Operational Transformation (OT) efforts are well underway at the MacLean Curtis facility. Dedicated activities regarding the implementation of Lean methodologies and techniques, identification and elimination of waste, monitoring and ensuring the sustainment of results and providing updates on progress are keeping the momentum going.

5S Implementation Improves Workplace Organization
In April of 2016, team members in North Carolina applied the 5S’s and were rewarded with improvements and well-needed change.

5S stands for Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain.

After they Sorted, Stabilized (Set in Order), Shined, Standardized and Sustained, their end result was that unneeded items were placed in a red tag area or thrown away, and floors and machines were neat and clean.

Kaizen Event Established Continuous Improvement Process

445 hours per year in the 2084 cell were validated against a target of 500 hours post Kaizen.

Kaizen means Change + Good/Better = Continuous Improvement.

Team A Kaizen – Parts stuck on the inline ball skewer.

100 hours per year were eliminated due to parts getting stuck on the inline ball skewer from automation wear.

Team B Kaizen – Tool chart out of sequence.

Standardizing documentation of tools needed saved 286 hours per year.

Team C Kaizen – Excess mastering of autogage.

Protecting the autogage from debris reduced downtime by 59 hours.