Smoothed Production

The topic of discussion today will be the so-called smoothed production. It is integral for customer satisfaction as it is a part of the ordering and complete fulfillment process. It makes sure that the supply chain capabilities are enough for stable production.

Smooth production benefits you by having a proper influence on your workplace configuration. It does this by helping to create a stable output with optimized inventory via a pre-condition. This presupposition/pre-condition simplifies your workplace based on the following conditions:

• Standardized work processes

• One-Piece Flow within the workstation

• Complete processing

• Stabile customer TAKT TIME

• Minimal TAKT TIME loss

• Maximum Output

• Flexible deployment of workers

• “U-Shaped“ layout

• Set-up time optimization

• Quicker material change

• Two-Bin-Principle

The smooth production is structured in the following:

• Planning Strategy

• Constant lot sizes

• Stabile material needs

• Fixed production times

• Flexible inventories

• Fixed timelines

• Higher delivery dependability

It is implemented by:

Material flow

• Scheduling methods

• No part shortages

• Pull-principle

• Supermarket

• Route traffic

• Small containers

Warehouse Organization 

• Full transparency

• FIFO-Principle

• Minimal warehouse levels

• Set assembly

• Bar codes and Data Matrix Codes

You may be asking the question, “but why do we need smooth production?”

It is a well-known fact that smooth production has many veritable advantages. With that said, there are also some potential drawbacks, but those can be eliminated or at the very least mitigated in the implementation phase. 

Here are some of the benefits and drawbacks of smooth production:

The next question you might be asking is, “how does one implement smooth production?”.

Following are some of the requirements for smooth production:

• Variable worker allocations should be the basis for the production power of the system. The variable shift models are first optimized for maximum output and then implemented specifically.

• Two factors determine the minimum inventory of safety stock for a part number. The first is the variability in customer ordering habits. The second factor is the degree to which the program is successful in the production line. To hit the right spot between these two factors will require systematic optimization with the help of a mathematical model.

• To determine what the maximum inventory of each part number should be, we should look at the delivery cycle of that said part number. This is essential for weekly pick-ups or delivery.

• The production equipment inventory should be in accordance with necessary tool changes and set-up times.

• The weekly production plan should be consistently released to the concerned parties once the production macro planning has been finished.

• An information board at the assembly areas will contain all the planned orders.

• The material requirement determination should solely be on the basis of the production plan.

• Assembly areas should be designated for the online measurement of production units. A data matrix system should be implemented for reducing errors in the documentation process.

• The ability to control production is a must if there are any noticeable short-term reactions arising due to discrepancies between the expected outcome and the actual outcome of the production plan.

• Any daily deviations must be dealt with proper countermeasures. The production plan must be flexible enough to allow time to deal with backlogs. Meeting shipping deadlines is the primary goal.

• A time-saving approach must be implemented in moving full racks from assembly areas to warehousing. 

• The requirements of the long-term sales plan should be integrated into the production plan so that production capacities and worker allocation are determined. 

• It is imperative that order calling and Just-In-Time delivery schedule data be automatically transferred to the resource planing system so that production planning can be done.

• The production planning for the system will determine the specific production calendars with your organizations shift models. 

• All underlying data in the system must contain related shipping dates or the dates can be transferred from the demand data as well. 

• To control the complete system, the updated inventory trend with planned shipping dates, for example, weekly and monthly, should be represented graphically.

• All possible scenarios should be simulated, because it is important to determine optimum capacities, performance, etc. for universal or shared production areas.

So, what factors make smooth production successful?

The two factors are planned output realization and controlling of supply

1. Production plan fulfillment as a part of planned output realization (source: Information board at production area as part of shop floor mgt)

2. Performance grading of workers in the production area that is done on the basis of the number of Dollars created in exchange for optimal material usability and worker effort (whether overtime or temporary workers)

3. Material usability of purchased parts, WIP, and raw materials when assembly time bears the cost or parts become short (Source: Information board at production area as part of shop floor mgt)

4. Special trips for the respective assembly area as a truthful Dollar figure

5. Supply capabilities and service grade for finished goods are measured using the number of delivered parts and the number of delivery dates met as a result of customer requests when demand data is transferred. (Source: Information board at production area as part of shop floor mgt)

