When a factory starts working on a Lean initiative, one of the first steps generally involves putting up lean visual management boards on walls. We are not against visuals. Actually, nearly every project we do in the production area involves putting up or improving on a board. But there can be common issues...
... Read MoreTopics: Management/Turnaround
After working closely with a number of organizations, it has become obvious that poor problem-solving abilities are a root cause of poor performance. No wonder GE made Six Sigma (and the DMAIC framework) a company wide initiative in the 1990s...
... Read MoreTopics: Lean Manufacturing, Management/Turnaround
Today many factories in China that are too close to city centers are being asked to relocate further out as environmental laws, amongst other things, come increasingly into force.
In this post I will categorize factory relocations into the 3 most common scenarios and give more details on each...
... Read MoreTopics: Chinese Factories, New factory setup
I have been working in the quality field for about 10 years now and just recently did I discover a rule of thumb that changed the way I view quality improvements.
... Read MoreTopics: Quality, Mistake proofing
This article will help you avoid some VERY common mistakes that have an impact on OEM manufacturing production cost, quality, and/or timelines...
Topics: Cost Reduction, OEM Manufacturing
When a consultant shows a factory how a poka yoke (mistake-proofing) system can get rid of frequent mistakes committed by operators, they look at the consultant like he/she is a genius.
However, anybody with a dose of creativity and an understanding of the main types of poka yokes can come up with good ideas. Here are the 6 main types of mistake proofing techniques...
... Read MoreTopics: Quality, Mistake proofing
To explain how effective and important mistake proofing can be, CMC have created a new eBook called: "14 Mistake Proofing Examples: Improve Quality at Virtually No Cost." Read more about this free eBook and get your own copy here...
... Read MoreTopics: Quality, Mistake proofing
In this blog post I will count down 5 great lean blogs & 2 lean podcasts that we follow with interest and highly recommend...
... Read MoreTopics: Lean Manufacturing, Management/Turnaround
The term “Industry 4.0” came to be widely known in 2012 with the suggestion of a modernization blueprint to the German government. Its general idea is nicely captured below:
... Read MoreTopics: Industry 4.0, Automation, Manufacturing In China
I have visited hundreds of Chinese factories, and I have seldom seen good work instructions at the disposal of production operators, maintenance technicians, and quality inspectors. In this article, I will list 6 important principles to follow when writing work instructions for China factories...
... Read MoreTopics: Quality, Work Instructions
