Lean from the get-go: this shop's visual management tools form its lean manufacturing foundation

Modern Machine Shop, July, 2005 by Derek Korn

Shadow boards, tool chest labeling and fixture identification are other examples of how it applies 5S to its shop. From day one, each new employee is told to put things back where they belong. The conversation probably goes something like, 'there's the hook, here's the wrench, hang it there every time.'

3. Setup Photos--Each time a new job is set up, R&D takes photos of the fixtures, tools--anything that will be helpful in setting up the job again so there is no wheel-reinvention the next time that job comes through the shop. These photos, along with standardized work sheets, are included in each manila job folder.

This paper-based system allows workers to quickly write down measurements or jot down notes directly on job sheets or setup photo printouts. Paperless systems have their merits, especially in terms of controlling documents and procedures, but Mr. Malone's desire for a visual factory overrides his desire for paperless documentation. "I can pick up a folder, for example, and look at a number of papers at once to get all the information about a job at an instant," Mr. Malone explains. "This is much quicker than navigating through a computer and viewing a variety of documents separately--that's if the computer isn't already being used by another worker."

4. On-Deck Boards--Each machine tool has a simple dry-erase board that lists the number of the current job running on the machine as well as prioritized jobs in queue. The beauty of these boards is that with a quick scan, operators know the job sequence, so they can start collecting tools, doing necessary programming or completing any other duties to prepare for setting up that next job. This not only makes for effective use of what would otherwise be worker downtime, but also assists in job scheduling. The owners can easily change job sequence if. for example, a customer needs parts sooner than expected.

Focus On Herbie

Continuous improvement (kaizen in lean lingo) is a core concept that every manufacturer hoping to remain competitive must employ. That said, the choice of which process to improve is equally important. There's no point boosting a race car's horsepower, for example, if its transmission is slipping. Similarly, there's no point in adding a lightning-fast machine to a work cell if it is going to result in excessive work in process (WIP).

Enter "Herbie," who is illustrative of a continuous improvement approach that targets the slowest, most constrictive process. Herbie is a character in "The Goal," a production management book written by Eliyahu Goldratt. As the story goes, Herbie is part of Boy Scout troop who, on a single-file hike, becomes the constraint that hinders the troop's progress because the Scouts are not allowed to pass the slowest member (Herbie).

In terms of a machine shop, Herbie is the prime production bottleneck. R&D meets at least twice a week to identify Herbie. According to Mr. Malone, once Herbie is found, the trick is to make him the shop's heartbeat so that all the other processes work in conjunction with that pace. "The key is to have all processes flowing work at that same rate," says Mr. Malone. "Otherwise, WIP will increase, and that WIP could waste valuable floor space or potentially turn to scrap."