How to balance a T-bar profile production plant for small and large operations

At our company, we have had the privilege of working on hundreds of projects in the T-bar profile field.

Some companies are just starting production, and there are certain steps to follow to begin with machines and equipment that allow for future scaling.

The first thing to determine is the quantity you want to produce in linear meters or square meters.

The second is how many profiles you want to start with.
Certainly, the simplest way to start is with a single profile.

For example, a robust T24 with a height of 38mm is an excellent profile for all main applications and can be used for both the Main Runner and the Cross Tee.

All three elements, with integral attachment, are produced on a single line that works at a speed of 12 linear meters per minute (approximately 3.6 square meters of ceiling per minute).

The interesting aspect of this line is that once we have started, we can begin to scale and increase productivity immediately.

The first step is to separate the production of the Main Runner and Cross T.

This machine uses the combi system, so it is beneficial to pair the T24/38 profile with a lower profile, such as the T24/32 for the Cross T, to save on raw material costs (a lower profile requires less material width for production).

Thus, we can more than double production by adding a high-capacity line for the Cross T profile alongside the first machine, which we will keep for the Main Runner (for example, a D57 system that works at 32 meters per minute).

In this way, we achieve a two-line system as follows:

• Main Runner Line producing at 12 meters per minute
• New Cross T Line working at 32 meters per minute

Since Main Runners account for only 25% of the total length, it is clear that this new line is almost perfectly balanced.

If the two lines produce for the same duration (e.g., one shift), we will replicate the correct percentages: 25% Main Runner profiles and 75% Cross T profiles!

Additionally, thanks to the combi system, we can reuse the set of rollers we used for the Cross T on the first line, making the investment very cost-effective!

Similarly, we can use the same percentages to balance large-scale Coil To Box production plants.

In fact, the fastest lines operate at speeds up to 105 meters per minute, both for the production of Main Runner and Cross T.

For these very high productivity rates, as we have seen, the lines are equipped with quality control and packaging systems.

This requires the lines to be specialized for each type of profile.

In this configuration, one Main Runner line running at 100 meters per minute comfortably covers the production of three Cross T lines running at 100 meters per minute!

And the percentages remain unchanged: 25% Main Runner, 75% Cross T!

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Andrea Dallan
CEO – Dallan Spa