Plastics News Show Daily - April 4, 2012 - (Page 41)

PLASTICS NEWS, April 4, 2012 • 41 Plastics News photo by Rhoda Miel Rexam Mold drives home importance of teamwork done elsewhere — take it from the “old school” mentality that individual toolmakers worked on individual jobs — to an automated production floor with streamlined manufacThe signs of Rexam Mold Manufacturing’s turing and automated quality checks. evolution are painted on the walls of its manu“If you have a [medical] tool that you’ve facturing floor — and on toolboxes and workspent $400,000 on, you can have another benches. $400,000 tied up in qualification costs,” GraThe unified off-white color for machinery ham said during a March 8 interview at RMM. and equipment is one simple way to brighten If just one part in that tool doesn’t perform up the toolmaking floor, but for industry vetto its precise requirements, eran Len Graham, it also the entire qualification points toward the new team process may be held up, or approach at RMM, the tool‘We need this even need to go through the ing unit of medical and packbrain trust.’ costly process all over again aging company Rexam plc. to meet Food and Drug AdUniting the knowledge of Len Graham ministration requirements. each person, from the jourLen Graham Consulting That means mold makers like neyman toolmaker to the apRMM must deliver a level of prentice, from the designer consistency in every single tool. to the worker on the floor, makes a better State-of-the-art drilling, wire electric dismold, Graham said, and can make those imcharge machines and robotics equipment can proved molds faster for both Rexam and its deliver consistent products, but they require customers. upfront knowledge and information that only “We need this brain trust,” Graham said the experts on the floor can deliver. during a March 8 interview at RMM in Buffalo “This will not be just adding robotics,” Grove, Ill., where the company was meeting Graham told the workforce when he first with key machinery suppliers and its own joined Rexam. staff to discuss its long-term plans. “Many [shops] are doing that.” “We need them on the front side of [tool A true mold-manufacturing system requires building] rather than just seeing them on the the company to think as a team, he said, and back side fixing problems we could have prebe able to tap into the best ideas of each pervented.” son to create a better company that benefits Rexam plc, a global packaging giant, everyone. brought in Graham in late 2011 and asked him “Once the guys knew that was the direction to do the same thing at the Buffalo Grove toolSee Rexam, Page 42 ing shop for medical packaging that he has By Rhoda Miel PLASTICS NEWS STAFF A Rexam Mold Manufacturing worker keeps tabs on the company’s new automated moldmanufacturing cell, which includes integrated computer measurements throughout production to make sure the parts meet tight tolerances at every stage of development. Corrugated Plastic Pipe Production Systems Corma Inc. invites you to stop by Booth #3571, West Hall Level 2 at NPE2012: The International Plastics Showcase. Register today with our compliments and join us April 1-5 at the Orange County Convention Centre in Orlando, Florida. To register visit: www.npe2012guest.org/?e=874 10 McCleary Court Concord (Toronto) Ontario, Canada L4K 2Z3 tel: (905) 669-9397 fax: (905) 738-4744 e-mail: info@corma.com www.corma.com  http://www.corma.com http://www.npe2012guest.org/?e=874 http://www.corma.com

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Plastics News Show Daily - April 4, 2012

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