Continuity of Manufacturing

In all operations it is essential that the shop personnel ("mechanics") manufacturing the product are capable and skilled.  Not all jobs require the same skill level and some mechanics are better in some areas than others.  A world class company recognizes that it is foolish to rely on someone whose skill is marginal at a particular task.  To ensure success, there are mentoring and training done for newer mechanics to get them up to speed and perform at efficient levels. Over time the mechanics will understand their particular job thoroughly and will excel at it with the help of fellow mechanics and engineers. Over time all people involved in the operation will have an understanding about how things should be done.

But what about when a newer mechanic is assigned to a new position in the factory and he (or she) sees things differently.  In my experience at Boeing a new mechanic may offer good tips but may also cause some disruption.  If he interprets an engineering drawing differently than his predecessors, than that may cause a halt in production while things get sorted out,  Occasionally an unplanned drawing revision may be required in order to clear up or avoid further confusion to the intent and outcome of the operation.

Coil drawing courtesy of picsbox.biz

Its important for engineering and manufacturing to work together to keep continuity.  Weekly meetings to keep communication open will to wonders to avoid bigger headaches at times when the work must be completed ASAP in order to meet schedule.

Technology in Operations

The importance of technology in operations cannot be overstated.  Now the norm rather than the exception, numerically controlled (NC) machines can consistently produce complex designs  in fractions of time that a person (or two) can complete the job.

Typical machining operation

NC machining has it's challenges.  An NC operation must be defined by an NC programmer.  It is is paramount that the NC programmer be sufficiently skilled and experienced to accurately program the correct steps required to complete the task.  A thorough check (and possibly trial machining pass) be performed prior to working on a production part.  In my time at Boeing there were several instances where the NC program erred and cost valuable time and money.  One such instance involved a composite tape-laying machine that was incorrectly programmed.  The head of the machine drove into a composite wing and created a gouge 0.5 inch deep.  Repairing the panel required many hours (and significant financial resources) to bring the wing back to conformance.

There are also other issues.  Obviously machines break down occasionally due to high usage.  A good maintenance plan will eliminate most problems.  But when a machine breaks down, it's best to have a qualified and available person(s) available to fix the issue.  This is a good argument for owning an older model machine and not the latest version.  There is a lot of history and knowledge with older machines and this helps speed the repair process if outside consultation is required.

Of course an operation needs qualified machinists/operators to run the machine.  More importantly the machinist has to know at a moment's notice to stop the machine if something appears wrong.  Bringing new people on board to an operation should include a transition where the experienced operator will help guide the new operator through the process.

Manual NC programming

MRP and Bill of Materials

A key component of operations management focuses on the material requirements planning (MRP) system.  Materials and processes must be available at the appropriate time in the manufacturing sequence in order to build the part in time to support schedule.  Defined in the bill of materials (BOM), the "ingredients" for building the part is listed in the MRP system for anyone who needs to reference it.

( A simple chair BOM)

A big challenge comes when the part is fabricated at a supplier, far from the home base of operations.  During my time as a engineer with Boeing, there were several instances where the raw material listed in the BOM was not available. Occasionally the supplier who built the part was not able to obtain the listed material.  If no equal substitute part was called out in the BOM, this presents a problem.  If no one  can deliver the required material, the supplier will try to get a new form of material added to the BOM at the last minute in order to keep the production line moving.  A new form may required some testing, and will certainly require a handful of experts to evaluate whether it is acceptable to substitute the new material form.

The problem is that even though a supplier may have not ensured it's provider of raw material can meet the demand, it now becomes  the prime company's issue to approve the new material form and do so in a hurry.  I have been through several fast changes to the BOM, which take awhile to do in a large company.  It creates a great deal of anxiety and stress.

The takeaway from this is to ensure your supplier has enough of the raw material that is required from the BOM, and have a backup material in case  there are material shortages.

Importance of 5S in Operations

 The 5S system of organization developed by the Japanese consists of 5 steps all starting with the letter "S":

1. Sort 
2. Systematic Arrangement ("Set")
3. Shine ("Sweep")
4. Standardize
5. Sustain

 A great explanation can be found on Wikipedia along with other websites:

5S methodology from Wikipedia


I used this system when I worked at Boeing and saw how efficiently it improved operations. (I put the quotation marks around the terms as I used them at Boeing).  We used the 5S system both in the office and in the factory.

Using it in the office I noticed a little improvement. Many of the excess file cabinets, folders, etc. were eliminated by a "sort" and this did much to clean up the office.  However over time the other four steps were not followed consistently and the effectiveness of the 5S methodology diminished.

The factory operations had much better success.  I noticed that many of the tools used by the mechanics were mounted in boxes in easy to reach places (the "set" part of 5S).  As the tools were removed for use, you could see an outline of the tool painted in the box . Upon returning the tool, the mechanic could easily see where to put the tool  - much like placing a puzzle piece into a puzzle. This was especially valuable when many tools were being used at one time.  There was also a label describing the tool to ensure the correct tool was in its proper place. Regardless of the tool size the system was used and allowed a much more efficient operation. This is especially valuable because in building an aircraft you can't have unaccounted tools which could be left inside an airplane being assembled.

(Photo courtesy of leanblitzconsulting.com)

It didn't stop there. After each shift (and when required) the mechanics would literally "sweep" the floor and"sort" their work area of unwanted materials.  This became a regular expectation of the mechanics and helped to ensure the success of the "sustain" element of 5S.  I don't know how much the 5S system saved the factory.  But I did notice how  organized and efficient it became thanks to the mechanics would committed themselves to 5S.

