Lean manufacturing has been around for quite a while, and many manufacturers have embraced the philosophy of continuously looking for ways to eliminate waste in their processes. However, the true meaning of Lean involves much more than automating an activity or streamlining an operation, as important as those things are. So here are 7 questions to ask yourself about your Lean program.
One of the most useful tools CNC machine shops have for reducing costs and improving performance is a concept called Value Stream Mapping. Typically used by companies who wish to implement Lean Manufacturing, Value Stream Mapping is a way to identify and analyze all of the activities involved in delivering a product or service to the customer. For CNC machine operations this could be anything from a single part to a complete product.
For many years all aspects of business have been under intense pressure to drive down costs so we can be more competitive and profitable. Perhaps nowhere is this pressure more intense than in manufacturing. Of course, there are a number of ways to reduce production costs, and you have most likely addressed many of them. Even so, it’s always a good idea to take a fresh look at your operation to see if you’ve overlooked anything.
Energy Dynamics, Inc. (EDI) is a nearly 30-year-old Illinois precision CNC machine shop that specializes in making hydraulic components and assemblies for a variety of major OEMs. The cylinders, pistons, electro control shafts and other items EDI produces find their way into heavy equipment, assembly machinery, aerospace applications and more.
Accurate Grinding and Manufacturing Corporation and its Accurate Fishing Products division is a family business run by Jack Nilsen and his twin sons David and Douglas, Accurate began as a small CNC machine shop in 1950 and developed into a successful precision operation catering to the aerospace industry. In 1990, David and Douglas parleyed their passion for saltwater fishing into a line of high-end fishing gear that use the same close-tolerance manufacturing techniques they apply to their aerospace work.