Successful companies are constantly fine-tuning existing products and planning new ones. But even the most ambitious businesses can suffer when critical projects get backed up in the pipeline. Management at Chicago-based Rauland-Borg Corporation realized its good intentions were being subverted by the lack of effective project portfolio management (PPM), and decided to do something about it. Check out the full case study to discover the four step approach to solving complex development projects.
Read More →Automation Today
As manufacturers struggle to fill highly skilled production positions—according to NAM (National Association of Manufacturers), “80 percent of manufacturers report a moderate or serious shortage of qualified applicants for skilled and highly skilled production positions”—technology may need to step in to fill the gap. As the article “Automation Today” by FARO Technologies states: “It’s no secret that manufacturing continues to become more automated, and manufacturing output per worker is on the rise.” Smart factories are sought after because they are quickly becoming the “factories of the future,” while growing changes in automation become difficult to ignore. Find out more about the latest advancements in optical 3D measurement and automation technology in the article below including: Advanced Manufacturing; Automated Metrology; and Cobalt.
Read More →Executive Interviews and Visioning: Launching the Business Case for Change
One of the first steps in beginning an ERP project and launching the business case for change is to determine why change is necessary. Through our on-site meetings with this client, we were able to identify a few key areas that would be improved upon by a modern enterprise application system. In the article below, you will be able to identify key areas in a business that would benefit from a modern enterprise application system including: Customer Focus; Business Processes; Organizational Change Management Strategy (OCM); Revenues; Data Cleansing and Storing; and Automation. Ultra Consultants’ goal is to determine how an ERP system would add value to a business after assessing the needs of the business beforehand. For more information, please read the full article below!
Read More →Webinar: ISO 9001:2015: An Implementation Perspective
Is your organization ready for ISO 9001:2015? Have you begun preparing to transition or get certified to the new standard? This webinar by Intelex Technologies features Peter Merril, one of North America’s foremost authorities on the implementation of ISO 9001. Peter shares his expertise and insights on how to proactively jump-start your transition. The webinar topics discussed include: An outline of the structure of the new ISO 9001:2015 standard; Discussion of interpretations and new terminology; and Practical tips to help organizations transition and meet the requirements of ISO 9001:2015. Watch Now Below!
Read More →Lean Six Sigma and ERP: Putting it All Together for Improved Performance
It’s common for manufacturers to perceive Lean Six Sigma and ERP as contrasting approaches. They often see them as “mutually exclusive” with competing goals and objectives. This informative paper looks at the characteristics of the three approaches. After downloading, you’ll be able to identify the differences and similarities of each. Discover the techniques to combine Lean, Six Sigma and ERP for an effective journey of continuous improvement that leads to improved business performance. “LEAN CALLS INTO PLAY TOOLS THAT ASSIST IN THE IDENTIFICATION AND STEADY ELIMINATION OF WASTE.” Find out more by downloading this white paper here.
Read More →Performance Behavior: the Lean Methodology for Continuously Improving Performance Behavior
The book ‘Performance Behavior’ (by Neil Webers) describes how an organization can link performance to behavior to minimize waste and optimize performance behavior. 8 FORMS OF HUMAN-WASTE are outlined which obstruct continuous improvement: Leadership-waste the result from too much push-management (based on authority) Comfort-waste the result of targets that aren’t enough stretching Communication-waste the result of misunderstandings that usually originate from meetings Discipline-waste the result when people are not being held accountable for not adhering to standards Goal-waste the result of employees having no idea of what is expected of them Engagement-waste the result of asking people to take responsibility for events or results which they cannot influence themselves Solving-waste the waste of capacity to solve problems when people work on solving problems without focusing on the root-cause of a problem Tuning-waste is the waste where people talk about different problems or solutions Find out more below!
