OKUMA
The world of manufacturing continues to change at a rapid rate from old school conventional
turning operations with added milling less than 10 years ago to multifunctional
machining with robotics, increasing machine utilisation, freeing up skilled workers from
routine work and up-skilling for even higher levels of efficiency. "This is increasingly an
observation that New Zealand companies are making, to their benefit," says Fred de Jong,
general manager of Okuma New Zealand.
At the forefront of these enormous changes taking
place are companies such as Okuma; a company
that has been a focal point with its leading edge
technology.
Okuma’s managing director Australia and New
Zealand, Phil Hayes, recalls a study at the Ford
Motor Company in Geelong some years back
that identified that a part sat on a pallet for almost
six hours before its next machining operation.
With some quiet smugness he also recalls the
successful transition from a line of eight machines
each machining two features of an oil pump body
at one set up, to two machines machining every
feature at 64 units at one set up, commenting at
the time, the math was not difficult.
Phil says that the Ford Motor Company
implemented a huge number of efficient new
processes and methods but this did not save
them from the short-sighted industrial climate of
the time which had nothing to do with the object
of making parts efficiently and profitably for the
companies who had invested heavily in new
technology.
Today, there are so many options to achieve
greater efficiency however these require some
form of investment involving modest and
sometimes higher levels of capital. Coupled with
this is the single most important challenge being a
change in the philosophy of who should do what
and the most effective utilisation of skilled labour.
Before the Holden Adelaide plant introduced
robots to the chassis underbody welding line Phil
had watched big men wield 100kg+ spot welding
guns as they welded their designated section
all day, every day. The introduction of robots in
this area was a great win for efficiency, accuracy,
consistency and physical health and safety. With
this change the valuable experience of the welders
was not lost as they continued to contribute in
identifying welding improvements, inspection,
maintenance and other creative functions within
the plant.
“Whilst not all companies can invest in plant and
equipment to the level of major international corporations,
the same benefits apply when applying
robots to repetitive tasks such as loading and
unloading,” says Phil. “It dramatically reduces
mental strain on employees, eliminates safety risks
and the cost of labour which is increasing every
year. On top of this there is also the book write
down value every year on capital items.”
www.engineeringnews.co.nz 25
/www.engineeringnews.co.nz