Production Support 56 Ltd

08/03/2024

As a Design Engineer your main job is to create designs that meet your client’s specifications, the second job is to convince them that you have. Manufacturing simulation is a means to achieve both.

Manufacturing simulation lets you create a model of your factory design. This has the benefit of being able to simulate the actual operation of your design dynamically. Meaning you can look at the plant performance at any time of the operation. This is great for validating your design, identifying weaknesses, and communicating with the stake holders. Overall, it leads to better factory designs.

I've recently updated my article about using Manufacturing Simulation to help create better factory designs. It is worth a read if you are involved in any aspect of factory design, or are interested in the practical use of simulation.

Get better factory designs with Manufacturing Simulation. This articles describes some of the important benefits for a Design Engineer.

31/01/2024

Process improvement tip-

Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. –Saint Francis of Assisi.

This is always my approach to a new process improvement challenge.
1- Begin by identifying the essential tasks, and then do them, and do them well. This will be the foundation of all that comes later.
2- Once you have solved the easy tasks and got a stable process you can start pushing the boundaries. Where can you add extra value? Where can you make things a bit quicker or easier? Where can you make things better? This is a marginal gains philosophy involving dozens of small improvement activities.
3- At this point the process is probably good enough for now, and there will be other low hanging fruit. But if this is a strategically important process, you may want to start looking for a big improvement gain. This could involve a radical change in the process, or a new shiny big ticket item piece of equipment. Either way, the understanding of your process you have won from your dozens of improvement steps will be essential in ensuring this step is a success.

DO NOT SKIP STEPS 1 & 2.

Anyway, if this is your sort of thing then check out or website for more info.

Process ImprovementSuccessful delivery of your process improvement projectWe provide the extra expertise and resources to get your improvement projects successfully completed quicker and effectively without impacting on your day-to-day operationsStart Your ImprovementGet In TouchDeliver Goal orienta...

09/11/2023

🔍 If you are looking for a thorough and detailed assessment of your production line, then combining process improvement tools and factory simulation could be the key 🗝

James Deane and Mike Stephenson have both worked in manufacturing and process development since leaving University about (cough) 20 years ago. They both started practicing process improvement soon after, as it is such a complementary skill. They met about 13 years ago, and 3 years later started modelling and creating simulations of production processes. It is an unusual skill set, but the combination really allows them to get under the skin of a process, diagnose the underlying issues, and create sustainable fixes.

They established Production Support 56 Ltd, in 2019, so they could use those skills to help manufacturers.

🎶 So, if you want to beat your rivals and need a better fix, supercharge your processes with production support 56 🎵

06/11/2023

Here are 6 benefits of using simulation for your improvement project:

🚒 De-risk your decision making. You can try out all your ideas and options first, virtually, without spending anything on capital or labour.
💲Obtain accurate cost. You can add energy, labour and material cost to your simulation. So, every scenario you run will give you the operational cost.
💰 Identify the big wins. The inbuilt simulation analytics means you can quantify each scenario you run and identify which will give you the biggest bang for your buck.
🤝 Stakeholder involvement. You can visually demonstrate your improvement plans to stakeholders, and even allow them to interact with the simulation!
🔮 Process clarity. The office bound get to see what the process looks like and provides better understanding of the issues and solutions.
📈 Enhance productivity. Simulation provides a powerful tool to help optimise workflow and optimise equipment utilisation.

Are you ready to take your process improvement projects to the next level? Then connect with us to explore how DES simulation can revolutionize your operations!

11/10/2023

"All things are poisons, for there is nothing without poisonous qualities. It is only the dose which makes a thing a poison"- Paracelsus.

Knowing the safe 'dose' of a chemical is critical when designing or reviewing processes. A lot of processes involve chemicals at some stage. They may be required to keep machines running such as lubricants, cleaning fluids or coolants. The product itself might be hazardous, it may be corrosive, carcinogenic, or flammable. The process may produce nasty by-products like carbon dioxide or hydrogen sulfide.

Production support 56 has many years’ experience providing Chemistry Solutions. If you’d like to improve the chemistry of your process but do not want to compromise on quality, then get in touch with me for a science chat.

https://productionsupport56.co.uk/finding-safer-chemicals/

09/10/2023

💚Service spotlight - Chemistry Solutions💚

All businesses come across a chemistry problem at some point and don’t always have the time, inclination, or expertise to tackle it.

