Articles Tagged with ''lean engineering''

Wire Harness Manufacturers Get Help Through MEP

July 23, 2020

Located in Portland, OR, AmFor Electronics Inc. has been manufacturing wire harnesses, cable assemblies, electrical panels and electromechanical assemblies since 1961. Its products can be found in cars, trucks, construction equipment and agricultural equipment.

Culture Drives Efficiency and Quality at Wire Harness Manufacturer

Virginia-based contract manufacturer uses employee input and skill development to build better processes.

July 21, 2020

Over the past decade, Parker Garrett has visited hundreds of companies. During the course of those visits, he's observed his share of unhappy workplaces. Conversations reveal frustrations with bureaucracy, poorly designed processes and "odd" decision-making not in the best interest of either the company or its employees.

Success With Workstations

New workstations have helped manufacturers in various industries improve productivity and ergonomics

John Sprovieri

May 11, 2020

Looking for stuff, whether it be keys, wallet, phone, meeting notes, spices in a kitchen cabinet, or pencils in my woodworking shop, is the bane of my existence. Some days, I feel as if I spend more time looking for stuff than I do actually using the stuff I was looking for.

Get Lean With MEP

MEP centers help small and midsized manufacturers improve their operations

John Sprovieri

May 8, 2020

Taylor Power Systems Inc. manufactures service generators for the oil and gas, agricultural and other industries. Located in Clinton, MS, Taylor Power's headquarters and assembly plant includes more than 300,000 square feet of office, training and production space.

8D and A3 Formalize Problem-Solving

Jon Quigley

March 5, 2020

If you have been around for a while, you may recall the "Parts is Parts" commercial from the Wendy's fast-food chain. As bad as the "parts is parts" idea is for chicken sandwiches, it's equally bad for manufacturing.

Directed system or pull system—the schedule tango

Jon Quigley

December 9, 2019

In an earlier article, we dissected the project scope and explored the work breakdown structure (WBS). The WBS is the disaggregation of the scope into the work products that are required to meet the defined scope. Now, we are going explore setting about doing the work, from a schedule, or perhaps we will not even build a schedule.

Eliminating the Seven Deadly Wastes

Manufacturers should evaluate processes to reduce hidden causes of waste

Brian Neuwirth

December 4, 2019

Waste, in lean terms, is any activity that does not add value to the product while costing a manufacturer money and resources. From active losses to missed opportunities, these wastes are so common in manufacturing operations that they are often overlooked.

2019 Assembly Plant of the Year: Refrigerator Production Heats Up at GE Appliances

Lean manufacturing and vertical integration thrive in Decatur, AL.

Austin Weber

October 1, 2019

Refrigerators are one of the only appliances found in nearly every type of home, whether it's an apartment in suburban Atlanta, a high-rise condominium in downtown Chicago, a beach house in Hawaii or a trailer in Texas. The humble refrigerator is also the hardest working household appliance. Day and night, it's constantly running to keep all types of food and beverages cool, fresh or frozen.

Using Labels to Optimize 5S

Denell Gibson

August 7, 2019

A linchpin of any lean manufacturing effort, 5S programs help to reduce waste and optimize productivity through better work-place organization.

Lean Layout Do’s and Don’ts

Flexibility and flow are critical to efficient assembly line design

Austin Weber

May 2, 2019

Optimizing flow and minimizing waste are two of the basic elements of lean manufacturing. Those concepts also play a critical role in laying out assembly lines.

On Demand Learn how manufacturers are bridging the gap between the shop floor and ERP systems to gain real-time visibility, streamline operations, and kick-start digital transformation—without waiting years.

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On Demand In this presentation, Dr. Herman Tang shares practical insights from his industry experience and research on buffer management in manufacturing operations.