Located in Southern California, Wedgewood Analytical’s expanded manufacturing facility of 56,500 sqf is optimized for manufacturing both continuous production basis while retaining the flexibility to accommodate “build to order” and custom assembly work. Our aim is to ensure a common supply interface with our customer base globally and constantly monitor and measure our performance while seeking opportunities to improve quality and reduce costs. Based around clearly defined metrics and continuous process review our overall operational strategy is to understand capacities, efficiencies and risks within the manufacturing unit.
We strive to achieve minimal time wastage and maximize productivity via a manufacturing layout that is linear for finished product manufacturing incorporating a cell based process layout, taking advantage of on-floor KANBAN stock. Flexibility is the key objective in these cells ensuring on time delivery for all produced material while keeping track of inventory and allowing decisions to be made based upon usage.
Support processes such as cable preparation, glass assembly manufacturing, and CNC machining are also cell based. Each department’s production schedule is keyed to the overall product requirements of the finished goods section of the factory.
Automation and computer connectivity has been implemented as part of the improvement strategy.
Work order traceability is greatly enhanced by the improvements we implement in our SAP system. As each job is logged in and out of the individual work centers on the production line, key data is logged enhancing our ability to make real-time informed management decisions. Examples of this key data are job completion time, in-process scrap, rework %, employee productivity, production line productivity, priority scheduling by work center/cell and capacity data.
SAP is a key part of the manufacturing process planning and is the primary tool for materials logistics, especially when handling multiple customer supply agreements. In the same way that we build our capacity plan the SAP tool refines the production data set with the latest information in terms of time to build, demand, minimum stock levels and lead times.
In order to support our hybrid manufacturing strategy, the optimum mix of raw material, semi-finished goods and finished goods is maintained at levels designed to support delivery requirements to our customers while keeping the value of capital tied up in stock at a minimum.
The mix is dynamic and will change as product consolidation and standardization occurs. Ultimately, our goal is to move towards a larger percentage of raw material and semi-finished goods closely supported by the vertical integration of manufacturing processes.
The production layout is constantly being reviewed for possible improvements to product flow. Automation opportunities are also regularly identified and implemented helping us ensure the goals of continuous cost reduction and quality improvement are achieved.
