Plant and workforce optimization. Plant and workforce optimization involves enhancing operational efficiency by streamlining processes and maximizing employee productivity. Implementing advanced technologies, such as automation and data analytics, can help identify inefficiencies. Training programs and effective communication also play crucial roles in aligning workforce capabilities with plant goals.

Drawing from my background of creating highly effective manufacturing systems and procedures, I share these same lessons both through one-on-one training, in-plant and class-room environments.

Each new product represents a one-of-a-kind process that requires engineering from concept to production. Drawing from this experience, I have developed procedures and engineering software tools to reduce the learning curve and shorten startup time.

Manufacturing facilities: the manufacturing operation is more than a building, machinery, tooling, raw materials and manpower. It is profound knowledge that comes from studying the cause and effect of each step in the manufacturing process. I have observed that placing constrains on the placement of the equipment based on available floor space can greatly inhibit the efficiency of both the machine and the operators.

I have found that people are relatively content when their equipment performs reliably. The person who is struggling the most day after day needs our support. Neglecting him or her without a plan to correct the issue leads to distrust and frustration. They may not have the engineering or process knowledge to diagnose the issue. But our responsibility is to ask, listen and assist them. Our expertise is needed to follow-through and address the issue or issues. Often it is a sequence of issues that with proper analysis can be corrected all at once. Other times, extensive corrections may require more time than we can schedule at that moment. That cannot lead us to tolerate the issue, but production personnel need to understand that the correction is forthcoming.

I have seen procedures and practices that were counter-productive and resulting in early failures. Correcting bad practices sometimes requires training the entire workforce all at one time. Sometimes the shock value of when we address a problem, cements the message. Once I shut down the entire operation down at shift change so I could demonstrate to both shifts the correct procedure to start the machine. The company owner was scandalized by the 15 minutes of down time! However, the benefits were immediate.

The responsibility of management and owners is to provide the manufacturing personnel with the training, tools and equipment to perform their jobs effectively and then get the hell out of their way so they can do it.

Management assumptions: Sometimes, we as managers make assumptions based on previous experience or the simplest answer(s). It is imperative to ask the people closest to the problems for their observations and solutions. One example was a missed machining operation that started occurring on second shift during the summer. All of that was key. While it was true that the second shift operators were junior, i.e. less experienced, the root cause was the accumulated heat buildup inside the control cabinet after having running for 10 to 12 continuous hours. This combined with the afternoon heat caused the motor controls to overheat tripping the breaker to the second machining step. The only person that saw what happened was the second shift supervisor who reset the breaker but left the part in the machine to proceed to the next step without having completed the operation. There was both an engineering correction, (replace the undersized breaker and train the supervisor and operators to scrap any parts that are suspected of improper machining).