Off-line parts racking: Tips to boost productivity
One of the often overlooked areas of a powder coating operation is the load and unload area. Yet, improvements in this area can boost productivity with little cost involved. One way to do this is to load and unload parts off-line in another area of the plant. This article gives you practical ways you can do this to increase production and to get the most from your powder coating line.
Modern conveyorized finishing systems are designed to accommodate the largest anticipated part size. Line density with smaller parts is then achieved by hanging multiples of the same part, or all parts of a single assembly set, onto custom-designed racks. Logistics in the loading and unloading areas of these lines frequently restrict the crew sizes. In these situations, off-line racking and unracking at a remote location can save part handling labor, stabilize the crew size, maximize productivity and first pass transfer efficiency, and avoid embarrassingly sparse line densities when a wide range of part sizes is processed.