Piston Automotive Reduces Defects 100% With GLSS
Missouri
Manufacturing
Operations
100%
PROJECT SUMMARY
- Business Case: Increase jobs per hour with less barcode scan failures.
- Root Cause Analysis:
- Different operators can have different motions in the workflow process which can cause variations in the initial barcode scan failures
- Different operators place labels imprecisely
- The scanner is an older model and not capable
- Solutions Implemented:
- Train operations on placing barcode in consistent location
- Develop the best workflow in the process and standardize
- Purchase a new, better rated scanner to avoid read errors
- Project Result: The results were better than expected. The scan errors were reduced from 11 per/hour to zero 0 after improvements. Also improved operators’ cycle time per unit.
In the fast-paced world of automotive manufacturing, increasing productivity is an ongoing challenge. At Piston Automotive, one such challenge is increasing jobs completed per hour while minimizing barcode scan failures. This defect causes lost time and rework, draining productivity. Brett Pace, Engineering and Maintenance Manager at Piston Automotive, decided that a focused effort was needed to reduce initial barcode scan failures from 10 to 2 per hour.
In order to address this challenge, Brett turned to Lean Six Sigma. He completed his GLSS Green Belt Training & Certification to develop the knowledge and skills needed, since GLSS is reputed for its user-friendliness, customer service, and ability to deliver measurable outcomes.
With the aid of GLSS, Brett was able to define the project with a Charter and then fully understand the current process using Process Mapping. Brett quickly learned that the process was performed differently by each operator and the current error rate was more than 11 per hour, greater than expected.
Brettâs GLSS training facilitated a smooth understanding of complex manufacturing processes, making it easy to dig deeper into the process to determine the true causes of the problem.
The primary issue stemmed from initial barcode scan failures, leading to extra operator motions and disruptions in the workflow. The root causes were identified using a Fishbone and 5 Whys from the training.
- Operators using different motions in the process
- Labels not in the exact location
- Misreads by the barcode scanner
Guided by the Solution Selection Matrix, the team identified and implemented the following solutions:
- Educating operators on placing barcodes in a consistent location
- Developing the best workflow practices and standardizing processes
- Investing in a new, better-rated scanner to avoid read errors
The results surpassed expectations. Armed with GLSS training, the project swiftly addressed root causes, leading to breakthrough results:
- Initial barcode scan failures were reduced from 11 per hour to an impressive zero after the implemented improvements
- Operator cycle time per unit saw a significant improvement, enhancing overall productivity and leading to an increase in jobs per hour by X%
Brett reduced defects by 100% and substantially increased productivity with:
- GLSSâ easy to understand Lean Six Sigma Training & Certification
- Kureâs easy-to-use project management software
