The 12 Principles of Manufacturing Excellence
1. Safety is the cornerstone of a high-performance plant. It is characterized by high Associate awareness and involvement—effective Associate training, ergonomically sound work environments, vigorous investigation and root-cause elimination of unsafe acts and conditions—and results in zero lost or restricted time accidents.
2. Good housekeeping and organization are expected at all times. Use of the 5S techniques is required, i.e. a place for everything and everything in its place.
3. Disciplined use of authorized formal systems is required to ensure data integrity of BOMS, routers, labor, scrap and inventory records. Use of inaccurate data results in financial and customer service surprises and causes poor decision making.
4. Preventive/Predictive Maintenance systems will be routinely used to plan/schedule equipment and facility maintenance. An undependable plant delivers poor customer service and disappoints shareholders
5. Process capability will be measured on all key processes with a minimum process control expectation of > 4 sigma, 1.33 Cpk. Use of statistical tools leads to a reliable environment with predictable outcomes on cost and service. The ultimate objective is to achieve theoretical levels of capacity utilization and material usage with process control approaching 6 sigma, 2.0 Cpk.
6. Operators are responsible for product quality and will not knowingly pass defective material to the next operation. The objective is to have zero escapes of poor quality product to the next operation or to an external customer.
7. Product will be manufactured on time to the original, agreed upon delivery promise. Manufacturing’s delivery performance is critical to growing the business profitably. It is a measure of the reliability of the shop floor and is an essential part of providing service that ultimately delights the customer.
8. Evidence of Visual Management will be prominent throughout the plant with key metrics at each work center. The use of Kanbans, Andon lights, audio alarms, color coding and other visual techniques will be used as appropriate.
9. Continuous Improvement will result in relentless productivity improvement, year-over-year, forever. It is critical to the long-term job security of everyone to maintain a low-cost and competitive manufacturing cost structure.
10. A comprehensive, purposeful Communications Plan will be in place and executed in every plant on a rolling twelve month basis. Better informed Associates take more interest in and make better decisions for the business.
11. A comprehensive, purposeful Training Plan will be in place and executed in every plant on a rolling twelve month basis. Fully competent Associates work safely and deliver quality products, on time at a competitive cost.
12. All Associates will help to create and sustain a shop floor environment where the operator is in control of the process. This will be known as Operator-Led Process Control (OLPC).
