Dove Equipment, part of ICAFe Companies, partnered with the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering and Technology (IMET) at Bradley University to streamline staging for Graco ProMix 2KS and 2KE two-component paint mixing systems — critical equipment for industrial paint kitchens and factory paint mix rooms. Project results not only promise shorter lead times for manufacturers, but they also fuel emerging engineering talent and ongoing innovation.
Lean Manufacturing Assessment
The collaboration began when Max Gomez, a master’s student in engineering, started an internship at Dove Equipment, across the river from Bradley in Peoria, IL. His advisor, Dr. Joseph Chen, asked him to lead a team of four undergraduate students in a lean manufacturing assessment project.
“The opportunity was too good to pass up,” says Gomez. “It allowed me to apply lean principles in a real industrial setting and learn more about the processes and products at Dove.”
Wes Long, a seasoned technician at Dove, was getting ready to stage a ProMix 2KS unit. Each year, Long sets up around 20 ProMix plural component mixing systems for a diverse customer base, ranging from general metal to woodworking, even agriculture.
“Max approached me and started asking questions,” says Long, who agreed to work with the students as they applied lean principals to the ProMix 2KS staging process. “I felt like it was right up my alley. I could easily help out and provide quite a bit of information.”
A New Level of Collaboration
While Dove previously helped individual interns with projects, a formal project with a team of students was a new level of collaboration, according to Zoran Nincevic, operations manager.
“We were interested to see if the students could find improvements that could help us be more efficient and deliver products faster,” recalls Nincevic.
Throughout the semester, the Bradley students and their mentors regularly connected during work sessions at Dove Equipment in East Peoria, IL.
The students used lean manufacturing principles to find process improvements that could result in an annual savings of more than $16,000 with a payback period of less than one year.
Eye-Opening Efficiencies
“It was eye-opening to see how much more efficient we could be,” said Long, who was impressed by the students’ recommendations to:
- create dedicated assembly cells to streamline the staging and assembly process for ProMix 2KS and 2KE systems.
- standardize parts and tools to ensure consistency and efficiency in the assembly process.
“Having a standardized process benefits both customers and the company,” added Long.
Gomez agreed, “With standardization, we can keep growing without losing our unique way of doing things.”
From Intern to Engineer
Shortly after the students presented their findings to industrial peers and Dr. Chen, Gomez finished his master’s degree in manufacturing engineering and accepted a full-time project engineer role at Dove.
His journey highlights how partnerships like this strengthen the talent pipeline and keep innovation flowing, according to David Hoeft, general manager for ICAFe Companies.
“We do some really cool stuff as an integrator that makes its way into customers’ manufacturing environments. Young, emerging talents see this and are pretty energized by it,” explained Hoeft.
Industrial and Academic Partnerships
Hoeft encourages manufacturers to “be on the lookout for opportunities to collaborate with local universities and technical colleges. These partnerships can fit into our day-to-day operations and provide significant benefits in terms of process improvement and talent development.”