Integrated Product Teams

Historically functional groups such as design, tooling, quality assurance, manufacturing, and others have tended to operate with their own circle.  For instance as a  design entered the functional group for evaluation, it was reviewed and then comments were passed back to the originating group (usually design).  The process iterates until everyone is pleased and then the design is moved to the next functional group and the process continues.  An extremely time-consuming process.

My best experience in avoiding this was working in an Integrated Product Team (IPT) as an engineer on the F-22 fighter program for Boeing.  In an IPT the structure is focused on a product rather than a function.  The IPT I worked in (Internal Spars) had members from design, stress, tooling, quality assurance, and manufacturing sit together to develop a superior design concurrently.  

As a design was developing, each functional member could provide immediate input to ensure the design was optimized while it was being designed rather than after the first iteration was completed.  It was a refreshing way to design a product and highlighted several benefits:

• Decreased design time as all functional members were able to contribute while the design was being developed.  Feedback was incorporated immediately and  design was able to progress more rapidly to completion. It was immediately evident that operations would be improved by working together from the beginning.
• Working together with other functional group members allowed me to understand what was important to them.  I had previously thought of other functional members as "them" but working in an IPT made me think of "us".
• In an IPT I was able to understand the entire design build process as I was involved in all phases of it, not just the design process.  I have used this experience in subsequent design activities to make me a better engineer.

(Typical IPT example)

Core Competency

A major focus in operations management is core competency - where to design and build a product, or provide a service.  If a product is going to be included in a final installation or assembly, then who does that task must also be considered.  Your company must always be asking, "Can we do it better here or would a subcontractor be better for our operation?" The obvious concerns about cost, schedule, and quality are easy ones to address when looking at a subcontractor.  Other considerations are:

• Has the subcontractor successfully performed on a contract the size of your project even with one of your competitiors?  Subcontractors are always looking for work and will tell you they can take on a bigger project - no problem.  But be wary if their facility looks small, understaffed, or too crowded with other work.   There may be no room for you.
• For U.S. products it's best to have a subcontrator building your part in the U.S. also.  Time zone differences alone are difficult to coordinate during normal work hours and this could be troublesome if a supplier is overseas.  Certainly conversations can happen 24/7, but supporting these often leads to employee dissatisfaction.  In addition there could be some language barriers to overcome with a subcontractor headquartered in a non-English speaking country.
• It's okay to split the design and manufacturing tasks but be careful.  A prime company and it's subcontractor must ensure the applicable software used for design, manufacture, ordering parts, etc. is compatible.  Especially for designs where non compatible versions must be sent through "translators" and can easily deliver "corrupt data" ouput incapable of being used.

MIT for free!

Did you know you can take classes from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for free?  It's true.  You don't have to be admitted as a full or part time student.  It's part of MIT's OpenCourseWare initiative to globally share knowledge about a wide variety of topics including business, engineering, mathematics and much more.  You won't get any academic credit from MIT for taking the course, but you can broaden your knowledge. Here is the link to the website:

http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/find-by-topic/#cat=business

There are both graduate and undergraduate course offerings available and each course syllabus outlines the structure of the class as it is taught at MIT.  For each course there are links to notes, videos, download of course materials to help facilitate the learning.  There are even links to buy the textbooks (through Amazon) and associated articles.

For Operations Management, there are 9 undergraduate courses listed, and for graduate level there are currently 55 courses available.  Many of the courses are sequential so if you really want to become an expert in a topic, it's all there.

Value Stream Mapping

One of the best methods to improving a process or operation flow is to use value stream mapping.  A value stream map is a graphical representatnion  of the work flow and all the associated inputs required to complete a specified process.  It gives you a complete picture of what is going on (which may be different than what your organization intended to happen!).  Even if you believe you have an efficient process, it's a great tool for improvement.

Here is an example of a generic value stream map:

The best way to start is to identify all the stakeholders in the process and gather them in a conference room.  Using paper and markers physically draw the process and engage all members to participate in how they see the process.  Once completed, post your new value stream map on a wall in the conference room and have everyone work to see how it can be improved.

Once the comments have been completed you will have a new, improved process guaranteed to improve flow time and lower costs. I did this several times while working at Boeing and saw significant improvements in operations.

Engineering Role in Operations

It is arguable as to what engineering's role in operations plays once a design is being assembled.  The best design engineers will certainly invite operations and manufacturing leaders to weigh in and offer constructive input early in the design process.  This is best done in the form of design reviews at scheduled times during the design process and will also include other functional representatives (i.e. quality assurance, tooling, etc.).

But what happens when engineering has released the design to manufacturing and no longer "controls" that part of the build process?  Many debate what engineering's role plays then, but an effective operation will  insist that the engineers remain actively involved in the process even after the engineer design is released to manufacturing.  A world class organization will consult with engineers when questions or problems arise.

To be effective in keeping engineering effectively involved the best organizations know one fact:  The closer the engineers are to the manufacturing operation, the more effective the throughput of parts through the factory.  For those who like equations:

                   Operations Effectiveness Ratio (OER) = 1/ Distance from engineers to factory


The distance can be in inches, feet. or miles.  It doesn't matter.  You can see that the greater the distance between manufacturing and engineering, the less effective the operation.

If suppliers are used, this is a bigger challenge.  Although prime integration companies feel that  phone and/or video telecoms will suffice to an effective operation, it has been my experience that this doesn't work.  You need a knowledgeable and proactive engineering presence on the factory floor to ensure a smooth operation is maintained.