Identifying and cataloging more than 4ꯠ change parts for equipment components used on the 30 packaging lines at the Kalamazoo facility is critical to Pharmacia & Upjohn's quick-changeover success. Headed by parts room coordinator Jim Ryder, the Change Parts Storage Facility at the plant was completed about two years ago. "In the past we had cabinets filled with various parts beside most of our packaging lines," he notes. Using a simplified parts list, Ryder kept track of where parts were, but it wasn't an exact science. "If we needed an unscrambler part on line 24, but it was currently on an unscrambler on line 28, which wasn't running, we'd have someone remove it from 28 and put it on the machine on 24 and tell Jim Ryder," explains Wayne Johnson, packaging project manager. "We realized we had to move all those parts into a common area, develop a database for them all, and not rely on just one person, skilled though he is." A consistent parts numbering system was developed for all spare parts, identifying the area and machine for each specific part. A staff was assembled to work as a team in the 2귔 sq' parts room. Staff members create and print a pick list and place it onto a cart with the appropriate change parts, then roll the cart directly to the line where the parts are needed. Operators for each packaging line then use these lists to install the correct change parts and remove parts not needed, placing them back on the cart for delivery back to the change parts room. Adjacent to the change parts room is a shop where the parts are repaired. All parts are also engraved with a unique number so that if a part were to be misplaced and later found, a change parts staff member could enter that part number into the computer and determine what it is and where it should be in the parts room. Shelving and bins are numbered or lettered to make it easy to retrieve a part, or put it back in its proper location. For example, the position for a capper chuck might be 2-E-1, indicating the cabinet/shelf/location on the shelf.
