Continuous improvement standard work

The role of quality in reliability would seem obvious, and yet at times has been rather elusive. While it seems intuitively correct, it is difficult to measure. Since much of the equipment discussed in this book is built as a custom engineered product, the classic statistical methods do not readily apply. Even for the smaller, more standardized rotary units discussed in Chapter 4, the production runs are not high, keeping the sample size too small for a classical statistical analysis. Run adjustments are difficult if the run is complete before the data can be analyzed. However, modified methods have been developed that do provide useful statistical information. These data can be used to determine a machine tool s capability, which must be known for proper machine selection to match the required precision of a part. The information can also be used to test for continuous improvement in the work process. 

Subcontractor development should not be limited to the assessment for compliance to ISO/TS 16949 as indicated in Note 1. The standard contains the minimum requirements and, with the requirement for continuous improvement, it may be necessary to work with some of your subcontractors in order to develop their capability to improve process capability and delivery schedules or reduce avoidable costs. You can t develop all your subcontractors and hence Note 2 of the standard indicates that you should prioritize subcontractors for development based upon performance and importance of product or service supplied. 

Analysis of the results of the testing activity in the last few years clearly shows the improvement of the machine performance. The working groups activated by ISO and CEN provide continuous improvement of the standards. 

Customer satisfaction measurement is a tool that is required by the quality standards and can be nsed as a way to drive continuous improvement in the business. It is a mechanism that can help keep organizations competitive in the global market that exists today. There are many ways to measure customer satisfaction, and companies need to develop the best way that will work for them and provide data that indicates the feelings of their customers. 

Quality is a way of ensuring that the systems in place are fit for purpose and making sure we get it right the first time . This means that we should be able to ensure customer satisfaction, individual accountability, and integrity in the work we should have a preset standard of work that is maintained and a way of ensuring continual improvement. Let us consider a generic forensic science process (Figure 9.1). 

The standard requires a commitment to continuous improvement as a basis for all activities. Evaluation of environmental effects shall not be limited only to those directly related to the company s own activities or products, but will apply to indirect effects such as transport (staff or clients travelling to and from the company site) to the work-place and sub-supplier performance. Furthermore, a register of sigrrificant environmental effects directly resulting from company activities has to be kept. 

Unless a company gets to the point where everyone from leadership to the shop understands the essence and importance of standard work, lean will not become cultural. Standard work defines how the work will be performed. Documents that describe the work methods and expected outputs are the building blocks used to establish a culture where standards are clear, employees feel productive, and consistent results expected. Standard work is the basis for establishing a continuous improvement culture where everyone is engaged in continuous improvement. Recently I conducted some lean... 

Standard work This is the foundation piece of continual improvement, safety, and respect for people. A focus on mandated safety standards, like JSAs, can help people understand the standard work lean concept. 

Standards are the baseline from which all continuous improvement activities can be measured. An example I often use is that of an order picker in a Toyota distribution center. I am not sure if the facts I use are correct, but that is inconsequential because what is important is the concept. Standard work for order pickers is 12 picks every 15 minutes. If in any 15-minute period they do not make their standard, they have to signal their supervisor. The supervisor immediately responds and approaches the order picker not to ask why he did not work to standard, but instead to ask what process problem, or problems, prevented him from making standard. Was the inventory count incorrect Was the inventory in the wrong location These and other questions will be asked until the problem is solved. This short, simple example demonstrates three distinct principles of lean respect for people, standard work, and a continuous improvement culture. Having defined standards that everyone understands enables the other two principles. Unlike this example, the actual workday of many supervisors is one spent firefighting rather than focusing on continual Improvement. Moving from one problem to the next fills their days because standards are unknown or not communicated. 

These are but a few examples of safety tasks that can, if scheduled, acted upon, and then reported on, develop a safety standard work culture within a facility. This safety standard work culture will then drive the continual improvement of safety. 

Quality improves (in this case, safety results) as deviation from set standards (variance) decreases. Therefore, work processes and systems which promote continuous improvement, eliminate defects, and ensure that every aspect of the business is aligned to meet or exceed customer needs, are put in place. 

Standardization The fourth step in 5S adopts the best practices for equipment and machinery layout, and the design of equipment and work practices for productivity, mistake-proofing and continual improvement. Workers at all levels have opportunities for input into the standardization procedure. Comments are sought on the design of the work methods to maximize efficiency as well as to minimize risks. 

The development and use of appropriate standards for SCC response in both research and characterization for application is extremely important if continued improvements in the literature database are to be realized. ASTM has put forth the most extensive effort in this endeavor, dating to the early 1960s, with the first standard published in 1972 (ASTM G 30). Since that time, 17 standards have been published on specimens, environments, alIo3 , and classifications, but only three have been added since the first edition of Manual 20. The development of such standards deaUng with stress corrosion has been the responsibility of ASTM Subcommittee GO 1.06 on Stress Corrosion Cracking and Corrosion Fatigue, under ASTM Committee GOl on Corrosion of Metals. An additional important contribution to the standards development process is the sponsorship of technical symposia, which provide an effective technical forum for specialists to present current work in progress. The subcommittee has sponsored nine such symposia [1,41,58-64 ], which have served as catalysts for many developed standards. 

Working at heights was common and the environment was noisy and hot. There had been a long-term commitment to safety management that predated the Health and Safety at Work Act. Full-time safety advisers and fire officers were employed on the site and welfare facilities included a surgery staffed by an occupational health nurse during the day. First aid cover was provided, in the first instance, by employees trained to Health and Safety Executive standards. The company claimed that approximately 20 per cent of its capital expenditure had been safety-related for many years previously. As part of its strategy of continuous improvement the plant had been accredited to ISO 9000. 

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