Lean Equipment Provides Integral Connections

Aug. 4, 2009 - PRLog -- Ogden, Utah – Setpoint Systems, Inc., an industrial automation systems provider, has been selected to build the follow on machines following the successful design of the .50 caliber primer safe pak unload machines at Alliant Techsystems, Inc. (ATK) Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP). Setpoint continues to provide lean automated equipment to LCAAP that will increase plant efficiency, increase output, reduce costs, and radically improve product quality.

For the past 60 years, the LCAAP has produced ammunition cases for the U.S. armed forces using manufacturing equipment originally built in the 1940s. The U.S. government and ATK (the private company who manages the plant) realized that the time had come to modernize this manufacturing process.  

“This equipment provides an integral connection between the supply chain and existing cartridge load lines.  It brings a new level of consistency and safety for the operators and increases the system efficiency significantly,” said Roger Thomas, Setpoint’s VP of Operations.  

Setpoint gave ATK the perfect modernization solution through “lean” manufacturing. Lean manufacturing is based on the Toyota Production System (TPS) methodology, which breaks manufacturing processes down into multiple, compact work-cells rather than using the enormous manufacturing lines common in the 20th century.  Setpoint is incorporating leading edge technologies to provide quality and accuracy in each process.

The lean system reduces part handling and part transportation, which reduces the risk of damage and improves worker safety.  Most importantly, Setpoint’s solution incorporates in-process inspection and error-proofing to improve the quality of the overall product. This enables LCAAP to produce more reliable ammunition for the soldiers who ultimately use it in combat.

About Setpoint:
Setpoint provides lean automation engineering services specializing in the design, build, and controls programming of turn-key custom automated solutions. Setpoint has more than 17 years of experience designing and building custom automation solutions for a wide range of manufacturers. All of Setpoint’s employees have been trained in the TPS methodology and have direct experience with some of the most discerning manufacturers practicing lean manufacturing principles today.

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Setpoint Systems is a full service automation manufacturing firm providing engineering services specializing in the design, build, and controls programming of turn key custom automated solutions.