High-mix, low-volume (HMLV) manufacturing
refers to industrial operations
that produce many different products
or components in relatively small quantities. These
companies all engage in a make-to-order production
strategy based on sporadic and often changing
demand from their customers. Beyond these
general characteristics, there is no one-size-fits-all
definition of an HMLV manufacturer, as they
could perform: medical device assembly for highly
specific, high-price pieces of equipment; component
or part manufacturing for larger industrial
companies that produce their own finished goods,
such as machine builders or automotive companies;
or be a contract packager in spaces such as
food and beverage that must meet the demands of
mass customization by packing out many different
stock keeping units (SKUs).
By specializing in specific domains, HMLV
manufacturers can operate most efficiently.
Moreover, because many HMLV manufacturers
are subcontractors, the reshoring of manufacturing
operations has benefited them. Particularly in
industries such as automotive and medical device
manufacturing, there is growing interest in working
with suppliers who are as geographically close
as possible—not only to shorten lead times, but
to avoid supply chain disruptions and maintain
better oversight of quality.
To better address their customers’ often
changing requirements, many HMLV manufacturers
are adopting increasing amounts of automation.
The issue for HMLV manufacturers is
that traditional, fixed automation products are
either too expensive or don’t satisfy their needs.
For those in the HMLV space, flexibility, modularity,
a compact footprint, and mobility are paramount.
Enabled by increasing onboard software
intelligence, lighter-weight and more responsive
hardware, and the proliferation of low-code/nocode
code applications, several major automation
suppliers are moving to fill this gap in the market
for HMLV manufacturers.
Flexible material handling
Helping HMLV manufacturers address the proliferation
of SKUs in food and beverage packaging
are flexible conveyance technologies that allow
manufacturers to manage various product combinations
and packaging formats on one line without
the need for mechanical changeovers.
An example of this technology is Beckhoff’s
Extended Transport System (XTS). The XTS is
made up of reconfigurable motor modules assembled
into a continuous track, which can be circular,
rectangular, or follow a complex, curved geometry,
based on the needs of the application. Individual
movers affixed to the track can brake, accelerate,
and adjust their speed independently of one
another. The movers can also form groups capable
of merging, diverging, or stopping together at
varying speeds, and are synchronized with other
assets such as traditional conveyors to ensure harmonious
operation.
According to Jeff Johnson, product manager
for mechatronics at Beckhoff, the XTS’s configurable
track saves significant floor space, which is
important for manufacturers attempting to process
a higher mix of products without expanding
the size of their facilities.
The XTS also allows for software-based changeovers.
With this capability, an application involving
the filling of different size bags with nuts or candy,
for example, can be accomplished by using grippers
on two movers to grip the bags on opposite
ends. By gripping bags with an independent XTS
mover on each side of the bag, differently sized
bags can be filled on the same line by varying the
amount of space between the individual movers.
As an example of how XTS can be used to
address specific HMLV packaging applications,
Johnson mentioned work Beckhoff did last year
with Brenton, a machinery OEM. Brenton needed
to make a cartoner for a pizza packaging application
that could quickly switch from packaging
pizzas in boxes to shrink-wrapping them in plastic.
At the time, the machine Breton’s customer was using required a 30-minute changeover to
handle the different packaging types. Using XTS,
Breton was able to design a new machine that
allowed them to combine three machines into
one pitchless machine that could handle random
in-feeding of frozen pizzas in different shapes, orientations,
and SKUs. This new XTS-based machine
can handle 41 different SKUs and up to 27 cases
per minute. Changeover time has been reduced
to five minutes, and the equipment footprint has
been reduced by 50%.
