Pneumatic Tube Delivery

System Optimization

Shawn Kozey
Benjamin Schneider
Andrew Huettner
ENMA 6050
Fall 2009
System Function
 A hospital uses a
pneumatic delivery
system.
 The system is used
to quickly send small
items throughout the
hospital.
◦ i.e. like a drive through
at a bank
Problem
 Tubes are needed to send items through
the delivery system.
 The pharmacy does not always have tubes
available to send.
 Consequently the pharmacy must devise
ways to obtain tubes.
◦ Send out a page
◦ Collect them manually
Problem Importance
 The pharmacy delivers prescriptions.
 If pharmacy cannot count on tube system
to make deliveries in a timely manner:
◦ Time is wasted
 Deliveries can be made more quickly by tube than
by hand
◦ User satisfaction is negatively impacted
Team Goal
 Identify reasons why the pharmacy
frequently lacks tubes.
 Suggest and prioritize methods to
eliminate the pharmacy’s lack of tubes
 EQUIPMENT PROCESS PEOPLE
FILLING

SYSTEM DOWN
FOR MAINTENANCE
SENDING TUBES SENDING TUBES

TUBE SYSTEM
LATCHING TUBE SENT TO WRONG
RETURNING TUBES INTO SYSTEM
LOCATION
RECEIVING TUBES
DOESN’T FOLLOW PROCEDURE
NOT WORKING
RETURNING TUBE INTO SYSTEM
RECEIVING TUBES
TUBE STUCK IN
SYSTEM REQUESTING TUBES
HORDING TUBES

PHONE
REQUESTING TUBES
OPTIMIZE SOFTWARE
METHOD OF WEIGHT PAGE
PAGE
STATIONS
PHONE CALL
USE CORRECT NUMBER OF TUBES

TUBES NOT RETURNING

TO PERSON A

RECIEVES AND SENDS TUBES

THE SAME
PROCESS MANGEMENT AT
EACH STATION C (NURSING STATION)

RECIEVES THE MOST TUBES

DOESN’T MOTIVATE PEOPLE
TO RETURN TUBES
B (LAB)
NOT ENOUGH
ALLOCATE FUNDS
SENDS THE MOST TUBES

INABILITY TO CONTROL THE

TUBES SUPPLY OF TUBES
A (PHARMACY)
OUT FOR REPAIR

MATERIALS MANAGEMENT ENVIORNMENT

 Person B decides what to do Action
Person B does not
with tube (carrier) after feel the need to
return a tube
receiving it. RPN = 512

Action
Person B does
not return tube Condition
Person B is not
aware that a tube
shortage exists

Action
Tubes were sent,
but not returned
Action
Person B urgently
needs to move on to
the next task
Condition
Person B does not
have enough time to
send tube back.

Condition
Effect
Person B is focused on
People who need
present time management,
carriers do not have
not feeling he has time for
them.
“nice-to-haves”

Action
Person B panicked last
time he needed to send
a tube

Action
Condition
Person B sends
Receiver (person B)
more tubes than he
hordes tubes
receives

Condition
No tubes were available
to send.

Condition
Person B does not
receive a tube back for
each tube he sends
Before/After Corrective Action
Comparison
Tube Project FMEA
Ranked List of Failures

Activity RPN
Item sender requests tubes 120
Investigate tube arrival 160
Plant maintenance optimizes tube system software 280
Tube usage procedure 320
Send an item in a tube 320
Determine needed number of tubes 420
Tube receiver (B) deceides what to do with tube after having received a sent item 512

Tube Project FMEA

Ranked List of Failures After Corrective Action

Activity RPN
Investigate tube arrival 48
Item sender requests tubes 80
Send an item in a tube 128
Tube usage procedure 160
Plant maintenance optimizes tube system software 168
Determine needed number of tubes 187
Tube receiver (B) deceides what to do with tube after having received a sent item 200
One week System Pharmacy
period (min) (min)
Avg lift time 1:17 1:16
Avg travel time 1:59 1:48
 Recommendations Ranked by
Priority
 Create written procedure to help enforce, and post at each station
◦ This is the most cost effective and easy to implement solution
 Topics covered in written procedure include
 Sending tubes back
 Using 0-0 command
 Latch properly
 Don’t overstuff

 Determine needed number of tubes

 Minimize tube downtime
◦ # of tubes out for repair vs. total # of tubes is quite high
 Are current tubes a robust design?
 Lack of manpower to repair tubes
◦ More efficient solution to fix tubes
 Velcro
 Latches
◦ Tube design cost vs. benefit analysis
 Criteria to include length of service, frequency of repair, availability of repair parts, ease of repair
Tube Examples
Recommendations Ranked by
Priority Cont.
 Optimize software
◦ Set priority of each station
 Determines 0-0 command
 Determines lift time
◦ Max number of tubes per station (alarm setting)
 Evaluate system upgrade fund allocation
◦ Better tubes
◦ Better software (statistician)