The Full Kit ProjectLink Engineering
Dante Cicchelli, Andrew Choraszewski, Shannon Manalel,
Nathan Taschler
OM 300 Section 001, Team #5
Agenda
Company (description)Interviewees Project Overview and DriversProject Steps
Show and Tell
Project Challenges & SolutionsProject BenefitsFuture OpportunitiesLeader Career Lessons
Business Description
• Privately Held• Multinational • Headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan
(Interview)• In business for over 75 years• Employs 400 worldwide, 175 at the World HQ• $80 million in revenues• Since implementing Lean production increase
of 30%
• Manufactures Dynoameters (Dyno’s) for Automotive, Train, and Aerospace
• Dyno’s test parts under all weather conditions and stress tests
• Can conduct in-house testing and refurbishing at customers choice
• Plymouth location builds the model 3900 and 3000 Dyno
• Ships worldwide
Business Description (Continued)
Dynoameter 3000
Dynoameter 3900
Interview Info
Jerry Verkerke•Vice President of Test Operations and Director of Operations
•Oversees day to day operations at Plymouth shop Headquarters
•At Link for 5 years
•Spent 25 years working for Ford Motor Company
•Brought in to make a change
•Student of Lean
Project Overview• Project Started January 2013• Completed end of the year, December 2013• Link Engineering Implementation of Lean
Manufacturing• Verkerke was brought in to make a change • Project Team consisted of 12 people• Needed cooperation and commitment from all
employees• Project Team looked for employee input• Consistent shipping intervals
Before the Project
• Unorganized plant shop
• Waste• Unwanted materials and machines
• D-O-W-N-T-I-M-E
Link Shop Layout: (Original)
Project Description
Eliminate waste (Sell/Scrap) Launch 5S system that welcomed input (Company
Wide)Re-organize floor planThe Crib (Inventory)KittingDividing the plant into assembly baysProduct begins simultaneously in different areas
Project Description
Meet in the middle at the scheduled bayMeet in the middle at the scheduled bayImprove motion (Wheeled Mobility)Improve motion (Wheeled Mobility)Standard paintStandard paintPaint when readyPaint when ready
The “Kit” of the Kitting Project
Link Shop Layout: (Post Project)
How and Why Full Kit?
“It just works”Lead time was too highEfficient use of spaceFull Kit eliminated D-O-W-N-T-I-M-EBetter communication between
departments
Project Challenges & Solutions
Barriers to the plan
Employee Resistance
Rewards for “speaking up”
Mobilization (waste in time/resources)
Project Benefits: Quantitative
• Importance of improvement
• Customer satisfaction and attraction
• 30% increase in production and revenue• Significant decrease in inventory
• Getting rid of “wasteful misfortunes”• Decrease in excess machinery and equipment
• Consistent shipping intervals
Project Benefits: Qualitative
• Improvement in:• quality of products • in Link Engineering’s production rates • in customer satisfaction
• Reorganizing
• Employee morale
• Attracted more business
Future Opportunities
• Applies Kaizen• Brainstorms new ideas
• Advancement in shop’s floor – 19 bays• Expanding World Headquarters in Plymouth, MI• Optimize/Improve logical flow• Reduce costs by using space • Relocating offices – desk jobs above the floor• Employees’ input
Leader Career Lessons
• Be persistent
• ALWAYS room for improvement
• Do what YOU want
• Mentors, mentors, mentors!• Exchange ideas• Professional networking
Leader Career Lessons
Thanks for your time
• Questions
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