How to increase machine utilization

Keep your machines running

If your overall equipment effectiveness is suffering, there is a good chance that you haven't paid enough attention to the utilization of your machines.

Often a key reason for poor efficiency and performance, machines standing idle when they should be chewing up chips, can prove a cause of delayed deliveries, skyrocketing costs and plummeting profitability.

Regardless if you're set up for mass production or small batches, keeping track of machine utilization, identifying stop reasons and implementing improvements will prove beneficial for your business.

How much of your time is spent cutting metal?

In many workshops, only around half of production time is spent on machining (1) - the time when machines add value. The rest is spent on:

2. Tool set-up and machine stops

3. Breakdowns

4. Workpiece changes

5. Other

Common culprits and stop reasons

Idle machines, regardless of reason, are not good for business. These are some of the most common culprits for machine downtime:

• Prolonged change overs
• Poor chip breaking
• Tool breakages
• Vibration

Tool changes in less than a minute

If you're losing five, ten, maybe even fifteen minutes each time a tool needs to be changed in your machine, that means you are missing out on valuable time when your machine should be turning out quality parts.

Using quick change tool holding options can cut that tool change time down to under a minute, both for turning tool holders and driven tools.

Data to drive the right decisions

The first step to eliminating stops is to know why they happen. Surprisingly, not all workshops are actively tracking this valuable information. The process is straightforward:

• Collect data: Set up your machines to automatically collect data, with added input from machine operators.
• Analyze and draw conclusions: Get insights on machine utilization and why machines are stopped. Identify obstacles keeping your utilization down.
• Implement improvements: Use your insights to decide on the most effective improvements to be implemented.

Quick change tool holders

Coromant Capto® quick change tool holders reduce set-up and tool change time, leading to significantly increased machine utilization.​

Modular tooling systems

Build an optimized assembly for a specific application using standard Coromant Capto®, CoroTurn® SL or Coromant EH items.​

Manufacturing data analytics

CoroPlus® Machining Insights provides data to improve your workshop efficiency and overall equipment effectiveness.​

High precision coolant

High precision coolant can help avoid unplanned machine stops due to poor chip control.​