View Single Post
Old April 6, 2011, 02:19 AM   #19
zippy13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 23, 2008
Location: SoCal
Posts: 6,442
As a design professional, my first question is: How many folks do you anticipate will be loading at the same time in this space? My second question is: Or, are they laid-out as a re-sale display? But, I'm guessing you're going for single operator efficiency. I use only 6 different presses and they share the same space. For a single user, you'll soon find your space, as shown, is too large and you'll spend more time maneuvering than loading.

The basic rule for any design is “Form follows function.” If an object has to perform a certain function within a process, its location must support that process to the fullest extent possible. All you've accomplished is uniformly distributed your loaders. I'm guessing you spent more time drawing than you did thinking. There's more to reloading than just operating the presses. From your layout, it's obvious, you've just locating equipment without any regard to function. Consider loading as a sequence of events and the equipment and supplies required for the various functions. Consider the following possible grouping (my loaders are all progressive, so my sequencing is based on using my presses, yours may differ):
  • Intake area: A place to dump you brass and hulls after an outing to the range. This is where you do your preliminary inspection and sorting. Set up with grouped bins you can sort your cases like dealing cards. From here shot shells may go directly the the loaders, and metallic to the tumblers.
  • Case cleaning: Metallic cases are typically cleaned prior to loading. Straight walled cases may go from cleaning to loaders while bottle necks need further pre-loading preparation.
  • Case prep: Depending on your particular loading practices this may actually occur before and after cleaning. Some folks de-prime before tumbling their cases. Others may size as part of case prep.
  • Lubricating: Operators use different methods of lubricating, spraying and rolling may require different area requirements. You may want a mini spray box and drying shelves. Your needs may be met with a jar of Imperial next to your loader.
  • Press station: Obviously this space should be adequate for the press, empty and loaded hulls, component bins, miscellaneous tools gauges and your scale. This area should be well illuminated and the scale shielded from from drafts. You may wish to put each of your loaders in an individual module for use in this location. For single stage presses, you may wish to divorce the powder metering from the press area.
  • Inspection and packaging: After the press, your re-loads will be given a final cleaning and inspection (where applicable) before repackaging. Containers (individual or bulk) may include fresh load labels. You'll want this close enough to the press so you can label small lots while developing loads. This area a natural for your computer and/or other reference materials.
Performing these tasks in reasonably small areas will reduce unnecessary movement and wasted space. The entire process can be accomplished with very little operator relocation. Your layout has only base and overhead cabinets. Thus, most of your stored equipment and supplies are above or below eye-level. If it were for my use, I'd have less bench top and more full height storage.

Before you attempt any space planning you need to develop the programming requirements for that space. First, develop bubble diagrams describing the task sequences for each type of shell you intend to re-load based on your individual methods.

From the bubble diagrams you can determine which tasks are common to all shells types and which are unique. Then, you can develop an overall critical path diagram. From the CPM you can make spacial requirement assignments. And, from there you can have a fresh look at your space's layout.

If you're not strong at designing in 3-D then you may find modeling easier than drawing. Anything (sugar cubes, toy blocks or .410 boxes) can be used to represent basic volumes. The more time you spend in planning your space the greater your eventual reward.
zippy13 is offline  
 
Page generated in 0.03369 seconds with 8 queries