Yield optimization in industrial grinding is essential for profitability, and it depends on several factors. Roy Olson sat down to talk yields with Andy Neary and Chad Martz from The GSD Group. They work with their industrial and mineral clients on engineering, procurement, construction, and management. They’re essentially problem solvers for their clients. Andy and Chad shared some valuable insights about optimizing yields in industrial processing.
How Does Yield Impact Production and Profitability?
Yield can be viewed in two ways: low and high. There isn’t really a measurement in between. You either get a low yield or a high yield, although the line is drawn to define each type of yield. A low yield typically means waste, and inefficiencies matter, but our experts see downtime as the biggest issue in a low processing yield.
Getting a low yield as opposed to a high yield can be very problematic in industrial processing. A low yield leads to less predictable margins and less scalable growth. Being a high-yield producer means more consistent profit margins and growth that can be scaled.
What Are Some Methods for Making Yield Improvements?
Our experts have a lot of ideas for boosting yield from low to high, but it starts simply. According to Andy, “one of the best ways I think to even remotely start thinking about yields is to get to the basics, start measuring.” Collect data and determine a baseline that will allow you to strategize and start to make changes.You need to have this information in order to determine where the issues are.
Collecting data is especially useful over time. It gives you points to return to when looking for improvements. It informs a value stream, allowing you to map processes and find gaps where you can address waste or inefficiencies negatively impacting yield.
How Can Equipment Selection Affect Yield?
Using the right equipment is one of the most important factors in determining yield. According to Chad and Andy, a lot of their clients have equipment that isn’t big enough for their processes. They end up spending money trying to make equipment work for a job it wasn’t designed to do.
Chad recommends that you “upsize your equipment to 10% to 15% more than what you think you’re going to do and however long you think you’re going to be doing it.” This helps fuel positive growth.
Andy also wants you to consider the intangibles, like downtime and spare parts. Working on a machine or piece of equipment, whether making repairs or performing maintenance, affects the process and, ultimately, the yield.
In some cases, it might make sense to have two machines and be redundant so that the process never completely shuts down. Whether or not you have a good supply of spare parts can also have a big effect on the process.
Along with redundancy, ensure you have a good maintenance program for your equipment, helping to keep it operational and efficient. Schedule maintenance for slow periods, so the equipment is ready to go during busy times.
At RMS, we see how important preventive maintenance is, especially in terms of rolls on roller mills. When they get dull and aren’t changed as frequently as they should, there are losses in throughput, yields, and capacities.
When planning for equipment, look to the future. Demand for different products changes, businesses scale up and down, and the equipment doesn’t always keep pace. Collecting data over time can be especially helpful in predicting and managing these changes and ensuring you have the right equipment to maximize yield.
Scale Your Yield Through Strategic Partnership
Our experts believe that strategic partnerships are valuable to yield results in a process. Getting a high yield goes well beyond what’s happening at your facility. Partners, like RMS, help you keep up with maintenance, access spare parts, and troubleshoot problems to keep equipment up and running efficiently and effectively.
To learn more about how to increase your yield in your industrial size reduction process, get in touch with us. We would be happy to discuss your situation and how our equipment could help.
