The aerospace industry relies upon a worldwide interconnected supply chain where time-critical and essential raw materials, machined parts, and integrated assemblies must be delivered on time and in good working order. Lean environments abound, and suppliers on multiple continents must focus on eliminating waste and reducing lead times while guaranteeing the highest quality of finished products.
Teams from Michigan Tech University (MTU) and Université Laval took part in the Shell Eco Marathon in Indianapolis, a competition highlighting innovation and energy efficiency. Flexpipe was honored to support both teams by supplying essential components for their mobile workbenches. Assembling the mobile work bench Both teams found assembly of the Flexpipe mobile workbenches relatively … Continued
In lean manufacturing and continuous improvement environments, the Gemba Walk is the all-important first step to starting the day. It aligns expectations, what work must be completed, reviews work processes, and empowers managers and employees to identify potential waste and improvements. Manufacturers use the Gemba Walk daily to improve operations and reinforce a continuous improvement mindset.
When companies think about Kanban, the image of a Kanban board and Kanban cue cards often come to mind. This simple lean manufacturing scheduling system summarizes workflow on a board, showing individual steps required to complete a given project, work, or operation. The Kanban board is the repository for the Kanban cards. The board outlines … Continued
5S, a continuous improvement methodology widely recognized as a building block of lean manufacturing. 5S spearheaded the rise of just-in-time (JIT), a supply chain management and lean manufacturing process that minimizes waste while maximizing efficiencies.
When manufacturers need to improve efficiencies, reduce costs, shorten lead times, and eliminate waste, they turn to the well-established continuous improvement methodology known as Kaizen. The word is Japanese for improvement, yet this one word means so much to those who adopt its principles. So, how does Kaizen work, its methodologies, and how does this relatively … Continued
Flexpipe is proud to have partnered with the Educational Help La-Le-Li Center in Farnham to host a coat rack building workshop. The center had expressed a need for storage for the coats, boots and lunch boxes of the young people who frequent the premises. We therefore imagined together the ideal coat rack for their needs … Continued
Implementing lean is a journey in itself. No company goes from 0 to 60 in record time when implementing lean principles. They learn, get better, learn some more and then improve some more. Each step of that journey is made easier when senior management is entirely on board and, in some cases, driving the lean … Continued
Often seen as the ideal way to ensure the error-free assembly and production of finished goods, Poka-Yoke has been a mainstay of lean manufacturing since 1960. Shigeo Shingo – a Japanese industrial engineer and expert in lean manufacturing principles and the Toyota Production System – developed a simple failsafe approach with a clear set of … Continued
When companies need to safely move loads, equipment, or machinery from one location to another, they often turn to tuggers. Some tuggers are simple hand-held carts or trolleys that allow operators and employees to drag, pull or tug raw materials, consumables, and finished goods. Other tuggers are heavy-industrial machines capable of pulling upwards of 100-plus … Continued
