Measurement: 03/01/2010

The team began Value Stream Mapping the processes from receiving Purchase Order to Sending Kit to Production.

The process complexity is immediately evident.

Measurment: 2/24/2010

The team continued discussing measurements and we each came up with one or two ideas of things to measure.  As we discussed each one we arranged the sticky notes on the SIPOC to have an idea of where they were in the process.  I was surprised by the lack of stickies at Create Work Order.  It was explained to me that this is a primarily procedural step and that the decision making for schedule is not made until later when the last part lead time is established.  Some of these are a toss up between being step #2(Purchasing) or #3(Confirm Ship Date).  I've tried to add the applicable units in parenthesis behind each idea.

Here's the List

#1 Create Work Order

#2 Purchasing

Average Part Lead Time by Class, Supplier, Cost Range, MFG (Time)

How do we get Customers to reply to EIAs, Program Parts, ETC. (Cause Analysis)

Supplier - Deliver Parts on Promise Date? (# of late shipments, late lines, % lare by supplier)

How long does it take to purchase an order before it's flipped to standard

How long to get quote back on parts and delivery from supplier

How long does it take to buy a job

#3 Confirm Ship Date With Customer

Sales Order Entry Date to Confirm Ship Date (Time)

Number of parts that become problems to meeting Customer Schedule (Part Qty, Job Qty, Delayed Sales $)

Long Lead Time - Why are some longer than others (Cause Analysis)

#4 Expediting and MRP Release Parts

Consistency of Schedule- W.O. vs. Ship Date?  W.O. dates moving?  Consistency of communicating with customer?

How long does it take to find the last part that didn't come in ontime?  Per W.O.? (Expediting process time and lead time)

How long does it take to expedite an assembly?

#5 Transfer Job to Production

How long to Kit a job?

Time from Kitting to Production and to Start Building Boards

How long does it take for a job to be kitted after it's transferred to production?

Measurement: 2/11/2010

The Group Discussed what we felt were the key issues and where we should concentrate our initial measurements.

Parts issues were the overwhelming key area identified. 

Project Charter

Define Refinement: 1/27/2010

This meeting was kicked off with a brief continued explanation of Lean Six Sigma by Jim Strasbaugh, Director of Continuous Improvement

The SIPOC Map was flushed out and the top 5 Processes were identified.

The list of define deliverables was reviewed and The Project Charter was finalized with a  Problem Statement , Definied Goal and working definitions.

SIPOC: With 5 Process Steps

Things That Add To/Make Up Part Lead Time

Taping Parts (Outsourced Taping vs. Hand Placing)
Rejected Parts @ incoming inspection - Miss-labeled, wrong part
Wrong part - Documentation
Customer Supplied Parts On Time
Programmed Parts Issues
Schedule - Unsure of "Due Dates" both internal and external
SO Due date does not necessarily reflect customer expectations (Pull in & Push out)
Information re: schedule not necessarily shared universally
Unknown production lead time (Days vs. weeks)
stencils
receiving
Sub Assemblies - Un clear process to Create W.O.
Parts Shortages - Scrap Allowance, Inventory Accuracy
Purchasing
Supplier/ MFG Lead time
Customer Pull in of Ship Date - Rebuy/re-schedule parts
Schedule Discipline - Parts shortages due to changes in schedule (If MRP tool is checked and used correctly when W.O. is moved this should be ok)