The manufacturing sector faces a constant need to change its product range quickly. Previously industry relied on highly specialised machines designed to produce one type of product for decades. Today such an approach often becomes a burden. When the product life cycle shortens, investments in rigidly fixed equipment do not have time to pay off. Practice shows that in many industries universal lines turn out to be more resilient than narrowly focused systems that are limited to a single production task.
The limitations and risks of narrow specialisation
The choice of highly specialised equipment is usually dictated by its high speed and minimal unit cost of production under ideal conditions. A highly specialised line is normally optimised for a particular product, geometry or process mode. In a stable environment this delivers high capacity and predictable quality.
Problems appear when the raw materials, volumes or market requirements change. Any modification entails re-adjustment, replacement of assemblies or the loss of part of the functionality. As a result, technically sound equipment starts to restrict the development of production.
Universal lines and engineering logic
A universal line is built with process variability in mind: capacity reserves are built in, and individual equipment assemblies can easily be combined or replaced. This does not mean a reduction in accuracy or control. On the contrary, a properly designed universal system makes it possible to maintain stable parameters under different operating modes. The main difference lies in the freedom to choose operating scenarios without interfering with the basic design.Such equipment makes it possible to work with different types of containers, liquid viscosities or packaging methods within a single production unit.
The basic efficiency indicator in this case becomes the changeover time. Steiner universal lines are designed so that switching from one product to another takes a minimum of time. The high changeover speed is ensured by the implementation of the following technical solutions:
- the use of interchangeable parts with quick-release fixing mechanisms that do not require special tools;
- software storage of recipes for instant changing of the settings of dosers, conveyor speeds and marking modes;
- the presence of adjustable assemblies that adapt to different geometric parameters of the product without replacing expensive tooling.
If a highly specialised machine requires lengthy dismantling and the involvement of design engineers with every change of recipe, a universal line works to a different scenario. It turns into a construction set that the operator configures independently.
The consequences of systemic mistakes when choosing a line configuration
An attempt to save money at the procurement stage by choosing narrowly focused equipment leads to a technological dead end. As soon as the market demands different packaging (for example, a switch from plastic to glass or a change in the dose volume), the owner of the production faces the need for expensive modernisation or complete replacement of the units. In addition, operating problems arise. These are the following:
- Excessive floor space – instead of one line you have to keep 2 – 3 separate ones, which take up space and require additional lighting, ventilation and heating.
- Complexity of service – a mixed fleet of equipment requires an enormous stock of spare parts and different service contracts.
- The human factor – it is harder for personnel to master work on five different machines than on one standardised system with a single interface.
A high overall equipment effectiveness figure is achieved only when the line is loaded consistently. Universal solutions make it possible to keep this figure at a level of 85 – 90%, regardless of which product is a priority for the sales department today.
If a company chooses a highly specialised line without a long-term analysis, the consequences do not appear immediately. At first the system works in accordance with the technical specification. Later a need arises for new product formats or a change of volumes. At that moment it becomes clear that modernisation costs more than the initial saving. Often the limitations of the equipment have to be compensated for by organisational methods. This has a negative impact on the stability of production processes.
Engineering responsibility for the future of production
Designing full-cycle lines for the food industry is work with the physics of processes. At Steiner we understand that equipment for the dairy industry has one set of sterility requirements, while equipment for beverage production has different requirements for filling speed. However, in both cases the winner is the one who built the possibility of transformation into the project.
Quality engineering frees a business from the risk of a shutdown. You are choosing not just hardware, but an algorithm that adapts to your tasks. Adaptive systems work with a wide range of viscosities, temperatures and packaging types. The implementation of such equipment is the only way to guarantee that in a couple of years the investment will not turn into illiquid assets.
Production stability today means readiness for change tomorrow. That is why universal full-cycle lines are the logical choice for those who plan to develop their production rather than simply operate it within the limits of a single old standard.
