A Better Solution for Finishing and Dispensing in Manufacturing

What’s the first thing a customer sees when your product is delivered? 

As many manufacturers know, that answer is all too often the finish. When your project is first delivered, the first impression of your product is critical. It can leave a lasting impression on the quality you deliver, your company, and your brand. Whether good or bad, finishing is a significant factor in your product's success and a critical component in the manufacturing process.

The finishing of a product doesn't get the attention it should. Many companies haven’t addressed issues in finishing operations, leaving them with higher costs, poor results, slower production, and a higher risk of quality defects. There are steps any company looking to increase efficiency with finishing and dispensing can take, and they start with addressing end-to-end finishing and dispensing operations. 

What Are End-to-End Finishing and Dispensing Solutions? 

Finishing occurs as the final step in the manufacturing process, when the part or product has been produced. It can include a surface treatment to enhance the product’s look, augment or treat the product to increase durability, eliminate unwanted elements, or add a brand logo or additional element like plating.  

Depending on the finishing needed, it is a complex process with multiple elements interacting in sequence to create the results you are looking for. This is the struggle for many manufacturers. Service and improvements are made to one element in the complex finishing process, which can add to the overall finish but detract from the overall efficiency and create additional production challenges. 

End-to-end finishing solutions encompass everything in that process — from the spray gun you hold, to the spray booth you use, to the filters and how they work with the spray booth, protect you and the environment, and prevent particulates in the paint. These solutions can also include robotics, heat lamps, and automation that identifies quality escapes. They address the gaps that occur with a single-service-based solution. End-to-end is a better type of solution because it incorporates each finishing element in the process, ensuring there isn’t a problem, increasing overall efficiency, and not leaving the production team with a solution that doesn’t work or creates additional problems. 

How to Optimize with End-to-End Finishing Operations 

Optimization is the ultimate goal of finishing improvement and requires an end-to-end solution. As you look at finishing operation improvements, consider these options and how they provide end-to-end solutions. 

• Leverage custom engineering and automated robotic services: Automation is the future of finishing. It reduces unnecessary labor and waste and ensures a better, more consistent finish. Adding a robot or sensor alone isn’t a complete solution. You need to consider how robotics can be integrated into your processes and how it can best be used to reach your production end goals. One-size-fits-all solutions often create as many problems as they solve. With custom engineering, the provider identifies your unique finishing needs, then designs a solution that meets those needs, improves overall efficiency, and helps you and your business reach your production goals and minimize downtime.
• Conduct an audit of operations: Inefficiencies that create problems may be hidden in your processes and you don’t even know it. An audit by a trusted outside partner can identify those gaps. For example, do you have adequate inventory on hand? Filters are one item where companies often don’t have enough stock. When inventory gets low, your team may be forced to continue using filters that have exceeded their lifespan. This can create poor operations, low-quality finishes, or potential booth or spray gun damage. Audits can review inventory, training for your team, or even engineering decisions to find opportunities for improvement or increased efficiency. 
• Picking and choosing suppliers for a single service or product may seem like a good idea, but it's not. Sure, one provider may be an expert in a single spray gun, while another provides engineering support, and another has always helped with your filter, but it leaves you to put all these pieces together. What happens when the filter doesn’t work with the paint or the new robotics system uses out-of-stock replacement parts? With the right support, you get the best solution for your finishing. Working with a solution-focused, rather than service-focused, partner maximizes your uptime and helps you achieve greater efficiency.

Working with an End-to-End Solution Provider 

The goal of your work with any manufacturing solution provider should be improved operations. For finishing, that means maximizing uptime, reducing waste, and delivering more products in less time and at a higher quality. 

You will see a better solution by working with an end-to-end solution provider that can address every element of your complex finishing operations and focus on your production and business goals.  

OTC Industrial Technologies is an end-to-end solution provider. With a deep bench of expertise, custom engineering and robotics capabilities, and locations across the country, OTC can service manufacturers quickly and efficiently, providing true solutions rather than just services. 

Before your next finishing operations initiative, take a few minutes to contact OTC. Work with them to see how a true end-to-end solution can deliver better finishing and dispensing operations results.