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Auburn Technical Assistance Center (ATAC)

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Toyota Contradictions

Extreme Toyota identified six contradictory forces Toyota on the move. It relentlessly pits these forces against each other to realize continuous innovation and constant renewal:1. Moving gradually but also taking big leaps.2. Cultivating frugality while spending huge sums.3. Operating efficiently as well as redundantly.4. Cultivating stability and a paranoid mindset.5. Respecting bureaucratic hierarchy and allowing freedom to dissent.6. Maintaining simplified and complex communication.Moving…See More
Blog post by Hank Czarnecki 17 hours ago
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Toyota Business Practices & Key Concepts of Lean at AmTech LLC, Alexander City, AL

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June 12, 2012 at 8am to June 13, 2012 at 4:30pm
Join us June 12-13, 2012 for a highly interactive and informative training course in Toyota Business Practices & Key Concepts of Lean. Tracey Richardson, a former Toyota trainer and expert in teaching and facilitating the course that will teach the planning and problem solving processes so effectively used in the Toyota Production System. This training event being held at the Mercedes Manufacturing Plant in Vance, AL. Lunch, all training materials are included.What you will learn:Day One- 8…See More
Event updated by Auburn Works 18 hours ago
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Foley - Lean Government Training - Leading & Sustaining

Senior leaders with the City of Foley, AL are participating in training in Lean Continuous Improvement for Government. The project is being jointly facilitat...
A video by Auburn Works was featured yesterday
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City of Foley, AL delivering continuous improvement training with city employees for a Lean government implementation.
Status posted by Henry Burdg Wednesday
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Blog posts by Brian Flynn Tuesday
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Pike Co. Leadership Council Presentation

ATAC Lean Specialist Rick Battye addressed the Pike County (Ala.) Leadership Council on Jan. 18, 2012. The group learned about some of the basic concepts of Lean Continuous Improvement and about some of the work ATAC has done with organizations in…
A photo by Auburn Works was featured Jan 18
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Where's the Exit?- Practical Leadership Tips

When you travel on a commercial flight, the safety briefing always includes a discussion of the exits.  When you go to a movie, the safety briefing includes, "The exits to the right and left of the screen have been checked and are clear exits from the building in the event of an emergency."Exits are an important part of everyday…See More
Blog post by David Hicks Jan 18
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1001 Ways to Celebrate and Improve Your Bottom-Line

Two recent events reminded me of the importance of celebrating. One involved a friend whose Army son was promoted from Captain to Major. My friend beamed as he described the ceremony in great detail. He talked about how his son’s commanding officer, with great eloquence and without notes, described his son’s character and recited his accomplishments. The military knows how to celebrate and bestow honor to important events.The other event involved a friend and college professor. He described a…See More
Blog post by Tom Chandler Jan 17
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CLASS CLOSED: Lean 101 For Healthcare at Auburn, AL

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January 27, 2012 from 8am to 4:30pm
Lean Healthcare 101 is a course designed to teach Lean’s continuous improvement methodology and tools. This full-day energetic event will give participants a hands-on, learn-by-doing experience by applying Lean philosophies and tools in a simulated Emergency Room environment. Students will learn value stream mapping, workplace organization, batch reduction, standardization, pull systems, continuous flow, and more. This training will prepare participants to apply Lean concepts and tools back in…See More
Event updated by Auburn Works Jan 17
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CLASS CLOSED: ISO Advanced Auditing & Evaluation #1 at Auburn, AL

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January 24, 2012 at 8am to January 25, 2012 at 5pm
Purpose: The purpose of the training course is to introduce learners to evaluative methods and techniques that may be employed to inform decision makers about the effectiveness, implementation, and improvement of quality management systems and processes. Duration: 2 Days. Scheduled class time is 8:00 to 5:00 PM. Training Overview: This course is intended for learners who have previously completed a course in internal auditing and have some experience performing audits. While auditing is about…See More
Event updated by Auburn Works Jan 17
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Blog posts by Brian Flynn Jan 16
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Photo posted by Auburn Works Jan 13
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Foley - Lean Government Training - Leading & Sustaining

Senior leaders with the City of Foley, AL are participating in training in Lean Continuous Improvement for Government. The project is being jointly facilitat...
Video posted by Auburn Works Jan 12
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Dr. Genella M. Stubrud is now a member of Auburn Works Dec 20, 2011
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Mapping Talent on the 9-Box Grid

So you have almost wrapped up your performance appraisals for the year, and are getting ready of the holidays. Congratulations! But what about next year? As you move into the new year, do you have the right people in the right places to meet your organizational goals? Is there any way to organize your employees based on their performance that will help you see who can contribute the most and who needs to go? Kathryn Tyler, in the August 2011 HR Magazine, discusses an interesting approach to…See More
Blog post by Brian Flynn Dec 20, 2011
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ATAC's work in Lean for Healthcare featured in Fall 2011 'Beyond Auburn' magazine

A blog post by Auburn Works was featured Dec 14, 2011
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Gulf Shores Lean Govt. RIE

Auburn Technical Assistance (ATAC) Director Henry Burdg and Lean Continuous Improvement Team Leader Hank Czarnecki give the charge and describe team objectiv...
A video by Auburn Works was featured Dec 14, 2011
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Innovation Doesn't Have to Be High-Tech

