Flexpipe Blog

When it comes to setting up the process to assemble pipe and joint projects, there are certain principles you'll want to keep in mind. We've drawn up the following list of 10 steps to follow, so the construction of your structure goes as smoothly as possible. Read on for the details!

Before setting up a process to assemble a lean pipe structure, we suggest your pipe builders receive basic training on how to use the Flexpipe product. Also, make sure to have a suitable environment equipped with sufficient space and tables, a minimum of raw material, and all necessary tools so your team can carry out the work efficiently.

Our customers build lean pipe structures using different processes which differ depending on the company size, history with Flexpipe products, etc. In some companies, the designated builders change every week, which means that their processes will be different from companies who always use the same builders.

 
1 -  Fill in the 7-ways idea sheet
The first step consists of coming up with seven different ways to solve the problem at hand. To get you started, read the article Our 7-Ways Idea Template to Avoid Tunnel Vision. Then, download the Excel the 7-Ways Idea template.

Remember to use your wits, instead of reaching for your wallet – and try to think outside the box! Often, a bit of innovative thinking can go a long way and doesn't require additional investments.

2 -  Select and hand sketch the chosen idea
Usually, at this point, you'll have a pretty good idea in which direction to head in, but, if not, don't waste any more time on brainstorming and start "try storming." No more excuses: get things started and test the prototype! After, you can draw another sketch in greater detail, which includes what material you will need.

Download your printable project sheets here.
For more information on hand-sketching:
 

 
3 -  Draw up a list of what material you need and how much
Allow us for a moment to use a cooking analogy. As you know, pretty much every meal has a recipe. Try to cook a meal you've never prepared before without the recipe, and you'll most likely fail. The same goes for your project. Without a material list, odds are you're not going to get anywhere. Have a proper bill of material on an Excel sheet or at least on a list that you've jotted down by hand.

 
4 -  Order the required material
Unless you keep an inventory of parts at all times (a practice you should avoid, in keeping with the Lean philosophy), you will more than likely need to order some components — but try to use what you have on hand as any good moonshiner would!

5 - Make sure all material is available before starting to build
Have you ever noticed the one thing that all cooking shows have in common? The reason most chefs can complete a recipe within 30 minutes is not just thanks to the magic of video editing. Instead, the answer lies in the fact that they have all the recipe's ingredients in front of them ready to be used. So coming back to the assembly project, when you have all the materials ready, you will drastically speed up the assembly process.

6 -  Mark the location of the project on the ground with tape
This is where your 5S floor marking skills will come in handy. If you're not familiar with floor marking principles, learn more on the 60 seconds visual workflow blog article. There are also plenty of great resources in online forums such as lean.org.

 
7 -  Build a prototype and see if it works
This principle is called a one-piece flow, and it is responsible for a drastic change in many manufacturing industries. According to this rule, building one product at a time from start to finish is more efficient than doing just one operation to many units before carrying out the next step. This will ultimately save you from making the same error on every unit.

 
8 -  Record the actual quantity of material used to construct the project
Document everything. This is a no-brainer, right? Well, many people - including us - often forget or underestimate the importance of documenting. This will become critical when the time comes to scale the project. Document how many components you use and feel free to record any individual building processes with which you might have had a problem.

 
9 -  Improve upon the first concept
This wouldn't be a lean method without including notions of continuous improvement. This step is all about optimizing your project before scaling it. Unlike step 7, the purpose of this step is to test the prototype and refine its design to make it more efficient in all aspects. Once you've reworked your prototype, build a second structure.

 
10 -  Calculate the benefits of the project once it's complete
There are many ways to calculate your ROI ("return on investment"). These will vary depending on the nature of the project and the KPIs ("key performance indicators") you choose.

Most of our customers use the Moonshine Shop to improve takt time or to decrease injury risks and floor space. These metrics are usually easy to calculate. However, they are just examples of the standard indicators we see in our industry. This method is versatile, and the results can be surprising.

To conclude, if you apply these steps correctly, you should quickly see the benefits generated from this process every time. No one likes to waste time, and, as we all know, time is money. We want to make sure that your time – and budget – are well spent!