Alternative measures for the success of smooth production:

• Usage of constant customer feedback to determine customer satisfaction as used by companies e.g. from the automotive industry 

• Iterative comparison of customer feedback with important shipping and delivery figures

• Target values of no customer feedback are used to get parameters to measure with

With the help of Kaizen workshops in conjunction with the introduction and implementation are used to create optimal basic parameters of success:

• The finished goods inventory levels are available transparently to be used as an early warning signal

• A minimal failure rate is strived for in the overall process of making sure of data from the production and logistics division

• Over-production of products is reduced by ensuring that upstream assemblies are only producing the right amount of product to be used by the downstream processes

• With the implementation of workshops, the set-up time can be reduced drastically

• Constant reduction of purchase parts does not diminish the availability of the material in the production line while also reducing downtime 

• Optimal balance is achieved for assembly lines and areas and the requirements are met for variable worker allocation

• The specifications of operator qualification shall determine how the qualification and training of workers should be conducted

• There has been evidence of improvement in production flexibility in comparison to the past

Layered Process Audit

Today we will talk about layered process audits.

LPA, or Layered Process Auditing, is a quality technique developed for manufacturing management. When used correctly, LPA brings your organization to improve quality, minimize scrap and rework, plus reduce customer rejections by driving cultural change throughout your company. To gain a better idea and to understand what LPA means we will have a little deep dive.

Layered Audits are a defined approach that devotes time and resources to ensuring that high-risk procedures and error-proofing mechanisms are consistent and functional. Therefore, three important components make up a Layered Process Auditing System:

• Full focus on High Risk Processes (HRP) by a list of defined audits

• Depending on layer of audit the audit itself is performed from various levels of management

• A system of reporting and follow-up to ensure that containment is maintained based on specific needs. But also, to maintain and drive the continuous improvement process in your organization

A full stack of audits

This part of a Layered Process Auditing System is straightforward. Audits are merely a set of questions aimed to investigate machinery or processes. An LPA system's audits should concentrate solely on parts of the value adding process where deviation poses a high risk of producing defective products. E.g. if you have an end of the line quality check station that is measuring crucial parameters or functions that are critical to customers of your product and the calibration is wrong, you are producing in Takt defective or non-conforming products. No need to mention that you should keep an eye on that process. With the help of a proper LPA system you will have the EOL station within the layers allowing containment and corrective action as soon as the station surpasses set tolerances.

Multiple layers of audits comes with multiple layers of auditors

Multiple layers of authority from across your manufacturing department conduct audits on a regular basis, at a predetermined frequency, in an LPA system. For example, once per shift, the Shift Leader conduct an audit that checks the parameters or settings of your EOL-Station. Another layer of management, which may include process engineers, maintenance staff, or even the human resources department, would circulate through the system performing the exact same audit. The sample audit might be performed once a week or once a month by someone in the layer by assigning a number of auditors to this layer and establishing a timetable that cycles through the system's audits. Yet another layer of management, such as the plant manager or even executive staff (the number of levels in an LPA system can vary enormously from facility to facility, depending on your organizations demands and needs). This extra layer of auditors performs the same collection of audits on a rotating schedule, concluding the example audit once a month or once a quarter, for example.

Countermeasures, Containment Actions, Reporting and Improvement Process

In order to have an effective, a Layered Process Audit system you’ll have to combine analysis, measures and improvement process.

If an auditor observes a non-conformance during an audit, the auditor should not only document their findings but also take quick appropriate action to ensure that defective products do not leave the facility. In order to help with the documentation and immediate actions you can use the A3 report and methodology. Simple but effective. You can find it here. Anyway, the findings should be documented and made readily available to management for further analysis. An LPA system is a handy tool for debugging problem areas and identifying areas that are suitable for improvement actions when combined with a strong system for recording and reporting these audit results. A systematic approach will be discussed in the Shop Floor Mgmt. article.

Though Layered Process Audits may be developed to meet a customer or corporate demand, effective LPA systems are built, implemented, managed, accountable to, and owned by your participatory manufacturing management group. A solid LPA system may help you to take proactive control of your manufacturing operations while also enhancing product quality and business bottom line.