Problem
Custom manufacturing lead times needed to be cut in half in order to break into new market without product redesign or investment in inventory.
Approach
- Focus on pacemaker process to establish flow.
- Establish all floor personnel design team & improve their capabilities to design flow solution.
- Create environment of floor-controlled change in step with new accountability structure.
Recommendations
- Create a semi-continuous flow process (pulse line) for 60-100 ton custom engines.
- Create integrated visual control environment that is takt time based.
- Create visual response system with support teams.
Results
- 25% reduction in steps to produce at startup of pulse line.
- Created floor leaders capable of high lean impact and authorized to make improvements, a complete shift in organization culture, for multi-year transformation on their own.
- Company-wide visual measurement of performance and response.
