Establishing a Model

Flow Cell
One-piece flow, standard work, 5S, pull systems

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One-piece Flow
Event
Prep, Execution, Outputs

TRIDENT BUSINESS SYSTEM

Prep for a one-piece flow cell event
• Use Value Stream Analysis to plan your cells
• Value Stream Analysis defines cell boundaries:
ONE BY LOWEST
ONE COST

• Define for the cell:

Who are the customers? 1-Piece
Flow
Standard
Work
What are the outputs?
Pull
Who are the suppliers? 5-S
Systems

What are the inputs?

What are the triggers? DEFECT- ON
FREE DEMAND

Establish Takt time based on historical demand and forecast

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 Execution of a one piece flow cell event
• Safety first
• Don't allow unsafe conditions
• Make jobs easy to do (ergonomic)
• Prevent unsafe acts (make them impossible)
• "Charger" (Water Spider) work
– Support work done on the "outside“ of the cell
– Material handling, parts support, information
transfer, etc.

• Managed with standard work

• Quality
– Takt time, work sequence and standard WIP
• Every part is a good part
– Standard documentation posted
• Build prevention into product and process
– Production control boards

• Right-sized equipment One-piece Flow

• No faster than the cell's target Takt time
• 1/10th the "typical" capital cost
• Runs autonomously (load-load) DONE 4 3
Natural
Groups in
• Operator works on the inside of the cell each cell
– No isolated people in "birdcages" IN

– Value-adding work done on the "inside" 1 2

– U-shaped counter-clockwise layouts best

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Outputs of a one-piece flow cell event
• Remember that a cell has…
1-ITEM STD.
• 1-piece flow FLOW WORK

• Standard work BASIC

5-S
PULL
SYS.
• 5-S
• Pull systems
VISUAL MANAGEMENT

• Establishing the cell layout is the first step

• Standard work is next (during the same event)
• Follow up with good basic 5-S (make it very visual)
• Create pull systems for cell customers and
suppliers
• Manage the cell ("all or nothing" in first 3
weeks!!!)
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Prep for a standard work event…
• Charter the event
• Define the scope of the event
• Define the one that flows
• Define the historical demand (last 3 months) and forecast
demand
• Calculate the current Takt Time (TT)
• Calculate the current Cycle Time (CT)
• What is a 30% improvement in productivity?
• Document the areas top 5 quality issues

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Executing a standard work event
• Day 1 – tool training, charter review, baseline data review, observation of
area and time observation studies, waste identification, Takt Time/Cycle
Time bar chart creation, start to analyze problems and brainstorm
solutions

• Day 2 – documentation of current state standard work and waste

identification, selection of waste to be eliminated, brainstormed
improvements analyzed and prioritized

• Day 3 – design of physical cell layout for one-piece flow and pull
production, create new work sequence with waste eliminated, try-storm
and troubleshoot the changes

• Day 4 – implement one-piece flow and pull production, document the

new standard work, train the operators, post the standard work
documents and create the production control board

• Day 5 – report out

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Outputs of a standard work event

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 5 S – Visual
Management
Part of Flow Cell Development

TRIDENT BUSINESS SYSTEM

5S: The Foundation of Visual
Management
• Sort - Eliminate what is not needed

• Set - A place for everything and everything in its place

• Shine - Cleaning and looking for ways to keep it clean

• Standardize - Systemize the maintenance of the first 3 S’s

• Sustain - Stick to the rules. Show real progress. Spread

the rules to other areas of the facility.

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Pull System Event
Prep, Execution, Outputs

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Prep for a pull system event
• Define scope of event
• Define the goal
• How much is 50% of the inventory ($)
• Which units are in? Out?
• What are the high runners (80/20)?
FOR… BEST: VISUAL
• Which will be replenished / sequenced? "ITEMS OUT" (pulled by customers) BETTER: CONTAINER

• What is quantity to make? "ITEMS IN" (pulled from suppliers)

CONSUMABLES (pulled from suppliers)
3: TRIGGER
(what, where to / from,
GOOD: CARDS

• Trigger quantity when, how many)

1: UPSTREAM 2: DOWNSTREAM
• Do the boundaries “feel” right? ITEMS
READY
4: FLOW
ITEMS
BEING USED
• Right units
• Right trigger quantities THINK 80/20
REPLENISH… 80% OF THE UNIT VOLUME COMES FROM 20% OF THE ITEMS
STORE IN
RESERVED

• Challenging stretch goal PLACES

SEQUENCE… 20% OF THE UNIT VOLUME COMES FROM 80% OF THE ITEMS STORE IN
• Document demand history and mix? FIFO LANES

• Cost R.I. EVENT GOALS: REDUCE INVENTORY $ BY 50%

• Volume
• Package sizes
• Document current on-time delivery
• Number of missed / late deliveries; missed
milestones
• Identify an overstock area

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Executing a pull system event
• Observe the process directly
• Review your observations, material usage, and cost
• Choose the lot size and containers (smaller is better)
• Design the pull system
• Upstream ready items
• Downstream in-use items
• Establish the pull trigger
• Best: Visual
• Better: Container
• Good: Cards
• Isolate the “extra” parts somewhere else (upstream)
• Create the triggers and fill the pull system with items
• Implement cell performance board
• To track issues and resolution
• Repeat observation and measurements
• Document the inventory reduction ($)

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Outputs of a pull system event
Pull system rules are implemented and managed
visually
• Rule One: downstream process withdraws only necessary items
from the upstream process and at the required point in time
• Rule Two: upstream process replenishes only the items in the
quantities withdrawn by the downstream process
• Rule Three: defective items are never transported to the
downstream process
• Rule Four: the pull system is the only system for replenishment
• Rule Five: the size of the Pull System has been minimized.
• Rule Six: the actual quantity of items contained in a container, bin,
box, pallet or in-box must be equal to the quantity written on the
Pull Signal trigger

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Elements of a flow cell

1-ITEM STD.
FLOW WORK
BASIC PULL
5-S SYS.

VISUAL MANAGEMENT

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