Analysis of cycle time variation for process optimization in animal feed block plant

Animal feed block processing is multi billion dollar industry with huge impact on livestock sector. Production of animal feed block supplements comprises mixing of ingredients in set sequence, time interval, pouring the mix and curing before despatch to customers. There is a significant variability of curing time in the current process. This leads to quality problem due to non-compliance of product hardness. Longer curing time leads to bottleneck in the production and storage area because products can not be physically transported if the hardness is below acceptable level. Softer products lead to safety problems for animal due to increased consumption resulting toxicity. Hardness problem can lead to rejection of batch, product recall/liability resulting in compensations. Harder products can lead to inadequate consumption leading to customer complaints. There is a need to reduce the variability of hardness and the cycle time to overcome the bottleneck in the shop floor and ware house, quality problems and uncertainty of supply during peak demand. This paper is on analysis ofproduction and curing data for process optimization.