Will the replacement process suit your small batches?
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A higher running speed does not settle whether a replacement process suits short orders. Setup time can outweigh the saving on each item. Compare the whole job before assuming every batch benefits equally.
The useful comparison starts with the products and quantities the business expects to supply. Keep confirmed orders separate from hoped-for growth, and include the small batches that matter to existing customers.
A worked fictional comparison
Suppose the old process takes 20 minutes to set up and two minutes per item. A proposed process takes 65 minutes to set up and 0.8 minutes per item. These invented figures illustrate the arithmetic; they are not machinery benchmarks.
| Batch | Old process | Proposed process |
|---|---|---|
| 10 items | 20 + (10 × 2) = 40 minutes | 65 + (10 × 0.8) = 73 minutes |
| 100 items | 20 + (100 × 2) = 220 minutes | 65 + (100 × 0.8) = 145 minutes |
For the ten-item batch, the proposed process takes 33 minutes longer under these assumptions. For 100 items, it saves 75 minutes. That difference gives the owner a question about the future product mix. It does not prove which machine to keep or whether either process is technically suitable.
The calculation assumes that all output is accepted and that setup occupies the relevant capacity throughout. Real arrangements may differ. Have the operating team check what each number includes before using it in a decision.
Add the work outside the cycle
Preparation, inspection, cleaning between products and waiting for shared support can change the comparison. Avoid adding them twice if they are already included in a measured setup time. Record the measurement boundary beside the figure.
Also check who does the work. A shorter machine cycle may create more frequent attention elsewhere. The labour-assumption review looks at the remaining tasks, while the downstream capacity example considers what happens after the faster operation.
Do not turn the illustration into a rule that small batches must use old equipment. A different production arrangement may suit the business, or the owner may decide to stop offering certain work. Technical suitability, customer commitments and commercial terms still require their own decisions.
Take a product-mix question to the project meeting
Bring representative quantities from the order book and an explanation of any expected change. Ask which job families the proposed process has actually been assessed against. The replacement product-range matrix keeps those answers together.
If small runs remain unresolved, state that condition in the release plan for the old process. A vague promise that the new machine is faster is poor evidence for removing the current capability.
When the business has decided which equipment is surplus, discuss it with UK Auction Group. Keep the internal operating comparison separate from claims made about the machine being sold. Fictional or projected figures should never become advertised performance evidence.
Sources
This guide is general information and education only. Legal, tax, employment and safety decisions may need a qualified adviser who knows your situation. Read the disclaimer.