Engineering Changes
Problem: It can take weeks for a quality issue on the shop floor to get funneled to designers.
In a conventional paper-based environment documentation is broken down into categories and assigned to various groups and departments. When something has to change, the information goes from in-box to out-box back and forth until the details of the change are understood. It can take months to process and engineering change on the shop floor.
Solution:
The people requesting, processing and approving the change must have instant access to the same information such as what is happening on the shop floor or in the field to warrant the change, What do we need to achieve in this change, what documents should be affected and what will they look like after the change. Linking everyone in this way breaks down the barriers and encourages Rapid and Continuous Improvement.
- Solumina ties everyone involved in the change with it's workflow managed document handling tools. Work procedures, CAD drawings and Solids, Instructions, Specifications are all linked together and accessible to the entire team for review, corrections and approval.
- The Workflow engine ensures that everyone involved in the change including customers and Vendors are electronically dialed-in using the internet.
Results:
Fast and accurate propagation of changes to the shop.
Problem: While designers are re-thinking various parts, we could be building 6 months worth of the same parts on the shop floor.
In complex industries, when a problem is found with a process, procedure, policy or product it can take weeks and even months to react to the information and push through an appropriate change. Often by the time the change hits the floor many parts have already suffered the fate of the deficient process. This translates into multiple-count scrap and rework (a no-no in any world class operation)
Solution:
The shop floor instruction delivery process must allow for instant hold assignments on suspect orders and the ability to quickly "Red Line" the instructions or parts list to temporarily correct the problem while the Engineering Change is being processed. Once that Red Line is done, it must be possible to propagate that (those) change(s) automatically to other orders that crop up using the same process or parts.
- Solumina provides full authoring capability for "Red Lining" shop orders and propagating to se changes to other orders.
Results:
Errors are caught fast and corrected before Scrap and Rework pile up.
Problem: When a design has been identified for change, it is almost impossible to figure out which parts were already built and their current location.
Since most information that ties components together (serial traceability data) is usually stuffed in a box somewhere it is almost impossible to quickly determine where a particular suspect component or lot may have ended up. The manual research required is so extensive that manufacturers usually take everything apart on the shop floor and in stock when a suspect component or lot is identified. This process takes weeks and costs excessive amounts of money. Often times, components are replaced that were perfectly adequate. In a regulated industry, if a manufacturer or service provider cannot prove through documentation (electronic or paper) that a process was properly conducted, they can be fined for EVERY part sold that was not documented.
Solution:
A system that will record ACCURATELY all serial / lot traceability data without taking valuable time away from the employees. That way, if a suspect lot or serial component is identified as suspect, the entire affected population can be identified in minutes and dealt with.
- Solumina's multi-level "as-worked" Bill of Material tracking enables rapid and complete identification of component genealogy as well as enables rapid "where-used" inquiries against the database.
Results:
The information you need in seconds instead of weeks or months
Problem: My engineers have no way to stop/re-direct manufacturing without physically going to the floor.
Because the work package in a paper world is a physical entity, once it has been printed and handed out, it represents an authorization to built. Because it is static, it becomes obsolete often days after release. Shop employees have no way of knowing of any needed changes unless someone brings the issue to them. The result is inaccurately performed work by well meaning individuals.
Solution:
Real time updates to work instructions on the shop. Ability to put a hold on work in process if necessary while updates to instructions are made. Ability to alter the original work instructions with new and/or rework instructions if necessary to accomodate engineering changes on units in process. Traceability of changes to Engineering authorization.
Results:
Real time cut-in of Engineering changes to work in process. Ability to catch units in progress that would have otherwise missed the changes. Reduction of units needing rework to incorporate critical Engineering changes.
Problem: There are so many people involved in a design change that by the time it has been approved, the design is obsolete.
In complex industries, when a problem is found with a process, procedure, policy or product it can take weeks and even months to react to the information and push through an appropriate change. Often by the time the change hits the floor many parts have already suffered the fate of the deficient process. This translates into multiple-count scrap and rework (a no-no in any world class operation)
Solution:
The shop floor instruction delivery process must allow for instant hold assignments on suspect orders and the ability to quickly "Red Line" the instructions or parts list to temporarily correct the problem while the Engineering Change is being processed. Once that Red Line is done, it must be possible to propagate that (those) change(s) automatically to other orders that crop up using the same process or parts.
- Solumina provides full authoring capability for "Red Lining" shop orders and propagating to se changes to other orders.
Results:
Errors are caught fast and corrected before Scrap and Rework pile up.
