Posts written by tgg

Author: Phil Ralphs

 RRS Analysis

• Lean is all about removing waste from the process. Runner, Repeater, Stranger (RSS) analysis will remove excess motion and transportation from your processes. RRS is similar to the 5S concept of storing what you use most frequently closest to you. The products or transactions that you touch the most frequently should be organized in locations that will minimize transportation and motion.
• RRS analysis requires frequency and quantity data for the products or transactions. The data is then analyzed based on frequency and variation in quantity to identify the runners, repeaters, and strangers. The Coefficient of Variation (CoV) is used to test for statistical variation. The frequency and CoV are assigned a weighting and scored. Each product or transaction can then be given a numerical score that represents frequency and CoV. All products or transactions can then be sorted into RRS to reduce waste in the process.

• When Runners, Repeaters, & Strangers are known we can modify our processes to minimize the wasted motion and transportation.
• Scheduling strategies can be created for Runners, Repeaters, & Stranger
  • Implement Kanban for fast moving (Runners) product
  • Look at special order only for Strangers

Author: Joe Costello

Production Preparation Process (3P) or “When the need to do it right the first time means you keep your job.”

When you put a monument in place you better not plan on moving it for a long time. Our team had to locate (4) 30’ wide and 200’ long printing presses.  Each press has support machinery, tooling, and other auxiliary areas that require proper planning (the 1^st time).

In the Lean manufacturing world, “3P” (Production Preparation Process) is a method in which we model a high number of operational layout variations in rapid succession, i.e. PDCA.

Previously, Lean had been largely relegated to fixing existing problems in manufacturing plants. 3P takes Lean principles upstream into the new product development arena and applies them liberally at the point in the process where they can have the most influence on both product and operation.

The 3P process allows you to create a 3-dimensional (scaled) version of your plant which illuminates constraints and under-utilized floor space.  Properly designed raw, WIP & finished goods inventory levels can be allocated and located with an assurance of supporting flow and product velocity (think Kanban sizing).

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One of the greatest attributes of the 3P process is in its ability to view, share and critique the layout in a very inexpensive way and at all levels of the organization. In our recent model, we used fork truck operators to critique the material flow lanes; we used maintenance managers to review the machinery access panel requirements; and, we used the EH&S managers to approve the egress paths & hazardous products storage locations. Operational and transactional staffing (see the Minions) options were reviewed, the machine staffing was defined the number of fork trucks was determined.

The break rooms and bathrooms were moved and adjusted several times all for free!  Everyone in the organization had a chance to contribute their ideas and in a matter of a few days, we build an efficient model that covered the 300,000 square feet of scaled operational areas.

Our client has already put an extension on their plant that doubled the production floor space, they will be installing over a dozen new machines and as you can imagine the flow of the process has to be right the first time.

Why does 3P work?

• Intense cross-functional collaboration
• Product development concurrent with Process
• Rapid learning and Try-storming
• A process that moves quickly through a series of steps that activate our thinking and help us gain
• Understanding as we evaluate and converge upon optimum solutions.

Authors: Lynn Clark & Joe Costello

Recently, I worked with a team who wanted to know what parts of their process were keeping them from achieving the most responsive, most efficient manufacturing plant possible. They had been training their employees and doing several continuous improvement projects and wanted to ensure their efforts were coordinated on the process constraints. 

The cross-functional team was key to the success of this event. Their process knowledge expedited the discovery process. Team members represented operations, Continuous Improvement, and finance. Plus, the entire staff at the plant was very helpful and offered information and their perspectives of the process.

We started with the development of a high-level SIPOC of the entire process, including the front end order receipt and production schedule development process. At this point, most of the emphasis was upon the process steps and key inputs. 

Next key data for each process step was added. Typical data includes; cycle time, WIP, inventories, performance, availability, yield, crewing size, schedules, etc. This data varies depending upon the types of questions you are trying to answer with the Value Stream Mapping. 

All of these inputs were displayed in a single continuous flow with the process steps moving from left to right and the key data posted directly below the process steps.  Ancillary support data, such as production schedules, were posted on the wall for easy reference.

• The blue stars represent process improvement opportunities

Data was extracted from various systems and reports. Key data essential form making recommendations was summarized and validated.

• The percent Value Add time of total lead time was calculated
• Most processes have <10% VA
• Capability analysis on inbound and customer requirements was performed to understand process performance

Some data was then reduced to waterfall charts to increase the visibility of the opportunities for each key asset. These opportunities were converted from hours to dollars to help prioritize which improvement concepts merited action.

