatproductstillisindevelopmentand,becauseofitsversatility,BelimoUSApurchased2,500oftheBLLargeinAugust2017.Thiswillallowforexpandeduseoftheirlatchesoneverincreasingsizesandwallthicknessesofboxes.
3. Withrespecttothisspecificproduct,theBoxLatch™Medium,howlonghasBelimobeenusingit?MorethanoneyearintheDanbury,CTandHinwil,Switzerlandfacilities.
4. HowdidBelimofindoutaboutthisproduct?
Michaelvieweditattheboxlatch.comwebsite.ApriorpurchasehadbeenmadebyBelimoheadquartersinSwitzerlandwhereBoxLatches™areusedtocloseboxesduringcirculationonconveyorsthat,ultimately,areplacedonpalettesusingavacuumliftdevice.Clickhttps://youtu.be/1Bw-p3fs_wM toseethislaborsavingfeat.
BoxesstackedonpalettesbyroboticvacuumliftsystematBelimoinHinwil,Switzerland
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Jack & James Wilson | Tel: 920.541.3404 | [email protected] | W225 N4014 Duplainville Rd | Pewaukee, WI 53072
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5. HowisthisBoxLatch™ProductusedduringBelimo’sassemblyprocess?a. Pastvs.Present.Inthepast,Belimo’ssolutionfortransportingmetalpartsfromsupplierstotheir
productionlineshasbeenviawoodencrates.(Figures1&2)Thesewoodencratesholdpartswell,buthavemanydisadvantages.Theyare1)heavy,2)easilydamaged,3)expensive,4)difficulttomove,5)spaceinefficientand6)donotmeshwithBelimo’sleanmanufacturingmission.Whileinvestigatingcreativesolutions,Michaelandhisteamfeltthatusinganexisting,reusablecorrugatedboxwasthebestoption.Whatwasmissingwasamethodtoeasilyopen,closeandsecuretheboxes.Thus,BoxLatch™totherescue.TheresultforBelimowastheeliminationofanestimated$15,000expensetopurchaseanewsetofwoodencrates.
Figure1Belimowoodentransportcrates Figure2DamagedwoodentransportcratesSupportedbytheBelimoleanproductionteam,MichaeldesignedandpurchasedboxpartitionsillustratedbelowinFigure3forapproximately$500.Thisproducedasavingsof$14,500vs.purchasinganewsetofwoodencrates.Belimoemploysthesepreviouslyusedand,nowrepurposed,boxesinanexternalclosedloopsystemtotransportpartsfromWisconsinMetalPartsinWaukesha,WItoDanbury,CT.Figures3-5showthecreativityofthisteamonthefloorofBelimo’s300,000sq.ft.manufacturingandassemblyplant.Whenempty,theemptyboxesarestackedeight-high,shrinkwrappedonpalletsandshippedbacktoWIatafarlowercostthantransportingtheheavywooden,space-wastefulcrates.
Figure3 Figure4 Figure5
Asoneexampleofthesavings,whenoneactuatorpartwasshippedinawoodencrate,itheld120pcspercrate.Thus,20woodencratesheldatotalof2,400pcs.Withpartsnowbeingshipped80pcspercorrugatebox,2,560pcsoccupythesamespaceasdidthe20woodencrates.Evenmoreimpressive,apalletwith20emptycratesat50lbs/crateweighs1,000lbswhileafullpalletof32emptyboxesweighsamere180lbs.Thisproducesanenvironmentalbenefitandtransportationsavingsof820poundslessfreighttoreturntheboxes.Italsocutsthenumberofpalletsshippedinhalfbecauseeach
Eco Latch Systems, LLC | Changing The Way The World Closes & Re-Uses Boxes | boxlatch.com
Jack & James Wilson | Tel: 920.541.3404 | [email protected] | W225 N4014 Duplainville Rd | Pewaukee, WI 53072
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palletnowholdstwiceasmanypiecesasdidthewoodencrates.Whenthisismultipliedbythe83shipmentsperyearbetweenWIandCT,thesavingsequalsawhopping$17,030peryear,notcountingsavingsonthenowlighterweightpalettesshippedfromWItoCT.Addthistothe$14,500savedbynothavingtobuynewwoodencratesandwenowhavea$31,480totalsavingsforyearoneplus$17,030/year,thereafter–allbecauseoftheinnovationprovidedbynewoptionsavailablethroughtheuseofBoxLatches™.TalkaboutawhoppingROIonafewthousanddollars’worthofBoxLatches™,itishardtoenvisionwhereelseonecouldgetthistypeof$100,000return.Thefrostingonthecakeisthateliminatingthewoodencratesfreesupexpensivefloorspaceformoreassemblycells,meshingwellwithBelimo’sleanmanufacturingprinciples.
b. Whatend-userproductsdoesBelimoassemble?TheBelimovalveandactuatorproductsdepictedinFigure6andotherslikeit.