Recently a colleague of mind, Walker Jackson, sent me an email with the headline "Why Didn't I Think of That?"  After opening and looking through the message which consisted mostly of pictures, I asked myself that same exact question.  Then I was reminded of a recent meeting I had with several economic developers (connectors) where I explained the need for the Innovation Engineering Management and JumpStart System to define,…See More
Blog post by David Mixson Dec 14, 2011
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Learning Leadership Strategy Training and The People Side of Lean at American Cast Iron Pipe Company, Birmingham, AL

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February 28, 2012 at 8am to February 29, 2012 at 4:30pm
MIKE HOSEUS, instrumental in establishing Toyota's manufacturing presence in the U.S., as documented in his award-winning book, “Toyota Culture: The Heart and Soul of the Toyota Way,” is now helping American companies transform to Lean Enterprises.This course teaches the importance of strategic planning for the organizational leadership and the integration of the HR activities into the overall Lean process as key to accelerating lean implementation and setting a foundation for a sustainable…See More
Event updated by Auburn Works Dec 9, 2011
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Dick Sandvold is now a member of Auburn Works Dec 8, 2011

Training recognized by the National Association of Management & Technical Assistance Centers & the Southern Growth Policies Board.

 

Welcome to the ATAC Network

Join Auburn Technical Assistance Center on Facebook

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ATAC's 2012 Open Enrollment Training Course Schedule is available online. To review the course offerings or to register, please select the "Registration" link at the top of this page, or, select "Schedule & Course Registration" on our main web site (www.auburnworks.org.)

NOTE: Additional courses will be added throughout the year, so please check back often for updates.


 

 

E3 Program Benefitting Alex City Firm's Bottom Line

 

NOTE: The Alabama E3 Program was launched in 2010 to focus lean continuous improvement tools and strategies on the three areas of Economy, Energy and the Environment. The program is comprised of 26 federal, state and local partners and is administered by the Alabama Technology Network (ATN). To date, the ATN has assisted some 40 companies through the E3 program saving thousands of dollars in cost reductions and avoided expenses through the implementation of efficiency improvements.

 

Company Profile:

AmTech LLC of Alexander City, Ala. manufactures wiring harnesses and controllers for buses, heavy equipment, medical equipment and for the defense industry. With about 250 employees within a single 130,000 square-foot facility, the company has embarked on a mission to become more productive and efficient. AmTech partnered with the ATN-AU center to launch a Lean Manufacturing program even before combining its two plants in Montgomery and Kellyton, Ala. into a single location in January 2006.  

 

Recently, the company garnered a large defense-related contract with an aircraft company and annual sales are approaching $20 million to a market that is largely U.S. based. Now some seven years into its lean journey, AmTech has made significant progress in efficiency improvements and continuous improvement (CI) management and operating philosophy.

 

Situation:

With the advent of the ATN’s role in facilitating the Alabama E3 program, AmTech wanted to tap into the opportunity to focus its CI initiative to include more efficient use of energy as well as space and resources. During the months of March and April 2011, AmTech enlisted ATN-AU Lean Team members to facilitate a plant-wide E3 Assessment and E3 kaizen on its #138 product line, which assembles wiring harness components for a major medical equipment manufacturer of portable monitoring systems.

 

Assistance:

An ATN E3 Assessment team was mobilized and conducted an extensive energy efficiency and sustainability assessment within the plant over a multi-day period.

 

ATN-AU led a cross-disciplinary kaizen team of seven in the facilitation of six separate improvement events on the #138 assembly area. The work consisted of an E3 review to identify current conditions and to develop the kaizen strategy. The review identified the following areas as efficiency improvement opportunities:

  • Not prepared/organized for the next order
  • No documented standard work for how work is to be performed
  • Lack of 5s discipline and visuals – which extends lead time
  • Long distance to transport wires between operations
  • Performing extra inspection process that is not required
  • Work not balanced to Takt Time
  • Overproducing sub-assemblies and finished goods

The team implemented the following countermeasures:

  • Balanced work to Takt Time
  • Moved terminating press closer to work cell
  • Moved wire stripping machine closer to work cell
  • Cross trained personnel to build panel sub-assemblies
  • Rearranged the work cell to minimize motion
  • Identified tools required for the cell and established point of use
  • Developed standard work for each work station
  • Simplified scheduling by creating a finished goods supermarket and an in-process supermarket (pull systems)
  • Established 5s activities and auditing mechanisms
  • Installed a visual management board

 Results:

The plant-wide E3 Assessment identified $165,000 annual energy savings opportunities that involve changes in lighting and compressed air leaks and pressure reductions.

 

The E3 kaizen activities immediately reduced the need for four assembly operators in the #138 assembly area to two. This freed up two operators for reallocation to other areas. Additionally, lead time to build to current customer demand was reduced from four days to two days. Moreover, a reduction in labor costs is credited with increasing company revenue for the #138 product to $62,000 annually. AmTech credits the E3 initiative for the retention of four jobs as a result of cross-training and reallocation. By reducing the amount of heat guns and soldering irons required in the assembly process by 50 percent, AmTech also says electricity consumption has been reduced by half in the #138 sector.

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Members

  • Dr. Genella M. Stubrud
  • Dick Sandvold
  • Bevv Beirl
  • joe gacheru
  • Kim gallant
  • Loren Berry
  • Danny K. Speigner
  • Keven Yost
  • Ray Stall
  • Amit Mitra
  • Raymond A Hamilton II
  • Cliff Defee

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