Make your shop a model of efficiency

Motor,  Jun 2003  by Cerullo, Bob

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Then I asked Rotary to create a plan of how to best use the open space. The two resulting plans (Plans 2 and 3) offered some interesting ideas. Plan 2 shows the setup when four new lifts are placed against the back wall. It also shows the traffic flow that has been used for years in the shop. Rotary also concluded that the wheel alignment rack was in the wrong spot, and suggested it be moved-something I knew but didn't want to admit. Another interesting suggestion-and one I never thought of-was to install two overhead doors and two more lifts to the left front of the building, to utilize what had been wasted space.

Plan 3 again shows the existing structures but angles four of the lifts and changes the traffic flow to make more use of the rear door, especially for cars going onto the wheel alignment rack and dyno. Here again, the design suggests two new doors be installed in the front of the building. Angling the lifts in the rear would reduce their number but certainly make it easier to spot a car on a lift while it provided extra space for benches and other equipment like the wheel balancer and tire machines. Making it easier to get a vehicle on the lift reduces exhaust emissions in the shop, cuts down the risk of an in-shop fender-bender and saves time.

I also asked Rotary to create a plan that eliminated the parts department, machine shop, welding shop and rear office. I requested that the front office remain where it is. The idea was to see how the shop could be more efficient if I were to relocate or reduce the size of the nonworking areas. If I needed it, I could put those areas in the building next door. The results are shown in Plan 4, which provided a firm idea of how-and how many-lifts could be added to the space presently occupied by the parts department, machine shop and welding shop.

Develop a Master Plan

The number of lifts, plus a new wheel alignment machine, engine analyzer or wheel balancer, can be determined only by your budget. Chances are you won't be able to make all the changes at one time. That's probably the most important reason you should have a master plan. It might take several years to be able to add everything you want, but having a plan will help to minimize the mistakes. And if you go to a bank for funding, being able to show a professionally designed plan for improving your shop offers you a far better chance of getting that financial help than merely explaining why you think another lift will improve your bottom line.

If you're fortunate enough to start with an empty piece of property, you really can't afford not to get the advice of a planning service-especially one that deals with laying out auto repair shops exclusively. It's one thing to have an architect design a building, but it's another to make the shape and layout work best. The time to plan the layout is before you build the building. Snapon's Equipment Solutions Division, for example, can provide suggested building layouts. This is one of the services they perform for new-car dealers, and you can benefit from that expertise.