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Without the proper approach, a production system can quickly fall into one of two categories: tribulation or turmoil. Quite often you will hear "old-school" injec- tion molders describing their battle to achieve a robust processing system as "firefighting." In real terms, "fighting fires" on the production floor is a sign of system failure. True molding stan- dards don't require constant coddling, adjusting, sorting, etc. It is really easy to fall into the trap of applying Band- Aids to molding situations when the proper approach should have been: 1. Analyze the root cause; 2. Develop a long-term solution; 3. Monitor the correction to verify that further action isn't needed. Ignorance of mold, press, material, and manpower failures can Put Out the Production Fire Once and for All become embedded in a company's overall ideology and approach. I couldn't tell you how many times have I heard, "It always runs that way," or "It can't be fixed," and felt a mental cringe that I compare to fingernails being dragged heavily across a chalk- board. Bad production systems exist because problems are ignored, or "quick fixes" become long- term remedies. No thought is being put into root causes and solution development, because poor performance is accepted as normalcy. Worst-case scenario: The production run is implemented without proper process-engineering protocols being followed and enforced. The industry's shared quest for continuous improvement is readily preached, but commit- ment to the concept can often fall short. Production needs can sometimes make rushed systems seem logical; but most often rushing through the engi- neering phase into production leads to broken molds, poorly maintained presses, and scrap parts reaching the customer. PROCESS TECH AS FIREFIGHTER Perhaps "firefighting" is a slang molding term you are unfamiliar with. It frequently describes a molding scenario where processors are running from press to press, "putting out fires" (addressing immediate problems). In many cases, a thorough assessment of what are the recurring problems, and making a commitment to eliminate those issues, would remove the Ignorance of mold, press, material, and manpower failures can become embedded in a company's overall ideology and approach. A deliberate approach to failure assessment, root-cause analysis, solution development, and continued monitoring is the only way to get off the treadmill of chasing the latest production problem. By Garrett MacKenzie 30 SEPTEMBER 2017 Plastics Technology PTonline.com K now How INJECTION MOLDING