Processes and Layout

Is the layout conducive to a good flow of materials? Are processes as connected as the current state of technology allows? Can certain tasks be semi-automated or automated without reducing the flexibility of your line? Are the team members well trained and do they have good work instructions? Are the line leaders and the supervisors doing a good job?

Arthurs & Company consultants bring in the engineering muscle you need to make quick progress without significant investment.

We work on solutions that make sense to your business. For example, if long changeovers are an obstacle to a good flow of materials, we help re-engineer them based on the SMED approach. We can help put U-shaped cells in place if they show their value with your processes.

Results

These lean tools and techniques have allowed many organizations to increase their efficiency by 20-60%. One critical indicator we look at is value-added time. We often get operators from 3-6 seconds per minute to 20 seconds or more — it means the time they spend actually transforming the product is multiplied by a factor of three or more. This can realistically be achieved with a 6-month lean improvement project.

Predictive & Preventive Maintenance

Most manufacturers see automation as the solution to rising labor costs. Yet we have seen multiple instances of an organization investing heavily into robots and not being able to maintain them properly. A poorly set piece of complex equipment can run an organization out of business through a combination of downtime and poor quality.

The concepts of predictive and preventive maintenance are somewhat foreign to most manufacturing leaders. They are usually reactive rather than proactive in ensuring the equipment is in a healthy state. This approach must change before the factory goes down the path of automation Arthurs & Company can help with this.

Kaizen Event

Your operators, line leaders, supervisors, and engineers have a lot of good ideas. They know your processes very well — much better than your managers or any external consultants you bring in. Giving them some introductory training modules, such as the 8 wastes, can help you tap into their ideas, and in turn, help you save a lot of money.