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7 Quality Tools Case Study – Scottish Courage

Thu, 22 Dec 2011

7 Quality Tools Case Study – Scottish Courage

Use of the 7 Quality Tools in Red line Performance analysis

In this case study the Lean Group assisted a group comprising Team Leaders and manufacturing staff from the Tadcaster Bottling Plant of Scottish Courage to analyse the performance of one of the two recently commissioned bottling lines.

As a result of this exercise the team was able to accurately and factually identify the key priorities for improvement before preparing a plan for future improvement activities.

Objectives: The Bottling Plant Manager set the broad goals of the team so that he could review their success at the end of the exercise.

The plant’s main focus is currently on improving the line efficiency.

Since much of the recent past has focused on equipment commissioning and introduction of new products it has left the line performance somewhat lacking.

The team was assigned to study the line running conditions for a complete shift, noting each breakdown that occurred, the action taken by the operator to restore running and what the true cause was.

As a result of this exercise the team were able to identify that the largest amount of downtime occurred at the labeler machine.

Further analysis showed that the largest contributing element of the downtime was the misalignment of the label feed magazine – a crucial part that ensures the labels are fed to the applicator squarely. Investigation through fishbone analysis revealed two major causes:

Magazines damaged at location points and misfeed of magazine by the feed conveyor.

In the short term the team decided to ensure that the labeler operator was able to quickly attend to the stoppage. This was achieved through the redistribution of operator tasks.

The team also agreed to carry out an overhaul of all magazines to ensure that all damaged units were identified and repaired.

As a result of the exercise the team were able to develop a targeted programme of improvement activities which they will be following during the course of the next 12 months.

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Glen Electric – Value Stream Mapping

Thu, 22 Dec 2011

Lean Consultancy Case Study -
Value Stream Mapping

Glen Electric – Value Stream Mapping

Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is an essential element to a well co-ordinated improvement strategy. In the case of Glen Electric it was important that all managers understood the nature of the changes required to meet the cost down targets imposed by their largest customer – B&Q.

After initial training in VSM techniques, the management team were divided into small sub-groups and asked to walk the process in order to understand the current flow of materials through the system as well as the processing times at each stage of manufacture.

Once the current situation was mapped the team went on to identify the current lead-time to be approx. 4 weeks from receipt of order to dispatch of goods. In contrast, the time for processing was a mere 10 mins!

This clearly was an untenable situation and from the customers perspective an expectation of daily deliveries of every variety with an increasingly shortening of lead time provided the catalyst for change.

One of the most significant observations was the large amount of inventory stored at each point in the value chain. This was clearly adding no value to the customer and could only serve to create confusion as each stage often struggled to locate the materials it needed.

With the requirements of the customer in mind, the team set out to overhaul the complete manufacturing system starting with the order processing moving through each stage of manufacture until distribution. This was articulated in the form of a vision/future state map.

Once this stage was complete, the team prepared and delivered a series of briefings to the whole workforce before commencing. This ensured that all staff were aware of what was happening and why.

The main aim of the programme now is to significantly reduce inventories by combining as many of the processes as possible. This will enable them to continuously add value to the product without unnecessary delays due to storage and transportation. A lead time of <1 week is their goal with daily shipments of each product type to their major customers.

The involvement of the staff at all levels is seen as a crucial element of this programme. A series on kaizen events have been planned throughout 2005 to begin the job of implementing lean within all business areas.

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Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Case Study - Metzeler

Thu, 22 Dec 2011

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
Case Study - Metzeler

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Implementation

An excellent opportunity was provided for the introduction and implementation of a system of Total Productive Maintenance (T.P.M.) whilst providing interim management support to the maintenance function of a large rubber extrusion company based near Leicester.

The organisation in question had been suffering from very poor equipment reliability, extended response to failure time, spiraling external maintenance costs and considerable safety concerns.

The first step was to understand the current situation in order that the appropriate actions could be taken and ensuring that the greatest gains were made in the shortest possible time.

A series of Measures was introduced and visually displayed in the appropriate locations.

