Eyeing MaximizING Efficiency in Minimal Space

Pinnacle Optical utilizes cutting-edge, industry-leading technology in their facility, ensuring pristine optics. Their staff of dedicated employees understands doctors' and opticians' need for high quality ophthalmic lenses delivered with a sense of urgency, yet they are always conscious that attention to detail is not neglected. Greg Blackwell, managing partner, is committed to the company's vision for best quality, best service and best vision, and he recognized the need to look to the future to enhance their production.

Their goal was to increase production and reduce breakage while utilizing the same floor space – increasing the size of their facility was not an option. They tried a competitor's solution, but it never came close, so they contacted FlexLink.

FlexLink created a unique solution for Pinnacle. The solution included additional accumulation areas, overhead conveyors to increase available floor space, an industry-leading tray destacker, a lift gate to provide walk-through access, and a special puck to handle a bowl that carries "tools" back to the beginning of the line. The resulting system provided maximum throughput with limited floor space while decreasing operator handling, therefore decreasing breakage.

After just one week, Blackwell reports that production increased 20% while scrap rate dropped from 2.9% to 1.5%. Now, there are less people handling the product.

Though they were used to working nine to 10 hour days, soon after the system was up and running, they completed their jobs in less than eight hours.