butterfly effect<\/a> are all examples of how simple things quickly become complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf we\u2019re not careful, we mistakenly attribute component simplicity to the system at large, and don’t realize we’ve got a problem until it’s too late. “Ethel… I think we’re fighting a losing game!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dealing with the complexity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n First recognize that manufacturing is a complex system, and that you can\u2019t keep it all in your head. To understand it, a value stream map is a good place to start. Include objectives for rate, quality, and cost, and do so collaboratively. A special aspect of manufacturing systems is that they always includes people, meaning the more affected people you can include in the mapping process, the more likely you are to understand exactly what\u2019s happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What else can we learn from Lucy and Ethel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWe have to know what we\u2019re building<\/h3>\n\n\n\n In the candy factory this is candy, right? Kind of. \u201cCandy\u201d needs to be more clearly defined as a set of design specifications that can be shared and referenced throughout the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lucy and Ethel are only told \u201c\u2026take each piece of candy, and wrap it in one of these papers\u201d, but what does wrapped mean? Is there a specific shape? We see chocolates coming loose immediately, but can we say that\u2019s wrong?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Replenishment – 99% of parts isn\u2019t enough<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Candy comes from upstream on the conveyor belt, but what about the papers? There is no path for replenishment – just a stack at the bench – and they were never told how to get more. Even if Lucy and Ethel could keep up, they were bound to fail as soon as those papers ran out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This situation is unfortunately common – lots of focus on the \u201cchocolates\u201d, but the cheap papers are ignored until it\u2019s too late. Critical manufacturing lines can easily go hard down for something as simple as a missing bolt, and it\u2019s maddening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The solution? Ensure you have a clear path for replenishment for everything – especially the small stuff that people won\u2019t be monitoring closely. You can usually deploy a simple, replicable kanban with minimal overhead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Focus on consistency – not just speed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n In the wrapping department the only tool is the conveyor belt, and it has one purpose: speed. They get speed – \u201cTurn it up a little!\u201d but that just causes problems faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Watching Lucy and Ethel work, they each wrap differently, have no idea if they are doing things wrong or right, and candies are constantly coming undone. Standard Work would be hugely beneficial, or a fixture to help them consistently hit a spec for the wrapper (assuming one exists).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The adage from the SEALs rings true here – Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Focus on consistency first, and as you nail that speed will naturally come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wrapping up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n There are probably dozens more lessons we could pull from these 3 minutes, but the most important is that while manufacturing is often a combination of simple things, it\u2019s far from simple itself. If Lucy and Ethel (and their employer) had recognized their candy factory was a complex system – and managed as such – they would be able to find and fix the core of their issues, and avoid the chocolate pile-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At Threaded we\u2019re building the platform to help teams collaboratively develop and launch their manufacturing systems. We\u2019re just getting started, but if you\u2019d like to learn more, sign up for a demo<\/a> \u2013 we\u2019d love to chat!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"While there aren’t any good manufacturing movies, this clip from I Love Lucy is pretty solid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":145,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
"Let 'Er Roll!!!" A Manufacturing Case Study - Threaded<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n