Lean Manufacturing Projects
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Position: Project Manager
Objective: Reduce cycle time
of a product line from 6-8 weeks to < 2 weeks.
Results: Published
cycle time of one week; 24 hour cycle time available; labor
cost reduced 41%; inventory reduced 15%; WIP
reduced 67%.
Summary: We first analyzed the process (value
stream mapping) and found that order entry and engineering each
took one week.
The resulting job order went from department to department in
the shop and that took 4-6 weeks. By simplifying the process
and paperwork in both order entry and engineering (over-processing),
we reduced the office time to one day or less.
Since the shop
was laid out by machine type, a product had to
travel throughout the shop in order to be manufactured. We
created a work cell in which all products in question could be
made.
The cell concept was advantageous for this operation for several
reasons:
- It allowed us to change from batch orders to single
piece orders, which were more suited to customer demand.
If a customer
ordered
a small quantity, it was not an imposition. (reduce
overproduction)
- It reduced transportation between operations. (Waste of
transportation)
- It reduced handling (wasted motion) by eliminating trips
to and from the stock room.
- It reduced WIP (wasted inventory)
- It increased flexibility
in capacity because the cell could be operated with one
to six employees.
- Reduced handling reduced scrap and rework.
The only operation
that was changed significantly from the main shop was the punch
press operation.
The punch
press
set up took
eight hours initially and had to be done by
an experienced set up mechanic. We were forced to simplify the
set up for two reasons:
1- to reduce cycle time, and 2- to simplify
the
task so that an operator could set up the press. If the
set up
remained the same,
we would be restricted to a minimum of two people
at the cell
and one had to be a skilled mechanic. Availability
of the mechanic was also a consideration. We
had a press
purchased
for the cell.
It was smaller than the other presses in the
shop because it had a dedicated product. The die sets
were also dedicated
and were
set up with dowels so that the set up time by
a
non-skilled employee was about fifteen minutes. X-ray Film Processors
Position: Manufacturing Support
Objective: Build to Demand
Result: Build mixed models
to demand; finished goods reduced.
Summary: The Company built X-ray film processors
according to a sales forecast and stocked the finished goods.
Because of the
complexity of the units, it was thought that they had to be
built in batches. In addition, a unit build mode was being used
where
one or two people would build a complete unit. An assembly line
based on a Kanban pull system was initiated. I was part of the
team that determined the operations on the line, calculated
the Takt time, wrote the work instructions and certified the
operators
for each station.
Portable Air Tools
Position: Senior Consultant
Objective: Increase Production Result: Production increased 50%
from 1200 units/month to 1800 units/month
Production changed
from small batch to single piece flow.
Summary: A
new production line had been set up intending to produce 1800
units/month. Current production was 1200 units/month. Because
the new unit was very well received in the marketplace, it was
desired to have the existing line produce 2000 units/month and
be scalable to 4000 units/month. If possible, production should
change from the small batch quantity to a single piece flow.
There are four model families and currently 750 model variations.
When
design is complete, there will be approximately 1000 variations.
The time frame for all implementations is four weeks.
A group
was selected from the assemblers and key support personnel.
Everyone was given basic Lean 101 training so that all would have
a minimum amount of knowledge. They were then led through
a
review and change of the layout with coaching by the consultants.
It
was found that 2000 units/month was attainable and the prorated
amount of 100 units/day was actually attained on the first
day of start up.
A team coalesced from the group and systematically
began addressing the factors that hindered production.
The team
had listed
these factors in the previous four weeks.
Single piece
flow was accomplished.
$160,000 of excess inventory was removed
from the floor.
The required assembly space was reduced by 1/3.
The project was
completed in four weeks. Fire Resistant Safes
Position: Senior Consultant
Objective: Increase throughput
Result: Developed and ran a pilot
system which would enable production to meet design; production
could increase from 100 units/hour
to 180 units/hour
Summary: A client had recently installed a complete
(raw material to packaging) production line for its new "flagship" product.
The line had been designed for 180 units/hour and while current
needs were 150 units/hour, current production was averaging
100 units/ hour. The objective was to determine the reason(s)
that
the current production rate did not meet the design production
rate and then propose and demonstrate a solution that would
increase the production rate to 150 units/hour.
The reason for
the reduction in the production rate was that
the length of the production line was too great for the existing
culture.
Although teamwork and Lean Thinking were evident, they were
not strong enough to support a single, long line. Once the
line stopped,
all production stopped. In an effort to maintain production,
employees 'batched' products and created WIP. This exacerbated
the problem.
The solution was to break the assembly part of the line into
four independent cells for the following reasons:
- It is
easier to create a work team of eight employees than it
is to create a work team of thirty two employees.
- Flexibility increased:
If there were a problem with one cell, the other three
cells would not stop production. Four
models
could be made at one time.
One cell was created as a
trial. Employees selected for the cell were not given any training
initially and
did
not make
the intended
rate. They were then trained in 5S, work standardization
and teamwork fundamentals. Finally, they were coached
for one
week in how to
implement what they had learned.
The cell was created
as a spur of the main assembly line and the employees initially
made 30 units/hour.
This would
equate
to 120
units/hour if there were four cells. After training
and coaching, al teams (three shifts) were averaging
45 units/hour,
which
would equate to 180 units/hour for four cells. Cardboard Boxes
Position: Consultant
Objective: Create on-time delivery;
if possible, reduce floor space.
Result: 100% on-time deliveries
in the first month; 80% WIP eliminated; 1000 ft2 of floor space
made available.
Summary: A box manufacturer had a product line
that habitually missed delivery dates. In addition, it was thought
that additional
floor space was needed because they seemed to be running out
of room.
The production quantities were restricted to equal the
order quantities;
production was limited to customer orders. Set up and material
handling time were reduced. Three work centers created the
product. The first center was in a separate building from the
other two,
so it was decided to make daily, scheduled runs between the
buildings. The third work center was moved next to the second
work center
and a Kanban area was set up so that the third center pulled
from the second center.
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