The Full Kit ProjectLink Engineering

Dante Cicchelli, Andrew Choraszewski, Shannon Manalel,

Nathan Taschler

OM 300 Section 001, Team #5

Agenda

Company (description)Interviewees Project Overview and DriversProject Steps

Show and Tell

Project Challenges & SolutionsProject BenefitsFuture OpportunitiesLeader Career Lessons

Business Description

• Privately Held• Multinational • Headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan

(Interview)• In business for over 75 years• Employs 400 worldwide, 175 at the World HQ• $80 million in revenues• Since implementing Lean production increase

of 30%

• Manufactures Dynoameters (Dyno’s) for Automotive, Train, and Aerospace

• Dyno’s test parts under all weather conditions and stress tests

• Can conduct in-house testing and refurbishing at customers choice

• Plymouth location builds the model 3900 and 3000 Dyno

• Ships worldwide

Business Description (Continued)

Dynoameter 3000

Dynoameter 3900

Interview Info

Jerry Verkerke•Vice President of Test Operations and Director of Operations

•Oversees day to day operations at Plymouth shop Headquarters

•At Link for 5 years

•Spent 25 years working for Ford Motor Company

•Brought in to make a change

•Student of Lean

Project Overview• Project Started January 2013• Completed end of the year, December 2013• Link Engineering Implementation of Lean

Manufacturing• Verkerke was brought in to make a change • Project Team consisted of 12 people• Needed cooperation and commitment from all

employees• Project Team looked for employee input• Consistent shipping intervals

Before the Project

• Unorganized plant shop

• Waste• Unwanted materials and machines

• D-O-W-N-T-I-M-E

Link Shop Layout: (Original)

Project Description

Eliminate waste (Sell/Scrap) Launch 5S system that welcomed input (Company

Wide)Re-organize floor planThe Crib (Inventory)KittingDividing the plant into assembly baysProduct begins simultaneously in different areas

Project Description

Meet in the middle at the scheduled bayMeet in the middle at the scheduled bayImprove motion (Wheeled Mobility)Improve motion (Wheeled Mobility)Standard paintStandard paintPaint when readyPaint when ready

The “Kit” of the Kitting Project

Link Shop Layout: (Post Project)

How and Why Full Kit?

“It just works”Lead time was too highEfficient use of spaceFull Kit eliminated D-O-W-N-T-I-M-EBetter communication between

departments

Project Challenges & Solutions

Barriers to the plan

Employee Resistance

Rewards for “speaking up”

Mobilization (waste in time/resources)

Project Benefits: Quantitative

• Importance of improvement

• Customer satisfaction and attraction

• 30% increase in production and revenue• Significant decrease in inventory

• Getting rid of “wasteful misfortunes”• Decrease in excess machinery and equipment

• Consistent shipping intervals

Project Benefits: Qualitative

• Improvement in:• quality of products • in Link Engineering’s production rates • in customer satisfaction

• Reorganizing

• Employee morale

• Attracted more business

Future Opportunities

• Applies Kaizen• Brainstorms new ideas

• Advancement in shop’s floor – 19 bays• Expanding World Headquarters in Plymouth, MI• Optimize/Improve logical flow• Reduce costs by using space • Relocating offices – desk jobs above the floor• Employees’ input

Leader Career Lessons

• Be persistent

• ALWAYS room for improvement

• Do what YOU want

• Mentors, mentors, mentors!• Exchange ideas• Professional networking

Leader Career Lessons

Thanks for your time

• Questions