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In a site-wide Lean transformation, success depends upon the use of a structured approach to deployment. Ensuring this success is a process of moving each value stream through the 5 basic steps of deployment: Stabilize, Flow, Takt, Pull, and Sustain. Let’s define each of these:
Stabilize: Installing the base elements for stability and quality.
- Stabilize staffing: Minimize large/short notice fluctuation in staffing through constant communication and monitoring. Improve everyone’s job flexibility using job rotation and skill matrix tracking.
- Stabilize processes: Create a discipline for standards through the rollout of 5S, followed by standardized operating procedures guided by standard work rules. Start OEE analysis of the equipment and start PDCA/A3 problems solving. Start OPE analysis of the operators and start PDCA/A3 problems solving.
- Stabilize quality: Identify the critical quality points in the process using QFD. Ensure the utilization of tools for both building in and checking quality (SPC, Poka-Yoke, and Andons). Problem solve specific large issues (FMEA or PDCA/A3).
- Stabilize maintenance: Identify autonomous maintenance activity and link to maintenance department schedules. Train operators as necessary. Develop maintenance KPIs (MTTR etc.).
- Stabilize logistics: Check history of logistics delivery effectiveness, problem-solve issues. Build short-term inventories if necessary to ensure uninterrupted supply during transformation.
Flow: Introduce the visual tools, triggers and inventory to ensure flow of material.
- Smooth demand: Install leveling board to smooth out and make information visible. Group products where necessary with batch building boards.
- Balance work content: Balance the work content between equipment and people using Yamazumi (work balance boards). Eliminate start/stop activities & waste.
- Visualize material: Make inventory visible and standardize the movement of material with FIFO lanes and supermarkets. Design visual triggers and responses from the team to prevent stock-out situations.
- Align logistics delivery: Follow guidelines from logistics micro designs to improve delivery and to remove or minimize material holding using 2-bin systems, synchronized delivery, small parts boxes, etc.
Takt: Pace the flow to match that of customer demand.
- Monitor performance: Track progress of the production area in real time using production boards or monitors. Develop team leader responses for under-performance.
- Identify Takt time requirements: Design differentiated manning/loading tables for different takts with target cycle times. Link back to production boards or monitors.
- Create loading process: Prepare standardized preparation schedules and standardized work combination sheets for the different Takt times.
- Link to overall production planning: Ensure linkage between Takt time planning and the capacity planning process. Create a standardized preparation schedule and discussion process (weekly meetings etc.)
Pull: Link individual processes together to create a single process flow.
- Link processes to one another: Physically link upstream and downstream process together using kanbans, conveyors, trolleys, electronic signals, queuing rails. Develop capabilities of operators and logistics.
- Re-dimension and reduce WIP: Gradually reduce inter-process inventories as systems and capabilities mature. Create regular system/kanban maintenance checks.
- Build skills/capability matrix: Improve skills matrix and operator development plans to add flexibility. Link to performance reviews and progression criteria. Train leaders in ‘train the trainer’ skills.
- Create manpower flexibility triggers: Re-allocate manpower across areas in real time, to meet customer demand, triggered by manpower allocation tables. Use Andon support teams and overtime to add flexibility.
Sustain: Review and improve the change and coach line managers.
- Update Standardized work: Amend standardized work for improvements to production process. Train personnel in standardized work Kaizen.
- Create audits: Write audit sheets for all key elements of lean design.
- Schedule weekly audit sessions led by a non-area person: Report results to management.
- Coach managers: Identify areas requiring additional coaching. Complete trainings. Create communication channels for ad-hoc support.
- Link performance to plant control center: Link activities to line control and plant performance monitoring system. Create trigger point management systems and escalation procedures.
- Build continuous improvement: Create improvement infrastructure in the team. Develop idea management process. Train personnel in problem solving methodology.
There is a lot of information packed into the above descriptions and many abbreviations have been used. For a complete list of definitions and acronyms, please refer to my Manufacturing Dictionary. Implementing a site-wide transformation is no small task; it takes skill, expertise, and tenacity. We can help.