In my experience in manufacturing and continuous improvement, there are two tools that the engineer needs to lean on heavily. Just two processes they should master and continually practice, because these two tools will make all the difference. It might seem unfair when you consider the whole workbench of Lean and Six Sigma, especially whenContinue reading “Two Critical Tools”
Author Archives: David
Engineering and Design/Drafting
The creation of CAD blurred a line in the last century. Prior to CAD, engineers would make drawings if they really, absolutely had no choice. The separation of drafter/designer and engineer was important for two big reasons – first, the engineer was responsible for the safety and effectiveness of the end product and needed toContinue reading “Engineering and Design/Drafting”
Killer Kaizen
Folks may not be clear on Kaizen. If you read the original books that came here from Japan trying to explain to the West what ‘magic’ Japan has been using to beat the Big 3 (this was a while ago, so you are forgiven if this doesn’t ring a bell) you will not find instructionsContinue reading “Killer Kaizen”
Why – why, why, why, why?
Five whys is a method of finding the root cause of a problem. It was developed within Toyota – either by Sakichi Toyoda or Taiichi Ohno, depending on the website you find – and continues to be one of the root tools used by that company to find root causes of issues and problems. ThereContinue reading “Why – why, why, why, why?”
How to assess RISK
One of the things all engineers should know how to do is to express risk in terms that can be measured. Here’s how to do that. RISK = Severity x Occurrence The common understanding of numerical risk assessment considers severity and occurrence by weighting them (multiplying) against each other. This was established by the militaryContinue reading “How to assess RISK”
Setting down roots.
I spent many years in Southern California, so I have been introduced to palm trees, they grow quickly and everywhere. The amazing thing to me about palm trees is the root system – it grows out horizontally instead of deep down in the soil. This means that transplanting or removing a palm tree is aContinue reading “Setting down roots.”
Comparing productivity
I want to thank Cole Miller for putting me onto this from 1980. This predates Six Sigma, Lean, and ISO 9001. Eye-opening reporting on how the United States compares in flexibility and responsiveness to other countries; in this case Japan.
Annual Performance Review
Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of managers and employees alike as much as the words Performance Review. Typically this is the annual kick in the groin delivered from management to employees telling them why they aren’t getting a raise, or what they did wrong eleven months ago. W. Edwards Deming famously wrote that theContinue reading “Annual Performance Review”
What is Process Validation?
The short and simple answer is this – Process Validation is a means of demonstrating to a statistically valid level that a process, when followed rigorously, delivers results consistent to a predetermined set of requirements. In pharmaceutical manufacturing and volume production of any kind a solid, clean, validation of a process is needed to haveContinue reading “What is Process Validation?”
Demise of Six Sigma
Business has had enough of Six Sigma. Let’s get back to work. On December 14th, 2021, on the website Quartz (qz.com) two of their writers were discussing Six Sigma. They considered how this appeared in the 1990’s promoted by Jack Welch (and ridiculed by 30 Rock). They discussed how Six Sigma suddenly became the “thing”Continue reading “Demise of Six Sigma”
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