Need some help...

[Magoo541]

I have to do a survey for school, online degree completion at George Fox, and I've been leaning toward Lean Manufacturing because that is what I do, Manufacturing Engineer.  BUT, I will be spending a significant amount of time on this over the next couple of months and don't feel like working at work and then working at home.  I need a research problem, an identified area that needs research.  From that I need to develope a research question, one that is specific enough to give me useable data when answered.
Gun related suggestions?
Thanks in advance...

[tombogan03884]

How about how "lean manufacturing falls apart under "disaster" type conditions, such has North Eastern blizzards .
A "just in time" supply chain works fine until a major road is closed due to accident, ice, and/or snow, then it becomes a "just a little late" supply chain that halts production due to lack of components.

[Magoo541]

How about how "lean manufacturing falls apart under "disaster" type conditions, such has North Eastern blizzards .
A "just in time" supply chain works fine until a major road is closed due to accident, ice, and/or snow, then it becomes a "just a little late" supply chain that halts production due to lack of components.

Not a fan of "Just too late", Toyota has been successful with this but they make variations of the same thing.  I am in the custom automation business and we have few standard items we make.  I am learning Lean is more a philosophy than a mechanism for manufacturing.  Eliminating waste is my focus in the form of movement, rework, cumbersome processes, waiting (like your example), excessive material handling and defective work.

[tombogan03884]

Oh, more on the level of setting up a "cell" to run one particular job, but having the flexibility to finish that job, then reconfigure for the next one.
Since it's non repeating things like "KanBan" systems are no use to you.
How about addressing machine portability ?
Being able to move machines around into the needed configurations cuts down on movement, time, cost producing more parts faster, therefore at lower cost.
This requires a certain amount of preplanning  in regards to air and electrical connections, other wise you wind up with a web of hoses and extension cords all over the floor that leads to its own safety issues.
Another consideration is the "self checking quality system" where the person at the next operation is responsible for checking that the previous operation has been performed, is correct, and has been properly documented.
In this system first piece inspections are handled with in the cell, again minimizing movement and taking work load off of the QA dept. who can then concentrate strictly on final batch inspections per the QA spec on that particular job.
Hope this triggers an idea, good luck.

[Magoo541]

Oh, more on the level of setting up a "cell" to run one particular job, but having the flexibility to finish that job, then reconfigure for the next one.
Since it's non repeating things like "KanBan" systems are no use to you.

We use enough standard items, bolts, pneumatic fittings and hose, ferrules, etc, that we have a Kanban system in place.

How about addressing machine portability ?
Being able to move machines around into the needed configurations cuts down on movement, time, cost producing more parts faster, therefore at lower cost.

We don't machine many parts anymore, part of the reason I'm in my new position, some small production to keep our Quick Turn utilized but mostly modifying parts for our machines.

This requires a certain amount of preplanning  in regards to air and electrical connections, other wise you wind up with a web of hoses and extension cords all over the floor that leads to its own safety issues.

Our building was custom built for this type of work and we have 110v outlets, 1" airlines and vacuum on every support column as well as BUS bars for everything from 208v to 480v.

Another consideration is the "self checking quality system" where the person at the next operation is responsible for checking that the previous operation has been performed, is correct, and has been properly documented.

Our Quality department doesn't get involved until our validation tests, prior to that we have subassembly check lists the Lead Tech fills out.

In this system first piece inspections are handled with in the cell, again minimizing movement and taking work load off of the QA dept. who can then concentrate strictly on final batch inspections per the QA spec on that particular job.
Hope this triggers an idea, good luck.

I have worked in 15 machine shops from aero-space (stirling engines for sattelites and hub assemblies for AH-64s) to lumber mill equipment and the system you refer to has been one of the better performers.
Besides, I don't want to do a survey on Lean I want to do it on a Shooting Industry related topic.  (But I will end up doing it on Lean-DAMIT!)

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[tombogan03884]

From Magoo's post :
"Besides, I don't want to do a survey on Lean I want to do it on a Shooting Industry related topic.  (But I will end up doing it on Lean-DAMIT!)"

Yes, Commercial gunsmithing might be a subject for you to look into since the owner of each gun will want different things,for example you might go from mounting a scope on a Rem 700, to doing a trigger job on a 1911.
 But in manufacturing it is high volume repetitious production, for example in my last 3 years at T/A I probably machined 15,000 Omega breeches and drilled and tapped another 15,000 Encore barrels.

[Magoo541]

I submitted my research problem and proposed research question last night on attitudes towards introducing Lean company wide, a Kaikaku (radical change) event.  I guess I'll save the gun stuff until I finish my degree and work in the industry and for the range 

[tombogan03884]

I hope you can get into the industry, but I have to warn you.
Unless you are in design, or the repair/custom department it's just another factory job.
In production parts are parts, it doesn't matter if it's nuke triggers or machining azzholes into animal crackers, it's just a matter of making the numbers on the inspection gauges match the numbers on the print.

[Magoo541]

I hope you can get into the industry, but I have to warn you.
Unless you are in design, or the repair/custom department it's just another factory job.
In production parts are parts, it doesn't matter if it's nuke triggers or machining azzholes into animal crackers, it's just a matter of making the numbers on the inspection gauges match the numbers on the print.

I know that from my years of machining, I used to say "parts are parts", but I've found a way (usually good attitude combined with abilities) to stay out of production and do the fun stuff.  Going back to school for MGOL (Management and Organizaional Leadership) so I won't be working directly in production either way.

[Timothy]

Having a production background working in managment is becoming a liability.

I've been working for the last fifteen years for folks who have no clue how to make anything, yet, they will not take any advice from those of us that have.  Just got layed off and the owner was clueless, absolutely clueless but would not llisten to anyone.  He thought he had all the answers allready.

Actually glad to have a chance of walking away from manufacturing entirely after nearly 30 years.