In this case, the team identified a nominal $2MM of improvement opportunities. Most of those are not single one time projects. It is more likely that they will take a series of improvement efforts very much in the spirit of Toyota’s culture. The value stream map has a shelf life and is only as good as the data from which it was derived. It is commonly recommended that the VSM be revisited every 6 to 12 months to account for the changes common in all businesses.

The Guthrie Group (TGG) team is proud to announce the release of our newly redesigned website! The site was redesigned with user-friendly navigation, updated with the latest information about our products and services and a simple access to the information you need. We have created a new order to cash wheel describing common problems faced by our clients and how to find solutions.

Some other new features include a much more thorough listing of TGG consulting services, an ‘up-to-date training class schedule, with an easy to register page. There is a TGG blog, where you will find up-to-date events. Visit our store, to find all your training simulations needs.

So start exploring. Learn about our current training classes, view the improved calendar of upcoming events. Discover our cash wheel (tools) to help run your business more effectively. Read about our past successes. We hope that you will enjoy browsing our new site, finding more options and information each time and that it will be another tool for strengthening our business relations.

Take a look around and have fun!

A HUGE THANK YOU to NorthStar Marketing who designed our new website. Check them out at http://www.northstarmarketing.com/

Learning  – Leaders – Strategic Change

Contact TGG at:

service@guthriegroup.com or (336) 404-9020

TGG Graduates 18 New Certified Lean Green Belts

Philadelphia, Pa, November 11, 2015 – The Guthrie Group (TGG) graduated 18 Paperwork (PWI) employees to certified Lean Green Belts this past November.  During a 2 day event held in Philadelphia, 18 PWI employees were recognized for their efforts to become certified Lean Green Belts.  As top management looked on, Todd Letherer, Vice President of Quality and Continuous Improvement, congratulated the 18 PWI employees and recognized their hard work.  “This certification process is the cornerstone of our efforts to internalize the expertise needed to continue the drive for operational excellence across our platform” stated Todd Letherer.  “We are glad all of you could join us here and meet your PWI peers from across the organization.”  It was the first time in PWI history that employees from (5) of the PWI plants were gathered together.  Employees from Baldwinsville, Greensboro, Hamilton (Canada), Hastings and Mount Gilead plants were represented at the event as well as top management from the Bala Cynwyd corporate office.

The graduating group represented over 24,000 training hours, 105 Kaizen events completed, 83 SMED certifications, 14 RCFA projects in development.  $4.4 Million dollars was saved throughout the corporation during their training.  “You are leaders in this organization and you are “THE” representation of our efforts to internalize a culture of continuous improvement at PWI!” stated Todd Letherer.

The event also allowed for presentations of PWI Kaizen event success stories and TGG presented learning tutorials and a production simulation where the newly certified belts could practice their Lean skills.  The Guthrie Group offers Lean Green and Black Belt Training at your place of business or at their corporate offices – 3859 Battleground Ave, Suite 202, Greensboro, NC.  TGG offers an extensive training including the (7) areas of study for MGB/MBB.

PaperWorks Mfg. Green Belts 2015

ToyotaKata Coaches – This coach understand how the ‘lean management system’ works within management and employees. There are (3) main tools and they must be able to apply them in the workplace.

• Leader standard work
• Daily Management
• ToyotaKata problem solving

RCFA Analysts – RCFA analysts solve systemic problems in order to cash process using a (8) step methodology.

• Develop problem statement
• Scope the problem
• Set the Target
• Identify root causes (Get data!)
• Identify solutions
• Implement solutions
• Evaluate the solution
• Standardize the solution

Strands are experts focused on equipment reliability and moving from ‘reactive’ to ‘planned’ activities within maintenance.

SMED Experts ‘Single minute exchange of dies’ developed in the automotive industry all types of businesses us this tool, regardless if tooling is involved.

• Video camera experience
• Swim lane mapping
• Equipment operation knowledge

Transactional Experts work on any “PC” based process; one that doesn’t include a physical product or widget. These experts know how to measure, analyze and improve products.

Kaizen Facilitators lead Kaizen events team events of 8 -12 members. They have

• The ability to lead a group in problem solving or training
• Assign/delegate/coach employees effectively with tasks
• Know the tools of Lean

5s/Visual Experts are individuals that can apply 5s/visual tools in almost any workplace. They understand that 5s is the #1 countermeasure against WORMPIIT wastes.

TGG will monitor their progress and make sure it is properly tracked on a ‘personalized’ skills matrix.