1st Edition

Intelligent Manufacturing Reviving U.S. Manufacturing Including Lessons Learned from Delphi Packard Electric and General Motors

By R. Bick Lesser Copyright 2014
    332 Pages 25 B/W Illustrations
    by Productivity Press

    336 Pages
    by Productivity Press

    In 1791, Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton wrote that "not only the wealth, but the independence and security of a country, appear to be materially connected with the prosperity of manufacturers." Centuries later, U.S. manufacturing jobs continue to be outsourced at an all-too-rapid pace.

    Examining the current U.S. manufacturing environment, including the unsustainable trade imbalance, Intelligent Manufacturing: Reviving U.S. Manufacturing Including Lessons Learned from Delphi Packard Electric and General Motors outlines concrete suggestions that can help to stop the outflow of manufacturing jobs and prosperity from our shores.

    The book explains why most companies have not reaped the benefits promised from the implementation of the multitude of methodologies that have inundated manufacturers and outlines the steps companies can take to reverse this trend. The author's 30-year background in engineering and manufacturing, in both national and international assignments, puts him in a unique position to supply insights on foreign competition that few are able to provide.

    In addition to discussing the tools and concepts with a proven history of success, the book also elaborates on what doesn’t work. It presents an insider’s perspective of what went horribly wrong within Delphi and GM so other manufacturing companies can avoid making the same mistakes.

    The book describes how to effectively set up a manufacturing system and accurately measure and control direct labor. It shares easy-to-implement tools that the author developed and implemented with proven track records for improving performance. Such tools include computer programs that can provide a competitive advantage, a proven way to reduce total process cycle time, and a scientific way to establish proper lot sizes.

    Instead of presenting a lot of theory, the author provides ideas based on common sense and practical experience. The concepts and tools outlined in the text are simple and straightforward, yet powerful enough to help any conscientious company improve its competitive position.

    What Would You Expect with a Parent Like GM?
    Interview Process
    Packard Electric Is Born
    How Could GM (Packard’s Parents) Make So Many Dumb Decisions?
    So, How Are Things Working Out for GM Today?
    How Does GM Compete with Toyota and the Vaunted Toyota Production System?

    We Have to Do Something, Even if It’s Wrong
    Packard Does a Really Smart Thing Next
    Where Did the Packard Training Program Originate?
    Good News and Bad News about Packard’s Management
    A Move to the Warm South
    What We Need Are Suppliers
    Mexico, Here We Come
    Black Friday
    Something Had to Change for GM
    Packard Goes International in a Big Way
    We Are Not Ready for This
    We Are in Real Trouble Here
    Industrial Engineering (IE) Training Program
         The Industrial Engineering Training Program

    How Does a Company with So Many Smart People Do So Many Dumb Things?
    Automation Can Save Us
    That Worked So Well, Let’s Try Something a Little Tougher
    That Lead Prep Startup Surely Didn’t Work Out Like We Had Planned
    Integrated Production System (IPS) to the Rescue (or Not)
    If IPS Didn’t Get It Done, IPS II Surely Would
    Remote Lead Prep: Yeah, That’s the Answer!
    How about Just Getting Rid of Our Productivity Control System
    So Just How Are IDCs Going to Help Us with the 3% Give Back?
    How about Let’s Just Get into a New Business
    Let’s Sum Things Up

    Let’s Get Lean … Not
    Just What Is the TPS?
    Toyota Production System Rules
    Packard Develops the PPS
         What We Need Is Vista
         Benchmarking: To Do or Not to Do
         Kitting Looks Like a Cool Thing to Do
         Let’s Do the Team Concept Like Toyota
         How about a Nice Quality Circle?
         Did QS9000 Implementation Really Help?
         Say Zero Defects and Mean It
    The Good News Is That We Saved $25 million in Inventory, but …
    Just-in-Time Manufacturing?
    U-Cells Gain Great Prominence
    Somebody Finally Got One-Piece Flow Right … Really?
    Wrap-Up

    Proper Manufacturing Organization Is Critical (or You Will Get the Performance You Motivate)
    Plant Priority Meetings
    Let’s Just Change Reporting Lines to Get Better Support
    Warren Got Some Things Right
    Understanding Human Nature
    So We Transferred Our Manufacturing Successes to Mexico, Right?
    What’s the Fix?
    Manufacturing Supervision Is Tough
         Providing Proper Manufacturing Support
              Why Worry about Improved Productivity, Mexican Labor Is Cheap (and Philippine)
         Wiring Harness Departmental Organization Basics
              Level 1 Operators
              Level 2 Operators
              Level 3 Operators
              Level 4 Operators
         Foreman’s Responsibilities and Support Required
         Job Responsibilities
         Time Breakdown
         Assistant Foremen/Group Leaders
         Additional Advice

    When You Measure Performance, Performance Improves
    From Routings to Direct Labor Bibles (DLBs)
    Production Efficiency
    Process and Operator Efficiencies
    Wouldn’t One Efficiency Number Be Sufficient?
    The Warren Bottom Line
    So, What Did We Do in Mexico?
    I Finally Got a Chance to Do It Right in South Korea
    How Much Could the Mexican Operations Have Saved?
    When You Measure Performance
    Packard Productivity Nose Dives
         Are We Really Controlling Productivity in Our Plants?
         Direct Labor Bibles (DLBs)
         Efficiencies from a Budget Routing
         Plant Productivity Information Available Based on Labor Estimates (Budget DLBs) only
         Plant Productivity Information Available with an Automated Productivity System Based on Production DLBs
         Terms and Definitions Used with the Computerized Productivity System
         Simple DLB Example
              Metal Cutting
              Component Subassembly
              Final Assembly of a Widget

    Preplanning: The Perfect Tool to Accomplish Toyota’s Rule #1
    What Is the Common Industry Practice?
    But, Is It Worth It?
    Packard Evolves, but Not for the Better
    The Critical Four M Relationship
    Wiring Harness Preplanning

    The Computer Is a Moron
    A Rare Opportunity
    Controlling Absenteeism, Turnover, and Overtime Is a Must
    Material Availability Is Critical
    Summary

    How to Drive Down Total Process Cycle Time (TPCT) without Wasting a Lot of Time (and Money)
    Critical Value Streams
    Packard "Attacks" the TPCT for Engineering Change Implementation
    Key Activity Control Is Born
    Others Benefit from the System
    This System/Concept Will Work Anywhere
    The Bottom Line

    What Size Should the Cycle Quantity (Lot Size) Be?
    Portugal Will Show the Way
         Cost Bucket One
         Cost Bucket Two
    Some People Don’t Want to Be Confused with Facts
    Free Rein in South Korea
    Determining Optimum Cut Quantity (or Optimum Process Quantity)
    Summary
         Optimum Cut Quantity Subsystem
         Optimum Cutter Loading and Sequencing Subsystem (OCLASS)

    Wrap-Up: How about "Intelligent Manufacturing" for Real Change in Which We Can Believe"

    Index

    Biography

    R. Bick Lesser