Measures

Overall Equipment Effectiveness and the reasons for poor performance were identified and individually monitored.
Response time to breakdowns by key area.
Actual breakdown time.
Total lost time - reviewed daily.
Spend on external maintenance support by category.
Expenditure on maintenance spares etc.

Following the development of the measures several Key Actions were implemented.

Actions

A system of Visual Control for Staff was put in place displaying current concerns, individual responsibility, actions and status.
Equipment was rated by importance on a daily basis, aligning limited resource against the highest operational requirement.
Responsibilities & Accountability for both Production Management & Maintenance Staff were identified and communicated.
Breakdowns and planned work were separated.
A plan for preventative maintenance was developed and training, where appropriate, was implemented.
Standard Operating Procedures and Practices were developed for both maintenance and operating personnel.
Fast changeover practices (S.M.E.D.) were introduced.
Workplace Organisation (5S) was implemented in the maintenance stores & workshop.

Results

Response to critical breakdowns down from an average of over an hour to 5 minutes.
Breakdowns in progress to no more than a maximum of five, down from thirty plus.
Planned maintenance time now exceeds breakdowns.
A system of Workplace Organisation and Visual Management implemented in the Maintenance area and due to commence in the plant generally.
Expenditure on external support reduced by in excess of 70%.
O.E.E. improvement from 30% to 70%.
All parties now actively involved in the achievement of common objectives through improved communication.
Improved Morale.
The team have the skills to sustain and continue to seek further improvement.

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Value Stream Mapping Aids Plant Merger

Thu, 22 Dec 2011

Lean Consultancy Case History - DURA

Value Stream Mapping Aids Plant Merger

£20 Million Turnover business integrated into a full plant

The acquisition of 2 First Tier Automotive suppliers brought an unusual request to Lean Group Consultant:

How do we fit £20 million business into a full site turning over £20 million?

The obvious answer was to apply Lean tools, removing waste and freeing floor space, but which tools and in what order? Value Stream Mapping will give the answer.

The Lean Group Consultant led the senior team through a Value stream Mapping activity, Coaching the Team from current state to future state and creating a Lean transformation plan.

Further support was then given to lead Kaizen activities and develop internal and Supplier KanBan systems.

Not only was the original brief of doubling turnover from the same floor space achieved within 12 months, but significant benefits in line with all Lean transformations were achieved:

£1.3 Million reduction in Inventory
Reduction in Direct Headcount of 40 personnel

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Lean Transformation of Computer Cabinet Manufacture in 30 Days

Thu, 22 Dec 2011

Lean Consulting Case Study

Lean Transformation of Computer Cabinet Manufacture in 30 Days

APW Assembled the Irmak 400 range of cabinets in a plant 8Km from the main fabrication and paint facility.

Levels of Inventory both WIP and bought in parts were high, creating waste throughout the process.

Lean Group consultants were asked to lead an activity to transform the operation to one with minimal waste.

The Lean Group led the APW team to see the waste and apply the Lean tools of :

- Creating Flow
- Takt time production
- Pull Systems

This learning was quickly applied to the Irmak 400 Processes.

The APW team implemented countless small changes throughout the project. With the assembly line streamlined it could now fit into the main facility in the area previously occupied by WIP.

The 30 day programme yielded dramatic results:

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Lean Manufacturing Consultancy Case Study - Carlsberg

Thu, 22 Dec 2011

Lean Manufacturing Consultancy Case Study - Carlsberg

Package of Training

Carlsberg invited the Lean Group to provide training for their new Small Pack Bottling Team at their brewery in Leeds. This foundation programme of training consisted of: Team Building - self contained teams. 5S - workplace organisation SMED - single minute exchange of die The training package was designed to improve the new teams ability to operate as a self-managed unit and hence substantially improve their collective operating performance.

