To maximize your added value in the manufacturing industry, it is necessary to look into your logistic flows. This means minimizing stock and warehousing and creating as much flow as possible. Often, what is missing is a clear overview of the processes that allows you to direct your attention to the flows where the biggest potential impact can be achieved. Nobleo has developed a tool that helps determine exactly that, by creating insight in your logistic processes.

The Sankey tool combines data from multiple aspects in your organization, from demand to packaging and presents a straightforward depiction of the logistics in your company. Combined with our experience in the automotive sector, this can be used to save vast amounts of money due to less unnecessary handling and storing of parts and products.

The Sankey diagram is the foundation of optimizing your logistic processes; both internal and external flow as well as manning can be calculated bottom-up to provide insight in the potential for efficient operation of your company.

In these corona times, reshoring, alternative or additional supply chains creates an urgency of a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of inventory management, for which Sankey is an excellent tool.

Applying a basic structure with a lower limit with respect to order and cleanliness and visual management in the various public warehouses and offices. This is done according to the 5S+1 Lean philosophy.

The first step was ensuring a good baseline in which old lines and labels on racking were removed. After that, new banners, rack locations and staging location signs were applied company-wide. In personal discussions with the various operations managers and business unit directors, the steps were discussed and implemented.

A good foundation has been laid on visual management with, among other things, a Campus wide visual management document and a first set-up to use visual management signs. Employees and line managers have been trained 5S+1 and training materials have been made available for temporary workers to ensure the 5S+1 culture at all levels. A good, frequent consultation structure with operations managers and the Quality and the Health and safety department has been ensured. Gemba walks were started, in which management members were invited to join the rounds to reduce the gap between the shop floor and the office. In addition, a start has been made to standardize the workspaces. A clean desk policy has been set up for a number of office departments, where input from employees was an important success factor. 

In the run-up to our assignment, the client went through a detailed NPI process to realize a number of high-tech proto modules. These were intended for a major player in the chip industry. As a result, the customer rewarded our client with an order for the serial production of these proto modules. The NPI process, and the establishment for serial production, were also realized under the supervision of one of our own Process Engineers.

The above resulted in a multidisciplinary assignment (Operational Control and Process Improvement) with the following project goals; increase move-rate production, guarantee output (QLTC) and optimise the project organisation.
Because, among other things, there was little insight into the customer long term demand, a sudden move-rate increase led to the necessary output problems at the beginning. Some examples; supplier delivery times under pressure, frequent production stops, staff fluctuations, increase in quality issues, etc. In short, in order to guarantee the physical output, the organisation of both project team and production process still needed to make some steps.

In order to guarantee the desired output increase, we initially shifted our focus to stabilising the current process (Operational Control).

The activities that we have unfolded were as following;

• Reviewing agreements with suppliers and customers based on forecast (demand & supply planning)
• Optimise planning tools for purchasing & production (MRP, Project and Shop floor planning)
• Secure the required competences by educating and training on the job
• Tackle quality issues based on impact and repetition (RCA, 8D)

Next we shifted our focus to make the process more manageable and improvable (Process Improvement). By organising a more KPI-driven process, among other things, possible waste in the field of QLTC now became visible. By using several Lean and Six-Sigma techniques (DMAIC, RCA, PDCA) we were able to improve and prevent future wastes.

All this resulted in achieving the desired customer move-rate, with even room left for handling additional temporary move-rate increases. In addition, efficiency increased and a stable and flexible production organ was created. The FTEs that were unlocked can now manage the operation independently. After a short training session from our consultant they know what to do without losing the focus on the QLTC aspects. Finally, we have provided a blueprint for future serial proto-construction projects for our client.

One of the agricultural machine production steps comprises of the coating of end-products. The powder coating quality does not comply to present and future standards and needs to be improved. To this end a new coating line needs to be implemented in an existing building, which is not fit for this purpose. The existing production capacity cannot be negatively affected while this change takes place or after. The coating capacity needs to be improved by 50% and the coating quality also needs to be improved. The new line needs to be fully prepared for future transfer to KTL coating (Kathodische Tauch Lackierung).

Nobleo Manufacturing has initiated and executed a complete program, in which the organization is guided to a defined and controlled project approach. An additional deliverable was to increase the company’s process management knowledge level. Supplier quality control has also been a key factor.

The methods and techniques used in this project are Project Management with a focus on the organization’s functionalities and the creation of organizational transparency.

The old factory underwent infrastructural and constructional modification to create a dedicated coating facility, completing a new powder coating line within the time limit of 9 months and budget limit. The result was an autonomously operating organization on a higher knowledge level. During this changeover period, the old production process was demolished and the area was renovated, ensuring a seamless transition to the new operation process.

The extensive end-to-end assembly Lead Time results into high storage cost and allocation of working capital. This is caused by global sourcing including sea freight of the main component and on the other hand by large demand variability including market driven delays. On top of that the complexity of the assembly process itself plays a major role: i.e. links to sub-assemblies, inevitable regulatory and quality inspections and tests.

The key question was to reduce end-to-end on-site residence time and assembly lead time with focus on the supply chain of the main component and on the final system assembly.

Supply and demand of the main component are disconnected, leading to excess inbound buffer on one hand and late deliveries on the other hand. This also leads to overload of available storage capacity. The two phase assembly process causes inefficient transport of large and heavy equipment and lack of overview of status and whereabouts of work in process. Finally, interrupted assemblies lead to inefficient use of limited assembly station capacity, causing additional delay.

The way of working and communication with the overseas main component supplier have been improved, resulting in a reliable pull-based supply and 50% reduction of inbound buffer. Next to this a simple and clear visual tool has been developed to create overview of status and whereabouts of work in process, reducing transport and searching time. Using Lean concepts and tools, final assembly has been transformed to uninterrupted one-piece flow, decreasing lead time by more than half and increasing customer order flexibility. To enable this, assembly had to be transformed to a balanced multi station process, requiring introduction of a new tool for moving the heavy systems.

This also simplified operator tasks and increased workforce flexibility.