"...We have constantly
changing styles and cut quantities causing continual bottlenecks in our factories. We
believe the time has come to establish a corporate-based production control system. What
are the considerations? N.R.L.,
NYC, N.Y.
"...We have constantly
changing styles and cut quantities causing continual bottlenecks in our factories. We
believe the time has come to establish a corporate-based production control system. What
are the considerations? N.R.L.,
NYC, N.Y.
THE INDUSTRY ADVISOR
IMPROVING
PRODUCTION CONTROL
By Gene Levine - www.genelevine.com
Because synchronous and modular manufacturing are no longer a buzz words you should
plan your production control system to provide customer quick response. This would include
using the Theory of Constraints popularized by Eli Goldratt, author of The
Goal. Keep away from unit loading and controls. Instead, consider loading
and controlling in Standard Allowed Hours. which will allow you to better predict and
control your production to produce a specific output daily, not just to keep everyone
busy.
The introduction of more style variations makes controlling production more difficult. It is necessary therefore to keep a very close check on every step of the manufacturing process to keep problems from occurring. So, regardless of method of manufacturing you now use or evolve to (for example modular manufacturing where one of the weak points is how the control of production is handled) you will need to formalize all the activities included in; Production Forecasting, Planning, Scheduling, Loading and Control. To accomplish the control you must have people whose sole job it is to strategically keep inventory levels low and eliminate constraints.
You will have to ensure a timely and accurate information flow which will allow proactive production decisions. This would include, for example: knowing planned and produced Standard Hours by factory, line(s) and product(s); the matrix of available worker skills inventory versus required skills by operation; how much to expect from machine operators and operator transfers; when to make advance changes to keep adequate work supplies available; when to reassign personnel (including utility operators) due to unexpected schedule changes and absenteeism; how to schedule sufficient product mix to utilize the minimum manpower available and how to avoid constraints.
Before I go too far into production control functions let me take license to talk about the role your line supervisors should play in the production control process. Traditionally, the supervisor is asked to control production and keep the work moving. My experience has shown the inefficiency of this approach. Because the supervisor is busy moving bundles (See "Developing Supervisors"), the supervisors have little time to deal one-on-one with their people to help them improve their production, etc. This makes direct labor much more expensive then it should be or could be.
To reduce costs and improve production and quality I submit that the supervisor's job should be divided into two parts; people and data. The entire data part – associated with directing and controlling the work-in-process activities (i.e. bundle people, production reports, etc.) – should become the responsibility of Production Control. This will give the supervisors more time to deal with their primary job which is to see that everyone of their operators earn a minimum of one hour for every hour they work.
Line supervisors are one of the keys to balanced operations. In traditional, progressive-batch factories, supervisors usually have little or no training in how to correctly balance lines and it is precisely here that Production Control can aid the supervisor. By providing timely information to the supervisor, Production Control can help guide the production lines toward an optimum level of productivity. This assures that the supervisors meet scheduled completion dates using a balanced and timely program without constraints. In addition, because of the need to satisfy customer demands and keep the lines balanced, the Production Control function should be responsible for Utility Operators (if you don't have utility operators now you will need to consider them to make your system work better).
Here then are the Five -(5) basic elements no production control system should be without;
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