Read More →The TBM Management System
The TBM Management System is a disciplined, systematic approach that helps organizations achieve their strategic objectives through enterprise-wide alignment and cross-functional problem-solving. The system leverages monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly monitoring to increase employee engagement and provide real-time feedback and corrective actions. As markets grow more competitive and business pressures increase, executives are facing a significant new challenge: how to improve performance, sustain their progress and successfully realize their strategic goals, often with little or no additional resources to support their efforts. Find out more about how the TBM Management System has been implemented in several organizations to date, creating improved visibility of strategic objectives and empowering employees to think and act on their own in order to achieve them. Read more in the full white paper below:
Read More →WCOM (World Class Operations Management): Why You Need More Than Lean
This book deals with World Class Operations Management (WCOM), detailing its principles, methods and organization, and the results that this approach can bring about. Utilizing real-world case studies illustrated by companies that have adopted this model (interviews with Saint-Gobain, L’Oréal, Tetra Pak, Bemis, and Bel Executives), it describes common patterns drawn from decades of hands-on experience, so as to present a theoretical approach together with the concrete application of its principles. WCOM, adopted by several multinational companies, is one of the more innovative management practises, as it integrates the best Continuous Improvement approaches (Lean, Total Productive Management, World Class Manufacturing) as well as the most innovative approaches in human dynamics like Change Leadership, Performance Behavior, Shingo Model, to name a few. Every book’s chapter has been authored by an expert in these different fields, thus revealing the synergy among the different practices, which is one of the distinguishing and successful aspects of WCOM. Maximising reader insights into the successful implementation of such an approach, and explaining not only its potentialities, but also its implementation dynamics, the critical points and the ways it can be integrated into different situations, this book is also about how to create a culture of excellence that is sustainable over a long period of time and delivers consistent (or ever-improving) results. Check out the Efeso Consulting book below:
Read More →Presentation: Metal Powder, Aerostructures, and Additive Manufacturing
Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is the process of synthesizing a three-dimensional object. The object is created using sequential layers of material, formed under computer control. Additive manufacturing is really the process of the future, as it can be used across industries. The Hoeganaes Corporation is on the forefront of innovation when it comes to additive manufacturing, as Hoeganaes has created AncorAM, a new family of products focused on high-tech materials for additive manufacturing. Hoeganaes is also: The world’s largest manufacturer of sintered components and a leading producer of metal powder. A leading tier one supplier of Aerostructures and engine products and systems to the global aerospace industry. The leading tier one supplier of automotive driven systems and solutions to the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers. A leading supplier of powder managements products and solutions for agriculture, construction, mining, and industrial equipment. See the full presentation below for more information about the Hoeganaes Corporation and these manufacturing processes.
Read More →Spectrum: S-40 Jet, Made in Mexico: First Aircraft to be Completely Manufactured in the Country
Original Source here. How many parts does an airplane have? According to Boeing, a goliath in the U.S. Aerospace industry, there are over 6 million pieces that make up its 747. Completely believable when you consider everything from cockpit parts, nuts, and bolts to tray tables and seatbelt buckles! Mexico has been persistent in working to elevate its position in the supply and demand industry for aerospace parts for several years. ProAereo 2012-2020, put in place by the Mexican government, is a national strategic program designed specifically to put Mexico among the top 10 countries in the world in aerospace manufacturing and production. And further, to make Mexico the first aerospace service HUB in Latin America. In support of ProAereo’s goal, the Mexican government has established educational facilities and research centers geared to specifically enhance their potential in aerospace: grooming a talented workforce and creating infrastructure to ensure sustained capabilities in the industry. The strategy is continuing to pay off as San Diego-based U.S. aircraft developer, Spectrum Aeronautical, is set to build their S-40 business jet in Mexico. Spectrum says Mexicali was chosen due to the area’s population of highly skilled workers, and for its proximity to the “huge aerospace industrial infrastructure of Southern California.” Spectrum chief finance officer David Tenney says, “Mexico is really keen to develop its aerospace industry and the S-40 will be the first aircraft to be completely manufactured in the country.” $300 Million is the sum needed to …
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