Across the world, linear actuators perform lifting and positioning roles on a whole host of equipment. Designed to perform where hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders cannot operate, these vital actuators now fulfil a wide variety of tasks, often in hostile environmental conditions. As part of the Altra Industrial Motion Corporation, Warner Linear has implemented lean manufacturing practices to reduce lead times for all orders, including bespoke solutions.
Batch production has been replaced with one piece flow, with a manufacturing stream being created for each product line. Each stream is staffed by a dedicated team and team leader and the single piece flow means that any delays or issues in production can be immediately identified and addressed. If issues do occur, great emphasis is placed not just on fixing the problem, but also on preventing its reoccurrence.
The introduction of the lean manufacturing approach has already transformed the efficiency of the production process. Products can now be manufactured and shipped in as little as four hours. Even the lead time for bespoke products, which have a more complex manufacturing process, has been halved from 30 days to 15 days.