The Machine Builder’s Guide to Improving Machine Turns

controlpanelEfficiency! Efficiency ! and Efficiency!  Every day, in the industrial environments we are all focused on improving efficiencies in our plants, to be able to do things better, easier, and faster, to get more done with as little efforts as possible. Manufacturers focus their efforts to improve their production processes while machine builders are challenged to produce more machines with limited resources. Sometimes, we focus so much on the human and machine capabilities factors through process improvement initiatives such as six-sigma, KANBAN, and other methods, that we tend to overlook some easier ways that can add tremendous value to our endeavors.

“Machine turns” or “turns” is a powerful measure of productivity for the machine builders to measure their efficiency. This determines, with given resources, how many machines they can produce per year in the same space.

Recently, collecting thoughts from industry experts, reviewing various case studies, and based on personal experiences, we compiled a white paper that reveals on how distributed modular controls architecture can boost productivity in system integration and machine build processes. For over few decades, an automated system is accompanied by a huge controls cabinet hosting processors, power-supplies and terminations of hundreds, if not thousands of wires. Building this cabinet, troubleshooting it and maintaining it is laborious activity that costs money and time all across the life cycle of the system.

Distributed modular controls architecture eliminates lot of these activities, provides tools for ease of troubleshooting and ensures a scalable architecture. Most importantly, it saves valuable labor time per machine. Thus, improving the machine turns on the floor.

Balluff recently released a white paper with practical examples that identifies how machine builders and integrators can significantly impact their operations with the choice of controls architecture. The paper also provides guidance on determining the magnitude of impact you can expect, and offers recommendations on how to go-about making the change.

Request your copy here or visit for more information.


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