Along those lines, we encourage you to consider using a Flexpipe crib, which is a storage structure for Flexpipe parts. You'll be surprised by the extent of its potential and see just how useful it is in your work environment.

This article and the guide that goes with it are the results of our collaboration with Creative Safety Supply. We hope you enjoy and learn something along the way. Skip this article and get your Floor Marking Guide right away!

Though they are perhaps the single most cost-effective means of boosting a facility’s safety and efficiency, high-visibility floor markings rarely get the respect they deserve, and companies that do the bare minimum necessary to meet OSHA requirements are doing themselves a grave disservice. Proper, high-visibility floor markings allow employees to find tools and materials as needed while preventing accidents caused by people being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That translates to less waste, improved morale, and increased profits.

Our guide offers a brief primer on the benefits of smart, original floor marking, examines some typical applications, and even provides hints on how to choose the floor marking method that’s right for your facility. If you own a warehouse that sees very little traffic, simple floor paint may be the correct answer for you. If, however, your facility sees a lot of forklift traffic, we’d recommend you look into a more durable, long-lasting solution, such as SafetyTac® industrial floor tape made from PVC material. Not only will this heavy tape last for years, but you won’t have to worry about it getting scuffed and turning into a tripping hazard.

The key to a compelling visual workplace is visuals that are intuitive and readily available. Creative floor marking is the easiest way to accomplish this often-overlooked task, and our guide can set you on the right path toward building a safe, efficient workplace.

About Creative Safety Supply

Creative Safety Supply is a manufacturer and supplier of industrial safety and lean manufacturing products for the workplace. The company has worked with businesses of all sizes and in many industries to help create spaces that are safer, easier to navigate, and operate more efficiently. Creative Safety Supply’s LabelTac® industrial label printers and SafetyTac® floor marking tapes allow organizations to increase visual communication in their facilities without too much hassle or need for upkeep. Visit CreativeSafetySupply.com to learn more about floor marking.

How to go from a good idea to a great idea? Or what’s the difference between a good idea and a great idea? Good ideas come along all the time and help people solve minor problems. Great ideas appear a little less frequently and require a bit more work to execute. 

Your first idea isn’t probably your best one. However, many of us suffer from “design fixation”, where we fall in love with our first idea, simply because it was first. This is a problem because it stops you from looking for a better one. Time is the most precious resource people have, and finding great ideas can take several days, even months. Our Seven-Ways Idea sheet can take you from a good idea to a great idea.

 
Who is using this Template?
At Flexpipe, we definitely use this sheet for our projects. However, we are not the inventors of this concept. Many of the companies we work with were already using this as standard practice.

Let's take the case of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Canada Aerospace (MHICA). They use the 7-Ways Idea sheet at the beginning of every Kaizen Moonshine Shop they do. The company knows that this technique reduces the risk of future problems within the design.

For more information:
Check out our article on the 10 steps for a successful project.

 
How does the template work?
The suggestion needs to be illustrated with at least seven solutions, and seven is a minimum, the more ideas you generate, the better solutions you can devise. Forcing employees to come with several ideas will:

   Push people to take more time and look at things from different angles.
   Force them to ask colleagues, develop teamwork, combine ideas, and bring a new perspective to the problem.
   Push ideas such as idea 5,6, and 7 to go beyond common sense and think outside the box.

 
Still not convinced?
You might think it's a luxury to come with multiple ideas and that it's going to take too much of your time and of the time of your team. However, our experience with this process has proved again and again that investing a little more time at the beginning of a project will save you time and money in the long run by:

   Revealing unknown obstacles and overcoming them before they occur.
   Limiting the number of corrections needed after the project is done.
   Making sure your allotted time is realistic and that you have the resources necessary to accomplish your goals before even starting the project.

 
What this process means for pipe and joint system users?
If you are using a industrial pipe racking system like Flexpipe, you know that possibilities are endless. This sheet will help you explore those ideas and build great structures that will lead to more productivity and less waste of your time and money.

 
Final thought on the 7-Ways-Idea process
Finally, we highly recommend that you download the template and that you implement it for your next project. Don't forget that you should always limit the time allotted to this process to allow the project to see the light of day.

Download the Excel version of the 7-Ways Idea Template.

