A New Strategic Direction for Defining Standard Times in Production Capacity Planning at Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum

The new strategic direction for product capacity planning as part of a project at Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum demonstrates the potential effects of systematic process improvement when it is planned, put into practice, and systematically driven forward within a company. A prerequisite here was a sustainable strategy for determining work schedules. Efficient, transparent methods to determine standard times also provided the basis for a systematic record of deviations from established schedules.

Before management of Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum decided to turn to Ingenics, standard times were estimated based on past experience with similar products or defined using continuous time measurements. History shows that such an approach has a disadvantage: in order for there to be sufficient resources for production at all times, standard times are often increased due to deviations in consumption time or process disturbances but are never reduced.

The natural result of this was that existing potential for process improvement could not be identified in a systematic fashion – and implemented improvements were difficult or impossible to account for unlocked potential in standard times. To improve the situation, , it was important to establish effective and transparent methods to determine standard times that can also be reproduced, making it possible to identify specific potential and to realize this potential for the benefit of the company, ensuring that capacity and timing of workstations and production lines can be maximized and documented.

A comprehensive pre-analysis of the current situation was carried out at the start of the project and areas of potential were determined based on existing work plan requirements. Additionally, individual production areas were investigated to find applicable methods for creating standard times. In the design phase, a target process for dealing with process disturbances was developed in a workshop. The departmental process of time management was then defined together with associated distribution of tasks and responsibilities. Based on the findings, suitable software was chosen and implemented for the task of systematically determining standard times.

In close collaboration with experts from Ingenics, a project team consisting of industrial engineering staff and works council representatives developed a tailored modular calculation system for the company complete with rules – an effective and transparent method for determining standard times that is easy to reproduce. The system was then tested for practicality and efficiency in the subsequent pilot phase. In the following qualification phase, all employees concerned were given role-specific training on the modular calculation system and relevant processes.

During final roll-out, staff were coached how to determine standard times and manage deviations in their new roles. Additionally, audits ensure future development of the modular system and a uniform approach to determining standard times long term.

Thanks to the support of Ingenics, a method of determining standard times was established that enables Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum to operate a systematic approach to time management across all locations worldwide – and thus to optimize overall production capacity utilization. In the field of system construction and service, the time management system also allows the company to offer customized solutions with optimized production times, which further strengthens its competitiveness.”