increasing cycle times

[thetrillionaire]

Just for fun

The owner of the shop refuses to buy any new CNCs until we have cycle times that are at least 60% of our total on times for the machine. It's just not gonna happen when we're making less than 5 parts in a run. I've noticed that when holding down the tool release button this adds to the cycle time. So i was wondering if anyone else knew of some ways to "cheat" the cycle clock to add to it while doing setups, looking for tools, etc.

[mgsanchez]

I worked in a shop that did something similar to us. We also did short runs, 5 to 10 parts. Then I asked myself, self, how do I increase my cycle time? I guess I could make my parts take longer or shut the machine off when I wasn't making parts, but that wasn't right.

Then it dawned on me, how do I reduce my non cycle time? There is only two places to reduce non cycle time, programming and setup. Our machines had macros that no one used. I went home and started writing macros (parametric programs) to do a lot things that we always did, fly cutting parts, square plates, drilling holes, etc. By using these parametric programs, "programming" went down to less than a minute for some parts. Next was setup, I went to a dedicated tool drum so I did not have to "chase" so many tools. I hate chasing tooling! This cut my setup time in half. The other benefit of a dedicated tool drum is that I did not have to "dial in" my tools for every part (another time saver). I also kept my vise and fixture offsets documented so I did not have to edge find and/or indicate every part in.

After implementing these simple measures, we went from 200k/month to 610k/month in production. Our quality also improved, all in three short months. We all got raises and two brand new machines, one CNC mill and one CNC lathe.

And you know the best part, I did not have to work so hard anymore.

Hope this helps,
Mike

[thetrillionaire]

And that's what makes it so frustrating...
The programmers are uncooperative, they're too concerned about churning out programs that they could care less about the overall efficency. I sometimes have to spend extensive amounts of time editing just to make them work! I am in the worst position because for running the most veristle machine i have the greatest variety of setups. Need the whole table, rip down the 4 vises and the angle plate you have up. Run this weldment and you're never going to see it again. I can't get dedicated tools unless i wanted to buy the tools on my own (better get some holders while i'm at it).

I've gone to my supervisor to try to pitch ideas to help us.

"we should organize our fixtures to save time..."
"good idea, you can go ahead and do it, but make sure to keep these 2 machines working while you do it"

I don't have any plans to cheat the cycle, i already am the top producer in the shop. But i was curious what other people have noticed about what creates cycle run time

[mgsanchez]

Bummer!

I sounds like they don't want to get better. That only leaves you with a couple of options, put up with it or find yourself a more progressive shop to work in. You just might get yourself a raise while you're at it!

Hope things work out for you

[Haas_Apps]

You could just turn the machine off whenever it is not being used.

[Rekd]

Originally Posted by thetrillionaire And that's what makes it so frustrating... The programmers are uncooperative, they're too concerned about churning out programs that they could care less about the overall efficency. I sometimes have to spend extensive amounts of time editing just to make them work! I am in the worst position because for running the most veristle machine i have the greatest variety of setups. Need the whole table, rip down the 4 vises and the angle plate you have up. Run this weldment and you're never going to see it again. I can't get dedicated tools unless i wanted to buy the tools on my own (better get some holders while i'm at it). I've gone to my supervisor to try to pitch ideas to help us. "we should organize our fixtures to save time..." "good idea, you can go ahead and do it, but make sure to keep these 2 machines working while you do it" I don't have any plans to cheat the cycle, i already am the top producer in the shop. But i was curious what other people have noticed about what creates cycle run time

I think doctoring cycle times will do more harm than good if you get caught. Sounds like you should start by recording the time you're taking to get these programs to run, then show that to the boss. Once you get the programmers on board with you, THEN you can start looking at cycle times.

[glovebox20]

Originally Posted by thetrillionaire And that's what makes it so frustrating... The programmers are uncooperative, they're too concerned about churning out programs that they could care less about the overall efficency. I sometimes have to spend extensive amounts of time editing just to make them work! I am in the worst position because for running the most veristle machine i have the greatest variety of setups. Need the whole table, rip down the 4 vises and the angle plate you have up. Run this weldment and you're never going to see it again. I can't get dedicated tools unless i wanted to buy the tools on my own (better get some holders while i'm at it). I've gone to my supervisor to try to pitch ideas to help us. "we should organize our fixtures to save time..." "good idea, you can go ahead and do it, but make sure to keep these 2 machines working while you do it"

I to worked at a shop like you have decribe.

I was "just an opertor" but when it came to make parts effiectly for a production run, the shop expected me to reprogram to G-code by hand because the guy who used Gibbis didn't know what he was doing and they did not want me to learn Gibbs. After Five years of this B.S., I decied to to go to a different shop which did lower tolance work but payed me the same and couldn't be happer. I do wish some times I was still at the other shop, But I did not have a faimly to support so it made it hard to put up with the B.S.

Sounds like you eather need to learn to not let these things bother you and put up with the B.S., or find another place to work, even if it's not metal working.

That's my two cents

glovebox20