The Flexpipe Crib is a storage structure that requires assembly. The structure will allow you, among other things, to organize your various modular system parts, make the system far more intuitive to use. This equipment may appear to be somewhat costly to the uninitiated.

However, by reading below, you’ll get a comprehensive overview of the Crib’s potential and usefulness in your work environment.

 
An excellent example of 5S principles
The Flexpipe Crib was designed according to Lean Manufacturing
A place for everything and everything in its place is a crucial concept in 5S principles, and the Flexpipe Crib is an accurate reflection of this concept. This structure features three distinct sections: cutting workstation, centrally-located shelf unit, and tube storage cart.

The cutting workstation includes a platform to set up a saw, storage shelves for your tools, and a drawer with foam cutouts to store small tools.

The 5-tier central unit includes two shelves and three conveyor levels for optimal product storage.

The cart includes an 8’ section for tube storage as well as a section designated to manage scraps efficiently.

Each of these components is mounted on wheels making it easier to move each one around for quick configuration changes. Furthermore, you can quickly create a U-shaped cell to reduce movements during the assembly process. One can also choose to close off the Crib when not in use to save space.

The Flexpipe Crib was designed according to the Kanban “two-bin” system to facilitate the inventory of assembly parts at a glance. Two posters displaying all the possibilities of Flexpipe products grouped by category are also included in the Crib’s packaging. Why not do like our customer below and build lateral supports to display the posters clearly!

With these posters clearly visible, no matter who tries to build stuff, they can see what items are available

Michael Dumas - Manufacturing Manager at Barfield Inc.

Too often, structures are assembled directly on the floor or stacked pallets. This is probably the best way to lose parts and increase the risk of work-related accidents.

The Crib is an ergonomic and organized location specifically designed to assemble your modular structures.

Use it to show your team just what Lean Manufacturing standards are all about. In a best-case scenario, each of your facility’s departments should be organized in such a way that they are just as Lean as your Crib.

An excellent self-teaching opportunity
Fill two needs with one deed when learning about the modular system’s various uses
Each Crib comes with pre-cut parts, a detailed, step-by-step assembly plan, and two parts posters. The assembly instructions have been simplified to make the learning process more comfortable, regardless of your skill level.

It took us a while to begin assembling our Crib, but it turned out to be a training session in itself. When we got down to it, we discovered the modular system’s enormous potential. We also realized just how practical some parts were and put them in our structures. We should have taken it out of the box much sooner!

Jamie & Jamie - Maintenance workers at Robinson Innocations

More information:
How modular carts help this logistics company improve its efficiency

It is the most frequently used parts that will go into your Crib’s assembly.
When the time comes to assemble more complex structures, you will have already learned the modular system’s basics. It’s worthwhile to keep in mind that assembling the Crib enables you to understand each component’s usefulness in the overall system.

With over 150 different components, you’ll become familiar with certain parts that are often overlooked. Such as accessories (AO-CLIP, AC-STRAP, AI-CORNER, AS-REST), slide brackets (FL-COU), and two types of wheels: stem swivel caster (W-4ESB) and plate swivel casters (W-4PSB).

Here is the list of tools included in your Flexpipe Crib:

T-HANDLE;
T-BIT;
T-CUTTER;
T-REAMER;
T-DEBURR;
T-BCUT;
T-BDEB

Afterward, all you’ll need to do is equip yourself with cutting and assembly tools such as a saw, drill, driver, and measuring tape. Complete your lean manufacturing workstation’s setup with an assembly platform made of Flexpipe tubes! That said, you’ll be able to build it according to the size which meets your needs as well as the available floor space.

To determine which tools are best suited for your situation, please read our articles regarding the best tube and joint system cutting tools and assembly tools to get the job done.

Your mini moonshine shop
Where assembly and creativity go hand in hand
The location you choose to set up your Flexpipe Crib can be more than a mere assembly zone. Make it a place where creativity will fuel continuous improvement initiatives. This area should be accessible to all to encourage as many employees as possible to participate in the creative process.

To set up an efficient and productive moonshine shop, you need a dedicated space at the plant, equipped with basic tools and materials. For example, some companies have a moonshine shop right in the middle of their facility so that employees can see innovative work taking place in real-time.