Sometimes to solve a technical problem you need to do some digging⛏. Our team of experienced scientist are used to this. They are never happier then when they are reading heavy technical manuals and scientific publications📗. They do the heavy reading to find the most practical solutions for your processes.

Why Scientific Research Matters:
💡Better processes- We help identify the best technical chemical for your process, improving reliability and consistency.
☠️Improved safety- We can help find safer chemicals without losing performance.
🌿Sustainability- Getting your process right, means less waste and a lower carbon footprint.

Whether you have a single question which needs a scientific answer or need extra technical support with your process, get in touch to talk with one of our experts.

Chemistry SolutionsUnderstanding the science behind your processWe deliver scientific expertise to your businesses. Fine tuning your processes and removing knowledge gaps.Find your Solution NowGet In TouchHazard management systemsScientific understanding on DemandAll businesses come across a chemist...

15/09/2023

✅ Service spotlight - Chemistry Solutions ✅

Where is there a chemist when you need one ?

All businesses come across a chemistry problem at some point, and not all business have the right skills and expertise to tackle it.

Production Support 56 have launched a new service aimed at businesses who need that extra scientific rigour to help solve those nagging process issues.

Whether you have a single question which needs a scientific answer or need extra technical support with your process, get in touch to talk with one of our experts.

https://productionsupport56.co.uk/chemistry-solutions/

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

05/09/2023

🔴 Service spotlight - Simulation for Factory Design 🔴

The team at Production Support56 have decades of experience working with Engineering teams to design and develop production processes.

We use modelling to support design justifications including high CAPEX process equipment and plant. Our simulations can quickly evaluate plant capacity to ensure it fits the design scope giving good utilisation and value for money.

PS56 are an accredited solutions provider with Simul8, and use their state of the art software to create and run simulations of your design. This powerful software platform allows us to focus on getting the right information into the model, and more importantly provides the means for producing meaningful analysis.

Our combined skills of computer modelling, process development and decades of operational experience means that you get a model that behaves realistically to stress and interrogation. If you want to use simulation to support your project, then get in touch to arrange a discovery meeting. We will discuss your requirements and goals and provide you with a fully costed proposal.

https://productionsupport56.co.uk/simulation-for-design/

03/09/2023

On the 12 September in Doncaster Michael Stephenson will be giving a workshop entitled “How to Work Less and Achieve More…” for My Network for Women

In this workshop he will be discussing how to apply process improvement techniques to help you get the important things done more efficiently and effectively. These simple techniques started in the 50s and have been used by Presidents to help govern, by Engineers to rebuild countries after the war, and by multinational companies to maintain profits. These techniques are just as effective whether you work alone or in a small team.

The workshop will cover:
• Personal mission statement- Clarify your goal and keep focused.
• 7 Wastes- Identify all the actions that do not contribute to your goal.
• Exercise- See the 7 wastes in action.
• Time management matrix- Identify the short- and long-term activities that help you reach your goal.
• 80-20 Rule- When time is tight which are the key activities that deliver success.
• Workplace organisation with 5S- Get your workstation organised. Be ready to start important activities immediately.

If you would like to attend, you can sign up through Eventbrite.

Do you find yourself working hard but getting nothing done? Is your to-do list getting longer, even when you are working longer hours?

01/09/2023

Finding new safer chemicals can be tricky as there is a lot to consider. They cannot just be safer; they also need to be effective.

Most manufacturing companies will use chemicals somewhere in their business. They can be everyday chemicals that we are all familiar with like cleaning products, or more technical such as flocculants, dispersants, coolants, lubricants, adhesives and the list goes on. A lot of businesses are using the same chemicals they have always used, but as regulations change, technology develops, production ramps up, new products are introduced, and supply chains alter, this is not always possible.

The team at Production Support 56 are all qualified chemists, that specialise in chemical properties and handling, they also have many years’ experience providing Chemistry Solutions for industrial processes. If you are looking for safer chemicals for your process but do not want to compromise on quality, then get in touch with us for a nice science chat.

https://productionsupport56.co.uk/finding-safer-chemicals/

A lot of businesses are using the same chemicals they have always used Finding new safer chemicals can be tricky as there is a lot to consider.

26/07/2022

Modelling and Manufacturing simulation isn't just for big business and doesn't always need huge IT investment.
A nice article here by Smart Industry on how Production Support 56 Ltd helped Norvik improve their Fishcake manufacturing line using SIMUL8 software

New owners assessed the performance of the production line to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement.

11/07/2022