Figure6
c. WhatassemblyproblemhasBelimosolvedastheyproducetheseproducts?Theprobleminvolvedthereceiptofindividualpartsfromtheirsupplierinheavywoodencrates.Asanelementoftheircontinuingleaninitiatives,thewoodencratesrequiredexcessivematerialhandlingandwereinconvenientforthematerialhandlersandassemblers.
Asoneexample,Belimowould receive1,400pcsofonemetalpart stacked flat in awooden crate,Figure8.Toposition thepartsatahigherelevation foreasieraccessbyoperators, the fullwoodencratewasplacedoveranemptyone.Ateachcell,assemblershadtoremoveasmallquantityofpartsfromthecratelocatedacrossanaisle.Everyelementofthismaterialhandlingwasinefficient.
Goingforward,materialhandlersnowdropskidswith1,600piecesasseeninFigure7,occupyingthesamefootprintasthewoodencratesholding1,400inFigure8.Moreover,theindividualboxesontheskidsnowcanbeloadeddirectlyintotheleanassemblycell,reducingthenumberofparttouches.
Eco Latch Systems, LLC | Changing The Way The World Closes & Re-Uses Boxes | boxlatch.com
Jack & James Wilson | Tel: 920.541.3404 | [email protected] | W225 N4014 Duplainville Rd | Pewaukee, WI 53072
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Figure7.Re-usableboxesclosedwithBoxLatches™ Figure8.FilledtopcrateontopofemptybottomFigures9-11illustrateBelimo’sempty,re-usable,partitionedboxesbeforeandaftertheyhavebeenfilledwithdifferenttypesofparts.Whenasked,“Howmanyusesdoyouobtainfromtheseboxes?”Michael’sresponsewas,“Endless.We’venevercounted.”Notethe“reusable”markingsinFigures7and9printedonBelimo’shighqualityboxes.”
6. WhatdidBelimodobeforeusingBoxLatch™Products?Belimo’smaterialhandlerspreviouslyliftedpartsoutofthelargewoodencratesseeninFigure8andplacedthemontheassemblytablesorinsmallerplastictotesatthebackoftheassemblytablesseeninFigures12and13.ThepartsthatpreviouslyweredeliveredinwoodencratesandstoredintheaisleacrossfromtheassemblycellnowareplacedtotheleftofthestationasshownbythearrowinFigure13.Atsomeassemblycells,partsweredeliveredorstoredintheblackorblueplastictotesseeninbothofthesephotos.Manyofthesetoteswillbereplacedwiththeopen,partitionedboxesseeninFigure15.
Eco Latch Systems, LLC | Changing The Way The World Closes & Re-Uses Boxes | boxlatch.com
Jack & James Wilson | Tel: 920.541.3404 | [email protected] | W225 N4014 Duplainville Rd | Pewaukee, WI 53072
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Majorflaps
7. Whatarethebenefitsofthisnewsystem?
a. PartitionedBoxes.Byusingsmaller,reusable,partitionedboxestoholdpartsclosedwithBoxLatches™,theleanproductionteamhaseliminatedextratouchesofparts.Atthesametime,thisnewsystemfacilitateseasierloadingofboxesfilledwithpartsintotheeverleanerassemblycells.
b. ReplacingPlasticTotes.TofurtherimprovesustainabilityandthetransportandflowofpartsinBoxLatch™closedboxes,Michael’steamcameupwithanideathatreplacestheplastictotesattheendoftherightarrowinFigure13withcustomproducedboxes.AsseeninFigures14-15,thisinnovativeboxhasonlytwomajorandnominorflaps.Theminorflapsonthisrectangularboxareremovedandplacedunderthecentersectionoftheinserts.Thisaddsstrengthtoandfillsthevoidinthemiddleofthebottomoftheboxsothatthepartitionslieflatacrosstheentiresurface.ThismakesitsimpletoclosetheboxeswithaBoxLatch™,holdthemopenwithyellowplasticclipspurchasedfromBeePackaging.comandreplacetheplastictoteswithlightweight,re-usableboxesasshowninFigure15.