You can also use your Crib as a storage unit for your 5S tools. Colored labels, floor marking stickers, visual learning tools, or any other 5S project-related items can all be kept in this location for quick and easy use.

As such, the Crib will become a purpose-driven location where 5S principles and Lean Manufacturing principles are highly visible for daily implementation.

More information:
9-step checklist for a Kaizen moonshine shop

Some even use the Crib as a meeting point to discuss essential topics and address urgent problems (Obeya) or for daily morning meetings (DMM).

In a nutshell, the Flexpipe Crib will be a valuable asset when integrating 5S in your facility.
On the one hand, it will help you become familiar with the modular material handling system. On the other hand, it will be an ergonomic and safe place for your continuous improvement projects.

Besides being an area dedicated to assembly and creativity, it can also be a designated gathering-point for Lean-themed meetings.

In lean manufacturing, the general rule of thumb is that anyone should be able to walk into a workplace and identify the flow of work being done within 60 seconds. One of the easiest and most effective ways to visually accomplish this goal is through the use of 5S floor marking.

The proper use of floor marking tape helps create order and a flow pattern of work in your facility, which eliminates searching and confusion within a work area. Floor marking also helps to define processes and cells in the value stream clearly.

Every industrial workplace is required by OSHA to mark aisles and passageways to guarantee that pedestrians have a designated walkway to pass safely. Forklift drivers must also be aware of their driving lane’s parameters. But 5S floor marking will do more than that.

In a parking lot, the lines make cars park in a certain way, optimizing the space available. Studies have shown that when a lot is covered in snow, 25% fewer vehicles can park.

The color scheme below complies with the OSHA 1910.144 standard, which purposefully limits the colors included to encourage natural learning and easy recognition of specific areas in the workplace. However, it can also be easily modified to suit the particular operational priorities, processes, and characteristics of individual facilities.

There are many pieces of equipment on wheels (machinery, carts, racks, workstations, boards, etc.), allowing flexibility. However, they can easily be moved, which potentially increases searches and confusion—floor marking with color codes and signage help to reduce this potential problem.
5S Floor Marking Color Scheme (Developed by Brady Corporation)
Yellow
Alleyway, traffic lanes, and work cells.
White
Equipment and fixtures (workstations, carts, floor stand, displays, racks, etc.) not otherwise color-coded.
Blue, green and/or black 
Materials and components, including raw materials, work-in-progress and finished goods.
Orange 
Materials or products held for inspection.
Red 
Defects, scrap, rework, and red tag areas.
Red and white 
Areas to be kept clear for safety/compliance reasons (e.g., areas in front of electrical panels, fire fighting equipment, and safety equipment such as eyewash stations, safety showers, and first aid cabinets).
Black and white 
Areas to be kept clear for operational purposes (not related to safety and compliance).
Black and yellow 
Areas that may expose employees to physical or health hazards (e.g., flammable or combustive material containers); Indicates that extra caution should be exercised when entering and working in the area.

Additional marking codes can be done for recycling, trash, and finished goods but use as few colors as possible. This will make it easier for employees to remember the intended meaning of each color.

Floor marking goes beyond simple line tape:

Arrows to create a flow.

Corner marker for temporary object placement such as pallets.

The footprint for foot traffic.

Dense traffic areas with extra protection.

Lean suggests the elimination of large packaging. The use of small lots often requires constant supply. Gravity flow racks help realize this approach with a continuous flow in the factory. Flow racks are usually supplied from behind, and parts are consumed on the other side. Gravity racks can be used on the assembly lines or in the storage areas. The pipe and joint system facilitate the building of these custom roller racks.

The idea is simple: swap the palette of large material containers next to the employee (often representing one or two days of production) for a flow rack, with small boxes representing several hours of production and keeping the presentation neat.

This idea can easily be included in your organization during the design of a lean manufacturing workstation. The flow racks are not new. They were first known for their use in supermarkets for perishable items such as milk. Then in distribution centers with first-in-first-out racking systems (FIFO), but they are now present on assembly lines, services, and even in the health system.

