The Lean Changeover Newsletter

SEPTEMBER 2008

SOME THOUGHTS ON...

TIME

A few years ago IBM ran an ad showing a harried looking executive and
the caption was "Innovative thinking? We don't even have time for bad
thinking". I liked it enough that I scanned it and use it in my "Lean
Changeover Made ESEE" workshops. (Thanks, IBM!)

Many face this problem daily. They get caught up in just trying to
deal with the typical daily problems and get product out the door.
This creates a vicious cycle in which the emphasis becomes working
around the symptoms. Lack of time prevents correcting the underlying
or "root" causes of the problem. It is the classic chicken and the
egg. Can't fix the problem because of lack of time, don't have time
it gets used up dealing with symptoms.

I don't need to tell any of you that this is not good. The problem is
how to break the cycle.

One issue is to identify the root causes instead of the symptoms.
Toyota uses a technique that they call the "Five Whys". This uses a
repetitive process to drill down to the root. For example:

Why did Mary slip and fall? (Because there was oil on the floor)
Why was there oil on the floor? (Because a seal was leaking)
Why was the seal leaking? (Because the shaft was scored)
Why was the shaft scored? (Because the mechanic used the wrong tool
eg; ViseGrip pliers)
Why did the mechanic use the wrong tool (Because the proper tool was
not readily available)

As you can see from the above, the problem is not so much the oil on
the floor. That is a problem and it needs to be cleaned up, of
course. If that is all that is done, time will be lost every day
cleaning it and, between cleanings, another accident may occur. Even
replacing the seal, if not done correctly, will not permanently solve
the problem. The real solution is to make sure that the proper tool
is readily available to the mechanic. Note the phrase "readily
available". It may not be enough to have the tool in the tool crib.
If it takes too much time to get the tool, and there is too much
pressure to get the machine back up and running, the improper but
available tool may be used.

Training also enters into it. Many plants do not provide regular
training to mechanics and technicians. After all, they are supposed
to know this stuff, right? The mechanic in the above example may have
used ViseGrips simply because they did not know that this was not the
proper tool. And, since there is pressure to keep the machines
running, there may not be time for training.

Another time consumer is troubleshooting. In my experience most of
the time spent in repairing machinery is spent figuring out what is
wrong. Fixing it is usually the easy part. Many mechanics and
technicians have never been trained to approach troubleshooting in a
systematic fashion. Too often it is "tinker with this adjustment,
replace that part". Keep repeating until the machine works again. It
may not work correctly and they may not have any idea what they did
to actually fix it. It is working and the supervisor is off their
back. That is the important thing. (They think!)

Not only is more time spent than necessary in correcting the problem,
future time is lost because it was not properly and permanently fixed.

There is always enough time for repairs, though, as I mentioned
above, perhaps not enough time to permanent and proper repair.
Strangely, there is often not enough time to prevent the need for the
repair in the first place. Preventive and predictive maintenance take
time. They may require that machines be stopped. Plants may be
unwilling to do this. There are two paybacks: 1) the stoppage can
occur at the most convenient time rather than the least convenient
time for a breakdown. 2) The amount of time spent preventing the need
for repair will most likely be less than the amount of time spent
making the repair. Plants with good P/PM programs will run more
smoothly, operators and technicians will be happier and production
levels will be higher. Sure it takes an effort in time and money. It
always pays.

Time is our most precious resource. There is only so much of it. The
only way to get an edge on time is to use it more wisely. Root cause
analysis, training, effective troubleshooting and P/PM are tools that
will help you do this.

The above is drawn from my Effective Troubleshooting Workshop. If you
would like information on how you can schedule this workshop in your
plant, give me a call at 787-550-9650 or e-mail john@changeover.com


TIP OF THE MONTH...
THREAD GAUGES

Sometimes simple things can have big positive impacts. One of my pet
peeves is the amount of time spent looking for the proper nut or
bolt. An even bigger peeve is the damage done when the wrong fastener
is used. For example a fine thread with a course bolt or a metric
bolt with a standard thread.

I recommend that every mechanic have a thread and fastener diameter
in their toolbox and they be encouraged to use it. These are cheap
and simple. You might even be able to talk your hardware supplier
into giving you some.