Improving Performance Capacity Via Lean Value Stream

This glass fabrication facility was performing well below their potential capacity, resulting in a net operating loss rather than producing a profit.

In order to rectify the situation, significant improvements were needed to increase productivity and throughput while decreasing operational costs, downtime, overtime, cycle time, waste, and inventory.

The goal was to optimize the manufacturer’s current processes by increasing the current daily production rate of 4,000 sq. ft. per shift to 7,500 sq. ft. per shift with no additional staff. With this increase, the plant would become profitable.

The Juran Manufacturing Team worked closely with the manufacturer to develop a phased and incremental project schedule. Worker behavior was observed, process steps were mapped, and WIP was timed. It was discovered that there were areas throughout the plant that had become “catch-alls” for inventory, unused materials, and items with no specific ownership. There were tools all over the workplace with no specific places for them.

5S (plus 6S-Safety) was implemented throughout the plant to create a clean and orderly workspace where everything that was needed could be found easily and was readily available in the right quantities and at the appropriate times.

By conducting a value-added vs. non-value added analysis, the team identified areas where relatively small changes could result in dramatic improvements in a short time. One such area was the Frame Assembly area. Through a simple re-layout of this area, excess handling and product movement was dramatically reduced. A standard work process was developed and implemented.

Juran worked with the Manufacturing Team to develop a data collection plan for per shift process control. Supervisors had to track the production every hour for a rolled up number per shift of the planned vs. actual square footage produced. Re-cuts and re-work were also monitored for process improvement opportunities.

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• Improved inventory layout and access
• Scheduled adherence
• Analysis of inventory and elimination of unused inventory
• Prioritization process for re-cuts

Tempering

• Improved oven capacity utilization
• Increased productivity at unloading of ovens

Insulating

• Optimized pick-up of glass
• Eliminated unnecessary non-value added motion