Using small lots and small containers give you the possibility to use parts in a flow mode to transport parts at low cost, to easily follow operation schedules, and adjust to possible changes. This will also allow you to save space on the production line, improve the part presentation, and organize better workstations. An increase in productivity and an increase in production line density (the production volume per unit area) will be quickly achieved.

 
What are the advantages of this change?
For several years, organizations using FIFO racks have seen the following benefits:

Supplies are more organized.

Unlike a standard shelf, a flow rack requires a way to operate: Supplying from behind and consumption in front. This allows two people to accomplish their tasks without interference. Travel is also minimized because all products are found together in one place.

Merchandise is more organized

Some items may be more challenging to store because of their shape. The organization and preparation of components in a flow rack also eliminate wasted time searching for and unpacking parts.

More accessible

To facilitate the work of the operator, the flow rack can be integrated into a workstation. Some travel and unnecessary maneuvers could be eliminated. The ergonomics of the workstation must also be considered in the design of a position.

 
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With clutter gone and the storage area organized, the next step is to properly and thoroughly clean and paint equipment and work areas. This step is critical as a way of sustaining the improvements begun in the Sort and Set phases.

Initial painting and cleaning require an extra task outside regular working hours, but after that, a daily routine should be established. The entire team should participate in cleaning, but make sure that every team has adequate cleaning supplies and equipment; this is not a task for a special janitorial crew.

Now that I work for an assembly plant, it is much easier to keep the work areas clean compared to my previous job, Martins Industries, a welding plant where cutting, welding, and painting resulted in dust, grease, and sometimes paint powder coating all the equipment. In 2010, Martins Industries was getting very involved in lean manufacturing/5S culture. Each employee had 10 minutes during every shift to clean their work area, including sweeping and washing equipment used. Lights were bright and often cleaned from dust; floors were marked with tape and polished, and the air system was in proper condition (very important in this industry!). Back then and still to this day, people (suppliers, employees, and clients) talk about how clean the factory is.

When I started to work for Martins Industries in 2006, we would do everything in our power to avoid a client’s visit. Even if our finished products were of good quality, a quick visit could wind up going bad. Four years later, we would do the exact opposite! A tour would help convince clients that we built good quality products and on time. Clean welding machines and shiny painting equipment gave a good impression. This was also a selling point when we would attract new welders, and good welders were hard to find! They would tour the plant and leave the interview, thinking it was a pleasant, safe, and well-run environment. (Again, it was not just perception!)

Shining will provide a more comfortable and pleasant environment.

Shining will keep a workplace safe and easy to work in.

Shining will encourage good quality production.

Shining will increase ownership of the organization’s goals and vision.

Shining will prevent machinery and equipment deterioration.

Shining will be used as inspection (leaks, vibrations, breakages, and misalignments).

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that there are 34 900 serious injuries, including 85 fatal accidents per year in the United States involving forklifts. 11% of all forklifts will be involved in some accidents each year, and the manufacturing industry is the most affected, with 42.5% of fatal accidents.

Many work-related factors can cause accidents with forklift trucks, such as lack of training, poor maintenance, blocked vision, improper reversing, speed, poorly stacked loads, inadequate communication, or workplace design. In assembly factories, poor floor layout is one of the main factors for forklift accidents.

Creating designated walkways to separate pedestrians and forklifts is a must in the industry. Still, poor workplace design also includes narrow, crowded, and cluttered aisles, working in the general area of forklift operations, and mainly forklift traffic in work areas.

Traffic in work areas occurs when forklifts are used to handle and transport input, work in progress, or output to work cells.  Most companies have limited workspace, increasing the risk of accidents. To reduce the risk of accidents, process engineers need to consider handling the material differently. Light materials (less than 2000lbs) can be handled by using jiggers, conveyors, kitting carts, tugger carts, or by redesigning the floor layout and redefining processes. The spaghetti diagram on the right is an excellent tool to review forklift congestion.

Safety is not the only concern for reducing forklift use; maintenance, congestion, flexibility, and productivity also benefit from this change; for example, instead of carrying one load of finished products at a time from a work area to a storage area with a forklift. Tugger carts can be used to carry multiple loads of finished products, including empty carts that can be left in work areas afterward.  Furthermore, tugger operators always have a clear view because the loading is done in the back.

