The effect of total equipment efficiency on productivity in businesses: Case analysis

In this study, the current production processes were evaluated using the Total Equipment Effectiveness (TEE) analysis method in order to increase efficiency in the production sector and improvement suggestions were presented. The study was conducted in a company performing machining and grinding operations. The analyses were performed specifically for the CNC grinding line in the company and the data were collected directly through ERP and MES systems. In the first stage, the downtimes, quality losses and performance decreases in the production line were analyzed and the basic problems were revealed. In this context, the three basic components that make up the TEE, availability, performance and quality rates, were calculated and it was determined that the low TEE level regarding the current status of the line was caused by reasons such as operator waiting times, part disassembly-assembly times and scrap rates. In order to determine the source of the problem more clearly, fishbone diagram (Ishikawa) and Pareto analysis were used, and thus the most frequently encountered downtime reasons in the production line and the effects of these reasons on the TEE were systematically classified. As a result of the analyses, it was revealed that the most critical improvement area was "waiting times". During the implementation process, the times spent during the cycle time of the line were analyzed and methods were developed to eliminate these times. As a result of the improvement studies carried out within this scope, a 13% increase in TEE rates was achieved. As a result, the findings obtained revealed that the integration of ERP and MES, which are digital systems in production processes, allows for systematic efficiency analyses and significant improvements in production line performance are possible. This study constitutes a practical example specific to the sector and has the potential to be a guide for similar businesses.