Conscientious design and careful production help to secure Steelcase’s position as a market leader in office space solutions. Steelcase manufactures engineered-wood case goods in its Caledonia, MI wood plant, which is the first LEED certified manufacturing facility in the world. This progressive operation utilizes a production concept called the “work cell” to maximize the efficiency of its Biesse manufacturing equipment. The technological advantages from this approach include decreased throughput time, improved product quality and reduction of both inventory and waste.

Ron Kettner is the Senior Manufacturing Engineer for Steelcase’s wood plant. Over the past 21 years Kettner has worked in a variety of positions for Steelcase. “My definition of a work cell is a specific manufacturing department or area in the plant that makes a product. To accomplish this we bring different kinds of equipment or different processes together and form a small group. A specific product is run through that small area in the plant,” says Kettner. “That is opposed to what I would call the old-fashioned traditional concept where there are departments of similar pieces of equipment. During production the workpiece is brought to a department, one operation is done, and then the piece is moved to a different operation with a different machine in the plant.”

SMARTER MANUFACTURING

Work cells are a key component to accomplishing lean manufacturing. Since product flows straight from one machine to the next, the movement of materials around the facility is greatly reduced. Work pieces within the work cell are very visible, which eliminates the need for bar coding and simplifies inventory control. This equates to a significant increase in efficiency. “I have estimated that we have been able to decrease our throughput time by about 90% with this work cell we put in, compared to some of our other operations that we haven’t configured into work cells,” says Kettner.

Steelcase did not invent the concept of the work cell, but their application of the philosophy is unique. Everything within the wood plant was planned to meet the specifications of LEED certification. From using FSC certified wood and water-borne clarity finishes to operating for the reduction of waste, that commitment is engrained into the overall processes of the facility. Work cells are an important part of that. For example, the arrangement of a work cell allows for direct feedback from operators throughout the manufacturing process, so quality control is enhanced. If mistakes occur they are caught early enough to prevent large runs of bad product, which dramatically reduces waste.

Because of the competitive advantages gained by work cells, their specific details and configurations are proprietary information. This particular work cell of Biesse equipment generally includes a Skipper boring machine, Selco panel saw and an edgebander. Once a product passes through the work cell it is fed into a manual trim station for assembly.

The work cell that Kettner helped to organize produces a particular line of furniture, called Currency, which is available through Steelcase’s Turnstone family. Currency products are made from a particleboard substrate with a melamine paper surface material. Steelcase’s paper patterns are proprietary, and the saturation is done by Wilsonart and Coveright. A local distributor currently provides the TFM, though the wood plant is beginning to run a press in-house.

PLANNING FOR PRODUCTIVITY

The initial set up of a work cell is a signifi cant investment in resources and space. Simply allocating an area on the plant floor and moving large pieces of equipment requires careful planning. But the benefits justify the investment. Work cells can be adaptable enough to run different products down the same line. Kettner says,” One of the key things about Biesse machines, in general, is the flexibility of the machine to be able to produce different lines. Right now our cell is specific to Currency, but in the future it may be producing other furniture lines as well.” Another advantage is the ability to do smaller production runs. Kettner’s operation does not have to batch and queue products going through, so when a customer orders something it can be produced in a matter of days.

The efficiency of Steelcase’s work cell machinery is enhanced by BiesseWorks, the CNC software that allows programming for the Skipper routers. BiesseWorks is a window-based language that runs on a PC. “With the exception of the specific machine control software and programs, there is very little proprietary computer programming or computer hardware on the machines,” explains Kettner, “so if the computer blows out we can just get a new PC, reinstall the machine programs, and we are up and running again. That helps to minimize machine down time, which is very important. Biesse really helps to support that initiative.” The Biesse machine control programs can also integrate third party software, so it offers a lot of programming flexibility.

Steelcase is an industry leader in office furniture and an innovator in streamlined production. Work cell manufacturing reduces machinery down time and waste while improving product quality. It is one aspect of Steelcase’s commitment to operating responsibly. And while the technological advantage goes to Steelcase, large-scale, careful manufacturing benefits everyone.