Forklifts should be restricted to their designated work areas, where vertical storage is needed or for shipping purposes. This should contribute to the reduction of accidents involving forklifts.

Our employees are responsible for the team's success, and management is accountable for its failures; it is essential to optimize so you can do a better job tomorrow. In operations, we use standardized work, among other things, to always go further.

Here are nine tips from Benoit Chouinard on how to standardize your workplace.
1 - An organized mind in an organized workspace
There is nothing better than a well-organized space and a free mind to get a good job done. And this is true for all services.

Make sure that your teams can rely on optimized workspaces. In production and assembly, create workstations that are perfectly adapted to the job. In offices, make sure that piles of files are put away at the end of the day, and don't forget to keep everything tidy in the computer network by performing a regular cleanup.

Take pictures when everything is neat and tidy to use as a reference for future cleanups. Lead by example, as we usually require from ourselves what we want from others if you want to know more about keeping a clean work area.
2 - Bring work back to the basics
To always improve, one should ever question themselves. To that effect, your employees are your best allies. Involve them in the improvement of your work methods and discuss it with them!

You can follow these steps:

Break down work into steps and number them
Discuss each of these steps with your employees.
Think of ways to optimize each of these steps
Apply the improved work method together

Be thankful to all employees for their involvement and the expertise they acquire every day while working. Always remember that it is their work that your clients purchase.
3 - Set up the basics and make them grow   
Once the workload has been fractioned, the results must be put on paper. Ph.D. theses are very useful in college, but in the field, you need to prove yourself. Establish the bases of what has to be done. Even if it isn't perfect, it can always be improved over time. You will, therefore, create a place where you will make the most of your staff's experience. Experience is the sum of your mistakes…and to benefit from them, then you will have to consolidate the know-how. The market is continuously evolving, and improvement is necessary to remain competitive and to gain an advantage.
4 - Give meaning to work done by your team
To perform their duties well, employees need to understand them. Don't just show them the starting point and the finish line.

Explain to them the essential details of the job and the reasons why it is done that way. Thus, you will give meaning and importance to what they do.
5 - Standard time ≠ average time
Too often, we estimate the duration of a task. Task duration doesn't have anything to do with the time estimated that it will take to complete a task using various operators. Standard time is the time required to complete a specific task using the best-known methods. All in all, standard time is the result of the improvement of the technique used to complete the job.
6 - The devil is in the details!
Frequently, you think you are in full control of the situation. Then a client makes a complaint because of a detail that slipped through the cracks. Or you notice you're missing an essential tool on Tuesday night when there's a delivery planned for Wednesday morning. Being 99.9% good is not enough, because customers are more and more demanding, we need to be excellent at all times! In conclusion, get involved in all aspects with an attention to details.
7 - Down with paper!
Nowadays, mobile devices give employees direct access to information. Since Apple launched tablets in 2010, we can now get rid of the heavy burden of physically storing paper, illustrations, photos, and videos. Visit www.dozuki.com to learn more, and see Documentation Just Became Painless.
8 - Take control of task training
Work procedures are essential, but you need to make sure that they are passed along to the employees. You are responsible for the development of your team's operational skills and must offer them the necessary resources to progress. You act as the pivot between the apprentice and the trainer. Develop a detailed and rigorous training plan, set clear goals, and follow each employee's output every week.
9 - If the apprentice hasn't learned, the teacher hasn't taught.
This is a relatively simple rule that is easy to remember. Your trainers need to efficiently train the apprentices by teaching them the critical steps of their work, apply their teachings in practice, check that the job is well done, and proceed with adjustments if needed.

Ask your trainers to use the instructions they probably put together for themselves and don't let them teach using the "trial and error" method. So, when somebody tells you the new guy doesn't understand anything, refer them to tip #9…
Bonus - Measure, measure, measure
You already put this in practice. If the manager's responsibility is to generate results, his or her primary tools are indicators. Performance measuring is fundamental to managers as well as their employees.

It's simple, communicate yesterday's results to better present today's goals!
This post was made with the collaboration of
Benoit Chouinard, ing.
Main associate at Solutions vSmart, continual improvement and management infrastructure specialist.