Figure14Newboxwithtwominorflapsremoved Figure15Partitionedboxesreplacingtotes
Whentheseboxesarestoredattheirworkstations,assemblersmerelyreachintothepartitionedboxesattheleftendoftheassemblystation(Figure13)orupandintothenew,smallboxesshowninFigure15.Partspositionedperfectlyintheseboxesforassemblersnowareremovedoneatatime,insteadofinrandomhandfulsaswiththewoodencrates.Italsoallowsemptyboxestobereplaced
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Jack & James Wilson | Tel: 920.541.3404 | [email protected] | W225 N4014 Duplainville Rd | Pewaukee, WI 53072
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withfullonesasassemblersloadandunloadtheircellsfromthebackside.Theemptyboxesareclosedwithlatches,palletizedandreturnedtothestartpoint.Manyofthesechangesreduce“oneormoretouchpoints”foreachproductassembled.Theexpectationisthatthiswillincreasethenumberofproductsassembledpershift,resultinginreducedoperationexpenses.
8. WhatnumberofBelimo’sproductsinvolvetheuseofthelatchesduringproduction?
ThetotalvolumeofpartsusedandvariousproductssoldwhereBoxLatches™participateintimeandmaterialsavingsareinthetensofthousandsperyear.Ontheproductionside,BoxLatches™weretestedfirstwithoneparttoseeifthisclosedsystemwouldworkasdesired.Becauseofthesuccessofthattest,BelimoisnowusingreusableboxesandBoxLatches™withfivedifferentpartsproducedbytwodifferentsuppliers,i.e.,WisconsinMetalPartsinWaukesha,WIandAltonManufacturing,Inc.inRochester,NY.AstheuseoftheBoxLatches™continuestopenetrateBelimo’sinnovations,increasingnumbersofboxesclosedwithBoxLatches™insteadoftapeareappearingthroughouttheirmanufacturingplant.(Figures16-18)
9. AcceptancebyBelimo’ssuppliersofparts?Whenthisideawasintroducedtodownstreamsupplier,WisconsinMetalParts,theirstaffwillinglyparticipatedintheadoptionofthisinnovative,lowtechnologysystembuiltaroundtheconceptofre-usingmaterials.Figures19and20showBelimo’sMichaelGallowithWMP’sDaveHolzerandMikewithAltonManufacturing’sSteveDukatzcelebratingthesuccessofthisclosedloop,boxre-useproject.
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Jack & James Wilson | Tel: 920.541.3404 | [email protected] | W225 N4014 Duplainville Rd | Pewaukee, WI 53072
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10. TheSynergisticResults.Theresultsofallthiscreativity,innovationandeffortsavemoneyandourplanetby:
a. Repurposingandre-usingboxesthatotherwisewouldbesenttorecycling.(ThismeanstheyaresupportingtheBoxLatch™goalofre-using10%oftheworld’sboxes10timesinordertoreducetheworld’sneedtorecycleboxesby40%.)
b. Extendingthelivesoftheirhighqualityboxes,c. Reducingand/oreliminatingtapeonshipmentsfromWaukesha,WIandRochester,NYtoDanbury,
CT,d. Reducingtransportationandenvironmentalimpactcostsbyreplacingheavy,spacewasting,
double-high,woodencrateswithlightweight,partitionedcorrugateboxestransportedbetweenlocationsviashrink-wrappedpallets,
e. Savingvaluablefloorspaceontheirassemblyfloorthatnowisavailableforotheruses,f. Thefactthatmaterialhandlersandassemblerslovethissystembecauseitreducestimeand
motionloadingpartsandboxesmoreefficientlyattheircellsaswellastouchpointsduringtheassemblyprocess,
g. Reducingthecarbonimprintaspetroleum-basedplasticcartonswithinthecompany’smanufacturingandassemblyprocessarereplacedwithcorrugateboxes.
Eco Latch Systems, LLC | Changing The Way The World Closes & Re-Uses Boxes | boxlatch.com
Jack & James Wilson | Tel: 920.541.3404 | [email protected] | W225 N4014 Duplainville Rd | Pewaukee, WI 53072
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11. DoesBelimohaveplanstouseotherBoxLatch™Products?ThisideaandprocessdevelopedandimplementedwithWisconsinMetalPartshasbeensosuccessfulandcosteffectivethatitnowisbeingpursuedwithasecondstampedpartfromWMPaswellaswithadditionalpartsshippedfromdownstreamsupplierAltonManufacturinginRochester,NY.TheconceptalsoisbeingappliedwithinBelimo’sinternalclosedloopmanufacturingandproductassemblyprocessinothersectorsoftheirDanbury,CTplant.
PreparedbyJimWilson,CEO,ELS,BoxLatch™ProductswithassistanceandpermissionfromMikeGalloatBelimo,DaveHolzeratWMPandSteveDukatzatAton.
LearnFromMikeGallo&SeeOurBoxLatch™BoothAt
TheAssemblyShow,theassemblyshow.comRosemont,ILOctober24-26,2017
