TYK Filters: Lean Automation & Factory IoT Transforms Filter Manufacturing into Efficient and Flexible
TYK Filters, a filter manufacturer established over 70 years ago and a supplier to various industries including automotive, industrial and construction, was founded in 1955. Facing the challenge of rising labor costs in Thailand, the company began automating its packaging process. However, it found that automation at a single point was not enough to solve the entire system. To address this, TYK Filters revamped its entire production line based on the Lean Concept to reduce waste and increase efficiency. It also implemented DENSO Factory IoT to link and analyze data in real time, enabling it to create a labor-saving, flexible and highly stable production system.
Challenges before using Lean Automation
- Rising labor costs in Thailand are creating pressure to reduce workforce numbers.
- Automation of only the packaging process does not improve the efficiency of the entire line.
- Installing additional robots may create new losses such as setup time, maintenance, troubleshooting.
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Problem Solving with Lean Concept & Factory IoT
Instead of focusing on just one process, the company started redesigning the entire production line by:
- Analyze all flow lines and eliminate unnecessary waste.
- Use Lean Automation concept → Focus on Simple & Effective Automation, such as not having to use Vision Camera but using only Conveyor Guides.
- Use DENSO’s Factory IoT to precisely track and control production and prevent new losses.
Results (Effect)
- Reduce labor from 3 people to 1 person without affecting production time.
- Increase production capacity by 150% and achieve OEE of 85%.
- Reduce the number of robots from 2 to 1.
- Device setup time is reduced to less than 3 minutes.
- Create a flexible production system that supports up to 84 types of products.
- Get production stability in both quality and quantity.
Words reflect a new perspective
“Automation isn’t just about installing robots. It’s about rethinking the entire production line, reducing waste and preventing new losses to ensure the system truly works.” — TYK Filters Team
The Future of TYK Filters
TYK Filters aims to leverage Lean Automation + Factory IoT to create a Smart Factory that is both flexible, reduces labor costs, and increases efficiency sustainably.