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(+)+(+)
(+)+(+) S.M.I.L.E(sm)
(+)+(+)
(+)+(+) Setup Minimization Improves Line Efficiency
(+)+(+)
(+)+(+) The Lean Changeover e-letter
(+)+(+)
(+)+(+) Published monthly by Changeover.com
(+)+(+)
(+)+(+) Written by John R Henry, CPP
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### OCTOBER 2007
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I will be offering the Achieving Lean Changeover Workshop through Pharma-Bio Serv Inc at their training facility in Dorado PR on November 28, 2007. This workshop will include a a hands-on practical demonstration of changeover improvement as we take the Changeover.com Super Duper Monster Making Machine from a 15-20 minute changeover to less than 1 minute. (My personal best is 43 seconds - blindfolded!)

Come join us. For complete information visit www.changeover.com and click on the banner ad link on the home page.



HELP NEEDED!

I am researching operating/maintenance/changeover manuals and documentation as supplied by builders of all types of production, assembly and packaging machinery. I have some thoughts on this (see my recent column in Food & Drug Packaging Magazine at http://www.fdp.com/content.php?s=FP/2007/10&p=12 ) but would like to know yours. Specifically:

How would you rate manuals in terms of usability and usefulness?
What information would you like to see included that is not currently there?
How would you rate the quality and level of writing?
Are there sufficient illustrations? (Photos, exploded diagrams, schematics etc)
Do you prefer paper or electronic format?
Should manuals be included in the machine HMI where the capacity exists?
General comments about what the ideal manual should look like.

I will keep all information confidential. Please send comments to john@...


SOME THOUGHTS ON...
MUDA & THE SEVEN WASTES

As I was typing the title, I thought is sounded like a good name for a fairy tale. Muda is no fairy tale, though. Muda will kill a company dead.

“Muda” is the Japanese word for “waste”. Most manufacturing plants have far too much of it. It is almost never something that anyone plans, it just sort of happens. If not nipped in the bud, it will grow till it takes over. A common cause is that something is done for a good reason but then keeps being done long after the need has passed. I have read that in the early 1800's a sentry post was manned on England’s south coast to sound the alarm if Napoleon’s invasion fleet was spotted. The post was forgotten and was still being manned 100 years later, long after any need had passed.

The Toyota Production System identifies seven kinds of waste. Actually, Henry Ford had identified all of these in his 1923 book “My Life and Work”
http://www2.xlibris.com/bookstore/bookdisplay.asp?bookid=32476
Toyota copied this and more from Ford and still gets the glory.

In any event, the seven wastes identified are:

(Chapter numbers refer to “My Life and Work”)

1. Overproduction.

Overproduction means manufacturing more of a product or component than is needed. This is wasteful in a number of ways but the most wasteful aspect is that it clutters up the plant with excess inventories, slowing production flows. In addition to its effect on operations, holding inventories adds cost at any level while providing little benefit. Inventories typically cost in the neighborhood of 30% or more per year. Over production uses resources which can often be put to better use.

2. Waiting

Waiting is dead time where no value is being added. As components wait between processing steps, they form work in process, WIP, inventory. Again, this inventory is not only expensive simply to hold, it has a negative impact on other operations.

3.  Transporting

Transporting loses time as components are moved from one place to another. Again, products in transport are having no value added. They also incur costs due to the need for personnel and equipment for transport.

4.  Inappropriate Processing


“Overkill” is the term that comes to mind here. Sophisticated, high tech, equipment is used where there may be a simple, low tech solution. This eats up capital. If the workforce is not at the level required for the high tech solution, they may not be able to operate or maintain it effectively. This will result in additional costs.

5.  Unnecessary Inventory

Some inventory is often necessary to smooth out variability in material flows. In many cases, more inventory is held than is really necessary “just in case”. The first stage solution is to cut inventories to what is necessary. The real solution is to find out why there is variability in flows and eliminate or reduce them.

6.  Unnecessary / Excess Motion

Many workstations and jobs are poorly laid out. This causes unnecessary walking, twisting, bending, lifting and other motion. All tasks must be analyzed and optimized for the bare minimum of motion by the operator.

7.  Defects

Defective components or worse products are never a good idea. There are two approached to defects: One used to be called “quality control” and called for catching and removing the defective parts by inspection. This may be better than nothing but not much since the defective part is still produced and it still costs as much to make a bad part as a good one.

The other, better approach, was called “quality assurance” back in the 70's when I was in grad school. The goal of QA was to make sure the process could not produce a bad product.

Today, neither term seems to be used much, the more generic “quality” seems to be preferred.

Whatever it is called, the goal needs to be to make sure the process will not produce a bad product.

Nobody will pay us anything for waste. We must work ceaselessly to eliminate it.


TIP OF THE MONTH...
GLASSBOARDS

I have been teaching and training long enough that I can remember chalkboards. Thankfully these are mostly gone, replaced by whiteboards. Whiteboards are a big improvement but one of the problems I often have is erasing them completely.

A couple months back I was at a client and instead of whiteboards, they have glassboards. These were clear panels of glass mounted in front of a white wall. I have never seen them anywhere else and don’t know if they are commercially available. I do know that I liked using them. They were smooth as butter to write on, highly legible and erased completely.

Best,

John R Henry CPP

www.changeover.com
787-550-9650

Best,

John R Henry CPP

www.changeover.com

787-550-9650