FUJIFILM cuts away thanks to razor-sharp planning tool

FUJIFILM produces offset plates for the graphic arts industry. These are made from aluminum rolls that are coated and then cut to size for printed materials such as newspapers, magazines, and packaging. The principle here is: the less cutting waste, the lower the costs and the more sustainable the production process.

Together with CQM, FUJIFILM developed a new planning tool that optimizes production scheduling. As a result, less material is wasted, planning lead times are significantly reduced, and more room is created for a more efficient production process.

plan faster

Fewer

cutting loss

netto output

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A plan for less cutting waste

“We actually had two questions,” says Bart. “We wanted to optimize both the work process and the planning system we were using. In our factory, we process aluminum rolls, apply a coating layer, and then cut them into smaller sheets (offset plates). These original aluminum rolls can vary in length from 7 to as much as 14 km! They all need to be cut to different sizes, depending on the dimensions of a newspaper or magazine blueprint at the printer. You can probably imagine that cutting waste occurs during this process, because no two plates are the same size or customer demand varies. It is very expensive to dispose of material from these coated aluminum sheets and is also unsustainable, which is why we want to minimize cutting waste. CQM recommended a custom system to us, giving us more room to optimize our work process. That meant building a new planning system from scratch, but it now gives us more freedom of choice than before.”

^{In the photo. Left: Bart Verhoeven. Right: Maurice Janssen.}

“CQM was actually the only partner who could help us with this. Most parties struggle to understand our processes and find them complicated. We were often told, ‘What you do is rocket science.’ Well, nothing makes more sense than turning to CQM. These bright minds are capable of translating our processes into models and do not shy away from custom work,” adds Maurice.

Less cutting waste and 4x faster

Bart: “Every time we plan a batch, we put together a new puzzle, depending on the products requested. We have different product types for magazines, newspapers, and packaging materials. We have to take various formats and print runs into account. To produce those combinations with as little cutting waste as possible, we used a complicated Excel program. That worked, but it was a very time-consuming task.”

Maurice: “Before we actually got to making the offset plates, we were easily a month down the line. The order came in, four weeks of puzzling, and only then did we start production. Supported by CQM’s new tool, this process has been accelerated to a week. In short: we can put together the planning puzzle much more efficiently, which not only saves time but also reduces costs significantly. This is because not only do we no longer have to do the puzzling ourselves, but it is also done smarter with less cutting waste. “You can imagine that even with a small percentage less cutting waste, we can easily save a lot of money due to the high cost of the raw material.”

From complex process to workable solution

"I am really impressed by how quickly CQM mastered our production process and subsequently translated this into an efficient, workable mathematical model."

Bart Verhoeven Logistics Supervisor, FUJIFILM

Producing more efficiently and sustainably

“In addition, sustainability is high on our priority list at FUJIFILM. Because we now have less cutting waste, we throw away less aluminium. As a result, we burden the environment less,” adds Maurice. He continues: “We also wanted to have less intermediate stock. First, we planned the coating process separately, and then we looked at whether we could turn it into a finished product. If you have a clear understanding of the puzzle beforehand, that intermediate stock also makes a significant difference.”

A plan that works in practice

“I am therefore very satisfied with the final result. Our production process itself has not been accelerated, because our lines still operate the same way, but it generates much more net output. It literally yields us more now. We are working much better than before. It was very pleasant to collaborate with CQM. While we sometimes went outside the box and lost sight of the long-term goal, CQM always managed to set the course again and keep the objective in mind. Sometimes you lose yourself in everything you want to optimize, but wanting too much is almost never effective,” says Bart.

He adds: “In addition, the CQM team members are very approachable and easy to work with. They visit you weekly, making them truly part of your team. This allows them to provide targeted advice and they really dare to say when something won't work. You are guided step by step, which is pleasant. Furthermore, I am truly impressed by how quickly they mastered our production process and subsequently translated this into an efficient, workable mathematical model.”

"At CQM, it is the other way around: your work process is the foundation, and the system is designed on top of it."

Maurice Janssen Logistics Manager, FUJIFILM

Work process as a starting point

Maurice: “To optimize our planning process, CQM had to take many parameters and exceptions into account. Some companies have a system they stick to, and something is built around it. At CQM, it is the other way around: your work process is the foundation, and the system is designed upon it, ensuring that only relevant functionalities are created. For FUJIFILM, they did this together with AIMMS. They are great people who take care of a project down to the last detail. Even during the follow-up: a call after a few weeks, chocolates for Sinterklaas—I love it. Chocolates for which we did, of course, arrange the packaging. Naturally, with minimal cutting waste thanks to CQM. The circle is complete!”

Jacob Jan responds:

"What surprised me was the wide variety of product dimensions that printers expect from FUJIFILM. But when you stand in front of a magazine rack and see that almost everything varies in terms of dimensions, it becomes clear. With our mathematical optimization, we initially focused on reducing cutting waste. Which products are you going to combine, and which cutting patterns are you going to apply to them? There are so many variations that you cannot expect a human being to be able to oversee it all. Given the value of the product, all quick wins (and more) had long since been removed from the process by FUJIFILM. Going a step further after that is not easy. Next, we also looked at the feasibility of the plan, because in addition to strict machine restrictions, the plan must also be practically executable and efficient for the people on the shop floor."

Jacob Jan Paulus Principal Consultant

Want to organize production planning smarter too?

CQM helps organizations with complex planning issues, optimization, and decision support. Contact Jacob Jan Paulus and discover how mathematical optimization can improve your production process.

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