When it comes to moving product, anything that slows down the process translates to profit loss. That’s why it’s important to work with an established plant designer when building or retrofitting a material handling plant. Here are three ways to optimize your production output.

1. Get your plant’s layout right

The layout of a material handling plant is one of the most important aspects of plant construction and production. However, layout can be neglected in favor of new technology. To ensure your production line is efficient, work with a plant manufacturer who can predict where congestion is likely, addresses potential bottlenecks and knows how to avoid layouts that lead to excessive handling of materials. Plant manufacturers should also help you plan upgrades as your plant reaches capacity once production begins.

2. Retrofit your current plant

If your plant is at capacity and you’re looking to increase production, retrofitting modern equipment to your current plant is a great option. Retrofitting addresses ineffective layout issues by upgrading conveyers and other material handling systems, fixing common choke points.

Add safety features

Any kind of injury during work hours slows down production, and depending on the severity, can cost your organization a pretty penny. Having frequent safety seminars and offering employees incentives for helping keep your plant injury free can motivate your workers to monitor themselves and each other, but mistakes still happen.

Luckily, we’ve made many technical advancements to reduce the odds of on-site injury, such as partnering with Hycontrol to install SHIELD Silo Protection systems. This system automatically shuts off silo transfer in the case of an emergency, keeps silo operators from traveling to the top of silos for routine inspections, withstands powders like cement and alerts operators if something is malfunctioning. Ask about our automation capabilities for more information.

3. Create and follow an inspection plan

Even the most well-made plant will deteriorate without proper care. Create an inspection plan and stick to a strict schedule. Check for worn belts, clogged filters, any leaking parts, etc. Work with your plant designer to create a schedule based on the systems and parts in your plant.

Additionally, keep replacement parts in stock or make sure you have the ability to get them quickly if there’s an issue. Easy access to parts is paramount to your plant’s longevity and success. Standley Batch keeps a range of parts in stock, and we ship quickly.

Contact Standley Batch for plant layouts and parts designed for consistently great products.