A Simple Parameter for Monitoring Manufacturing Plant Performance

By : Palanki Balakrishna

Page No: 410-417

Abstract
This research suggests a simple parameter for monitoring a manufacturing plant’s performance to be used in the pharmaceutical, ceramic, powder metallurgical and other industries that use powder as the raw material and make solid components such as tablets as the product. It is the fraction or percentage of super blends among all the powder blends used in a year. A super powder blend is one that gives a product yield of above 90%. Yield is defined as the weight of quality cleared solid product as a percentage of th weight of the starting powder. The advantage of plots of proportion of super blends over normal yield plots is that the trend of quality performance stands amplified. This enables early detection and corrective actions by employees, management, and other stake holders. Eight case studies from the author’s own experience in nuclear fuel manufacturing are presented to illustrate the scope of the parameter.

Author :
Palanki Balakrishna, Manufacturing Engineer (Retired), Nuclear Fuel Complex, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/PROD.2025.65.04.8