		Thirty Staff undertook the initial programme, which was considered by both the teams and their management as an unqualified success. The team building phase resulted in the participants understanding the fundamental principles that separate unstructured groups of people from those that are effective teams.
After team building the teams then focused on improving their workplace by utilizing the principles of 5S (workplace organisation). This discipline not only made their workplace a tidier, safer and more efficient environment in which to work, it also formed the foundation for achieving fast exchange of die (SMED) where initial reductions in changeover time of about 75% were achieved.

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Kanban Production Control Systems

Thu, 22 Dec 2011

Kanban Implementation

Implementation of a Pull System at 1st Tier Automotive Supplier.

Put simply Lean manufacturing equals elimination of waste by:

W Creating Flow
WPacing the flow using Takt time
WCreating a Pull along the Value Chain

Creating the pull adds discipline to the Value Chain, linking the flows of value adding activity.

Prior to implementation of a Kanban system, this downstream process was the key reason for poor performance of 8 assembly cells.

Each assembly cell produced up to 8 variants of finished assembly, each variant requiring different piece parts from the downstream process.

Guided by The Lean Group consultant, the team developed their Kanban system.

By analysing the data, setting batch sizes and container sizes, developing Kanban cards and trigger points the team took ownership of the Kanban system.

Implementation of the simple visual system quickly led to some great results:

Assembly stoppages reduced by 90% ·
Overtime down by 50%
Average Inventory down by 25%

Most importantly scheduling was now performed by the system, freeing the supervisors for more Value Adding tasks.

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5S Workplace Organisation Case Study CS TEXTRON

Thu, 22 Dec 2011

5S Workplace Organisation Case Study

Application of 5S Principles at Gear Manufacturer

Supply of materials to Gear manufacturing cells had been a concern at Textron Power Transmissions. Lean Group consultants recommended the application of 5S principles to organise the workplace.

Workshop Objectives

Create an organised area for raw material, KanBan material pre and post Heat Treatment. Establish SOP’s, and disciplines for a ‘shared’ area.

Improvement tools used

Workplace Organisation, Visual management using a 5S approach.

Achievements

· 1) Created ownership of a shared area – auditing schedule established.
· 2) Cleaning station located at point of use.
· 3) Removed 6 stillages of obsolete material.
· 4) 13 H & S issues raised – 9 resolved.
· 5) Removal of 2 large skips of waste.
· 6) Visual control implemented.

Before	After

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Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) Case Study

Wed, 21 Dec 2011

Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED)
Case Study

Scottish Courage – SMED

Glen Electric Ltd. based in Newry, had embarked on a massive programme of implementing lean manufacturing techniques that would enable them to become as competitive on cost as their counterparts in China. This meant that they needed to massively reduce the led times from 4 weeks down to less than 1 week where possible.

Inventories carried at every stage of manufacture were a critical point of their focus and in particular at the press stage where several weeks of production requirement were traditionally batched.

The case study below illustrates the impact that 2 days can have on a changeover of an 800T hydraulic press.

A small team of operators and support staff were assembled to carry out an actual changeover so that each element could be identified, quantified and SMED employed to reduce the changeover time.

The data collected from the study was then analysed using gantt charts before all possible improvement opportunities were discussed. The reallocation of tasks enabled each of the operators to work simultaneously and without unnecessary walking around the press. The revised allocation was then put to the test with a resultant drop in Changeover time from 75 minutes to 45 min's.

The impact of this S.M.E.D. activity will also have a significance in terms of the overall capacity of the press since the proposed introduction of a press supermarket will require the press to change over much more frequently that the current 2 changes per day.

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Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) Case Study at Oscar Mayer

Wed, 21 Dec 2011

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
Case Study at Oscar Mayer

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)

In this case study, The Lean Group supported the factory management team to implement a system of OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) measurement across 3 factories. The aim of this programme was to enable them to accurately identify the potential for capacity increase and labour cost reduction within the 3 factories on the Chard site.

Analysis of the main downtime losses in all factories Indicated that product changeover and line clean down accounted for 80% of the total lost time.

A study team comprising line leader, operators and supervision Studied the actual changeovers– using video and stopwatch, enabling them to fully understand the sequence of the changeover and the critical factors that would ensure a hygienically clean line.

