Manufacturers’ Monthly explores how Minitab Statistical Software solutions are driving operational and quality outcomes in traditional metal and plastic manufacturing environments.
Software solutions provider, Minitab, has been increasing operational efficiency, enhancing product quality and reducing costs in industrial organisations for 50 years. The company has helped even the most traditional businesses – such as plastic and metal manufacturers – by utilising data analysis to drive decision-making.
“Developed in 1972, Minitab Statistical Software is now trusted by businesses around the world to deliver quality analytics and insights,” said analytics solutions design manager, Minitab Australia and New Zealand, Bass Masri.
Masri believes the company’s statistical quality analysis tools are embraced across a range of industries due to their proven effectiveness. He attests this to the company’s range of solutions that cater to different manufacturing verticals.
“Minitab provides a suite of improvement tools to enable manufacturers to analyse processes, identify key factors, optimise settings and monitor production,” he said.
Cutting through the complexity of metal manufacturing
One manufacturing sector that stands to prosper from the advantages these solutions present is metal manufacturing. This potential was seen as Minitab helped OneSteel’s Laverton Rod Mill address an inherent issue in its steel manufacturing processes.
This issue surrounded excessive mill scale originating from the Laverton Rod Mill, presenting operational issues that impacted downstream processes at Geelong’s Wire Mill. To address this, Minitab provided solutions to identify issues surrounding the abrasive nature and uneven distribution of the scale.
“Minitab provided the statistical tools and graphical visualisations necessary for OneSteel to understand the factors contributing to excessive mill scale, evaluate the effectiveness of process changes, and ultimately reduce the issue,” said Masri. “This led to improved efficiency and cost savings at the Geelong Wire Mill.”
The process began with a comparative analysis using hypothesis testing to prove that there were differences in scale weights between different grades of steel rods.
“This helped them identify if certain steel types were more prone to excessive scale formation,” said Masri. “Box plots visually reinforced the findings, making it easier to see and communicate the variation in scale weights across different grades.”
After this, the team utilised a regression analysis to uncover the relationship between the laying head temperature and the weight of the mill scale to understand how a specific process parameter was influencing the scale formation.
“Scatterplots visually represented this relationship, making it clear how changes in head temperature correlated with changes in scale weight,” said Masri.
The Minitab team then evaluated process variation using a probability density function to analyse sampling data of scale weights and compare it to desired outcomes. Masri said that this helped quantify the variation and estimate the potential savings from a potential reduction. Finally, Minitab assessed the impact of changes using its Statistical Software to analyse data before and after implementing process changes.
The changes implemented based on Minitab’s analysis had an impact on product quality and equipment longevity, according to Masri. This was highlighted through a reduction of head temperature, the optimisation of the cooling process, improvements based on steel grade and a focus on delay-causing rod grades.
“We reduced the laying head temperature and lowered the reform temperature on the cooling conveyor by 30 per cent,” said Masri. “Hypothesis testing and box plots revealed which steel grades formed more scale, prompting targeted adjustments. Pareto analysis identified the rod grades causing the most delays, helping us prioritise improvements and consider changes to reduce downstream issues.”
Masri said Minitab’s data-driven changes made steel manufacturing more efficient and cost-effective, improving wire quality and extending equipment life.
Aside from immediate improvements, Masri said that there have been several long-term positives including a reduction in die consumption. The intervention also proved crucial to improving the mill’s yield, since a variation of just 1 kg of scale per tonne of rod was worth $75,000 in yield.
“By reducing the scale, the lifespan of these expensive dies increased, translating directly into lower operational costs due to fewer replacements and reduced downtime for die changes,” said Masri.
Additionally, much aligned with Minitab’s goals, its solutions have seen long-term benefits in lower housekeeping costs, increased production efficiency and higher product quality.
“Excessive scale caused $815,000 in housekeeping costs in 2008, so reducing it cut cleaning, waste, and possibly lubricant expenses,” Masri said. “Less rod wear also meant fewer die changes, boosting efficiency and throughput. Reducing surface defects from scale improved product quality, with fewer complaints, rejections, and greater customer satisfaction.”
By providing a cross-functional collaboration with a common platform for data analysis, visualisation and communication, Masri said Minitab was pleased with its effect on the overall operations at the steel mill.
Moulding efficiency and quality in plastics production
Another long-tenured sector that Minitab has more than dipped its feet in is plastic manufacturing. This is seen through the company’s expertise in driving efficiency and quality within the injection moulding industry. The most pressing challenges within this vertical surround data management, efficiency, costs, product quality and regulatory compliance, equipment downtime and material variability. Masri said these are all issues Minitab as a solution provider was born to address.
“Industry experts have emphasised that Minitab plays a crucial role in enhancing process efficiency and reducing scrap rates by enabling a data-driven approach,” he said.
Masri said that Minitab tools empower injection moulding engineers to identify critical process parameters, understand their interactions to reduce scrap rates. This gives companies the ability to determine the optimal process parameters, minimise defects like short shots and warpage, and move beyond just trial-and-error methods.
“Minitab facilitates the study of material supply variation and equipment performance, contributing to more consistent production and reduced waste,” said Masri.
Minitab’s platforms also support continuous improvement initiatives and help the implementation of best practices in injection moulding.
“Through Workspace and Engage products, Minitab provides a wide range of tools and methodologies including Deming’s familiar Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle,” he said. “These enable manufacturers to plan improvements, monitor implementation, analyse results, and then standardise improvements or take further action.”
Past statistical solutions, Masri acknowledged the effective strategies for training staff and encouraging Minitab adoption in injection moulding.
“Hands-on training workshops using real-world injection moulding data demonstrate clear benefits,” he said. “Minitab offers training tracks for improving manufacturing processes that cover Minitab essentials, statistical quality analysis, and factorial designs.
Masri sees future injection moulding trends evolving with more data automation, sustainability, flexible mould transfer and just-in-time production. He insisted that Minitab is preparing for these shifts.
“We are preparing by enhancing software with advanced analytics, real time tools,” he said.
As manufacturing continues to evolve, Minitab Minitab’s software solutions equip businesses with the tools to thrive in a competitive landscape.