Lean Manufacturing Solutions

Continuous improvement methods and metrics such as Lean Manufacturing, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), and Six Sigma are being utilized to meet the increasing demands placed on manufacturers. A key aspect of any continuous improvement program is the comprehensive capture and analysis of actionable, accurate, manufacturing performance data. For years, manufacturing leaders have struggled with the challenge of working with the deficiencies and controversies of manually collected data (i.e. stop watch and clip board) or embarking on high-risk, high-waste and high expense IT projects. World-class manufacturers have found the Informance solution as the most effective tool in quickly identifying waste/performance opportunities, measuring improvements and sustaining gains.

Lean Manufacturing

Lean Manufacturing is often described as an approach where waste is targeted and systematically eliminated. Its goal is to incorporate less human effort, less inventory, and less space to become highly responsive to customer demand while producing top quality products in the most efficient and economical manner possible. At its most basic level within a manufacturing environment it involves an ‘attack’ on rework, inventory, unreliable equipment, poor quality, and unnecessary activities and labor.

Lean incorporates a number of tools and techniques that can be significantly enhanced by the Informance solution:

• Total Productive Maintenance
• Kaizen
• Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED)/Quick Changeover
• Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)

Total Productive Maintenance

Total Productive Maintenance is an essential element of Lean Manufacturing and focuses the entire organization on improving manufacturing effectiveness (i.e. availability, efficiency and quality). It is universally recognized that TPM is built upon ‘lThe Five Pillars’ and to be successful ALL five of the pillars must be used to eliminate losses in a sustainable manner. However, the 1st Pillar "Improving equipment effectiveness by targeting the major losses" is the corner stone to any TPM program. It is difficult to target major losses and the cause of those losses without accurate, actionable data. Utilizing the Informance system Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), one of the fundamental measures in TPM that includes major losses, can be measured.

One of the biggest misunderstandings about the pillars of TPM deal with the first pillar–Improving Equipment Effectiveness by Targeting the Major Losses–and its relationship to the other pillars. All TPM activities, including the remaining pillars, are designed and developed to be measured by the first pillar. If a TPM activity does not result in, or contribute to, improved equipment effectiveness then we need to ask "Why are we doing it?" Robert M. Williamson Strategic Work Systems, Inc.

Kaizen

Kaizen is an ongoing improvement process involving everyone, from top managers to low-level workers. A key aspect of Kaizen is the seeking out and exploitation of new performance opportunities. In a manufacturing environment these new performance opportunities are identified by examining the 6 major loss categories: breakdowns, setup & adjustments, idling & minor stops, reduced speed, start-ups and defects & rework. Utilizing the Informance application in conjunction with the Informance IMPACT Methodology, Kaizen Events or Blitzes are significantly enhanced for the manufacturer with the additional data and support needed to quickly spot the opportunity, take action, measure, and sustain gains.

Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED)/Quickchange Over

Setup reduction, quick changeover, or Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED) is the technique for reducing the downtime involved when a process changes from making one product to another. SMED measures the time from when production stops on the first product, to the time when the first good unit of the second product is made.

Setup time represents one of the largest improvement opportunities for manufacturers. Using the Informance system setup time variance can be analyzed by shifts, SKU or asset.

View the Informance Setup/Downtime article.