Having understood the current situation, a number of improvement actions were identified that would significantly reduce the unnecessary motion required during the changeover activity.

These ranged from making cleaning materials more accessible to a full analysis of the man assignment and work content for each operator.

A new procedure was written and all staff trained before re-studying the changeover.

The results of these activities across the three factories have been significant as can be seen from the chart on the right.

Oscar Mayer are now able to more confidently achieve the Daily volumes despite significant fluctuations in daily requirements.

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Just In Time (JIT) Case Study

Wed, 21 Dec 2011

Just In Time (JIT) Case Study

Application Of Just In Time (JIT) Principles

Spectacular Improvements in a Low Volume, High Variety Environment.

Lean tools are not just applicable to the high volume automotive environment from which it evolved. At APW Electronics a Just In Time (JIT) workshop was used to create flow lines within a low volume, high variety, batch environment.

Imrak 1400 storage racks for computer hardware for Home and Export markets are made to customer requirements and vary greatly in configuration from a basic “open frame” consisting of a top, base and 4 vertical posts, to highly configured units with any combination of doors, side panels, and a variety of trays and shelves.

To create flow, much of this variation required “smoothing out”. This was achieved by the following steps:-

Step 1 To reduce variation and ensure the main lines flow, each process was analysed and all low volume, high work content items were taken “off-line” to be built as sub-assemblies.

Step 2 The core processes that made up each main flow line were agreed. To aid this decision the team used the “80/20” rule, if a process is common to 80% of the products then it became part of the core flow line.

Step 3 Flexibility of labour was used to move from sub assembly activity onto line to maintain flow on high work content racks, and ensure maximum efficiency.

Step 4 Work content was balanced to the Takt time and a new layout developed.

Step 5 Buffer stock levels of sub assemblies were set.

The challenge of successfully introducing Just In Time (JIT) into a low volume, high variety production process was achieved with impressive results, as the workshop measures show.

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The Lean Group - Lean Training and Lean Consultants news feed

7 Quality Tools Case Study – Scottish Courage

7 Quality Tools Case Study – Scottish Courage Use of the 7 Quality Tools in Red line Performance analysis

Glen Electric – Value Stream Mapping

Lean Consultancy Case Study - Value Stream Mapping

Glen Electric – Value Stream Mapping

Call us now on 01733 518100 Send us an enquiry

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Case Study - Metzeler

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Case Study - Metzeler

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Implementation

Value Stream Mapping Aids Plant Merger

Lean Consultancy Case History - DURA

Value Stream Mapping Aids Plant Merger

£20 Million Turnover business integrated into a full plant

Lean Transformation of Computer Cabinet Manufacture in 30 Days

Lean Consulting Case Study

Lean Transformation of Computer Cabinet Manufacture in 30 Days

Lean Manufacturing Consultancy Case Study - Carlsberg

Lean Manufacturing Consultancy Case Study - Carlsberg

Package of Training

Kanban Production Control Systems

Kanban Implementation

Implementation of a Pull System at 1st Tier Automotive Supplier.

5S Workplace Organisation Case Study CS TEXTRON

5S Workplace Organisation Case Study

Application of 5S Principles at Gear Manufacturer

Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) Case Study

Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) Case Study

Scottish Courage – SMED

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) Case Study at Oscar Mayer

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) Case Study at Oscar Mayer

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)

Just In Time (JIT) Case Study

Just In Time (JIT) Case Study

Application Of Just In Time (JIT) Principles

Spectacular Improvements in a Low Volume, High Variety Environment.

Call us now on 01733 518100 Send us an enquiry

7 Quality Tools Case Study – Scottish Courage

Use of the 7 Quality Tools in Red line Performance analysis

Lean Consultancy Case Study -
Value Stream Mapping

Call us now on 01733 518100

Send us an enquiry

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
Case Study - Metzeler

Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED)
Case Study

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
Case Study at Oscar Mayer

Call us now on 01733 518100

Send us an enquiry