Feature Article Schedule
Wednesday 6/21/2023
Friday 6/23/2023
Wednesday 6/28/2023
6 hours 2 hours Friday 6/30/2023
Wednesday 7/05/2023
6 hours 1 hour 1 hour Friday 7/07/2023
Mid-week one day scheduled
End week check progress
Continued from pg 35 Table 2
Define the Business Case with Metrics & Goals for the Kaizen With each event we need to define the scope and our desired result with some form of charter, or business case. Once the scope of the event is
defined, we need to understand the current state of the area and make observations with fresh eyes, identifying what is needed to achieve the goal for this area (Figure 3).
Create an Improvement Activity Plan After BIMAC completed a search for an experienced Kaizen facilitator who matched our needs, we selected our Ceramic Mold work area to hold a scheduled series of improvement events. Part of the decision to select this area was one of our people had +25 years’ experience – a key part of the team. The focused improvement events or
36 ❘ August 2023 ®
kaizen was scheduled as in Table 2. After detailed observations of the current condition of the area, we started the “sort” and categorized items as not needed, rarely used, frequently used items. We devised a logical grid system
to identify storage locations for all raw materials for future use – particularly Kanban replenishment locations. The team kept simple track of what
was agreed to accomplish by Who and by When. Our leadership reviewed these lists upon the start and end of each day. The summary of this will be presented by the Kaizen team to our entire workforce during our monthly lunch.
After identifying 84 unused customer patterns, another result was clearing significant additional storage space in our factory outside the target area. Most of these patterns have not
been used for decades, more are waiting approval from the customer to scrap or return obsolete tooling.
Conclusion To create a sense of accomplishment, each rapid improvement event is celebrated with a presentation given by the people within the subject work center during lunch for all employees. Follow up actions include, for example, adding spigots to drums when opened and adding drip trays to prevent wasting hardener, replumbing 480 electrical lines to relocate a mixer motor to reduce walking distance, buying specific permanent signage to replace temporary paper
signage, and engaging with
suppliers to set up Kanban card labels. Tracking every item is doable with the participation of an engaged workforce. At the writing of this article, BIMAC has
2 hours 2 hours 4 hours 2 hours
Duration Location 4 hours
Activity Meeting Room
Selected team, training on kaizen & 5-S, set metrics and goals.
Shop: Ceramic Mold area Identified: 7 skids of junk, one machine not used for +25 years, 84 unused casting patterns.
Shop: Ceramic Mold area Facilitator onsite to check progress and advise team for improvements.
Shop: Ceramic Mold area Major reorganization of area underway. Scrapped junk approved by management, reviewing list of obsolete patterns with customer for approval to scrap or return.
Meeting Room
Trained buyer on reorder points based on usage & lead time; setup kanban card for raw material replenishment trail.
Shop: Ceramic Mold area Facilitator onsite to check progress and advise team for improvements.
Shop: Ceramic Mold area Continued reorganization of area. Set in place improved flow work center layout, including material storage locations.
Meeting Room Break Room
Trained intern engineer on concept of grid layout for entire facility to standardize labeling of locations for all materials.
Work team presented results to all employees at lunch meeting.
Shop: Ceramic Mold area Facilitator onsite to check progress and advise team for improvements.
Continuing cycle: Plan-Do-Check-Act.
People on team list issues needed to achieve short term goals; leadership checks progress, and team adjusts actions, until agreed interim metrics achieved. Then leadership will shift improve focus to another area.
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