Lean
Many companies are adopting the LEAN philosophy and methods of management, which provide very powerful tools to increase profits and efficiencies of operations. Lean companies also treat suppliers as partners, who take responsibility for the success of the systems or equipment they are supplying.
As an industrial process engineering and design-build company providing services and systems to industry, Htec subscribes to this philosophy and incorporates many of these principles into our systems and projects.
Measure Twice – Cut Once
We have been part of projects where there is not enough money to plan properly but the company can somehow find enough money to fix the problems, which sometimes exceed 50% of the budget.
Lean companies incorporates team participation and detailed planning into new ventures, operations and the purchase of new systems. Htec recognizes this approach and will participate in the process by providing equipment specifications, preliminary engineering drawings and cost information to the planning team. By becoming part of the planning team, Htec can thoroughly understand the project objectives and provide technical input.
Continuous Improvement
Continuous Improvement is another primary tenet of Lean, where Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) process is employed to constantly improve the process. This is another instance of where a technical partner can participate in the process by providing technical and engineering support.
Sometimes changes in technology, products or facilities require engineering, fabrication and support. As a partner, Htec is familiar with the process and can move quickly, efficiently and in a cost-effective manner.
Waste minimization and elimination is a primary tenet of Lean, which recognizes seven forms of waste. During the planning phase, Htec will analyze each form of waste and incorporate into the design ways to mitigate the waste. Although some forms of hazardous waste handling relate to administrative or operations, such as overproduction, inventory or extra processing, waste forms such as transport, quality control (defects) or motion can be mitigated through design.
Other forms of waste such as wastewater, air pollution, energy, poor electrical efficiencies, product scrap and processing chemical losses can be addressed during the engineering design phase.
Safety
Safety is a very important tenet of Lean, and must be designed into any manufacturing process. Lock Out – Tag Out, electrical, confined space, fall-protection, machine and conveyor guarding, ergonomics and air emissions are amount the critical safety issues to be addressed during a design phase.
A-3 Reports
The A-3 Report is an excellent communication device within an organization. Although some organizations require all communications to not-to-exceed one page, the A-3 Report is prepared on a 11”x17” paper and includes all the critical information about an issue, such as definition, cost, data, graphs & photos, planned solution and resolution with schedule and responsibility. The advance of a A-3 Report is that it forces the writer to be organized in thought, write in a concise manner, present only key information and clearly define the resolution.
Note: Lean is an all-encompassing philosophy of organizational structure and operations. For more information, go to www.lean.org.
Project Profiles
