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Valuation of improving the non-bottleneck.
In a process flow optimization or value stream mapping project, the organization is seeking the ideal process steps that will maximize...
Apr 24, 20225 min read


Tina Fey could be your consultant for your feasibility analysis.
Tina Fey has been referenced as using an activity that gets you in the mindset of creativity and invigorated imagination for improv. It...
Apr 16, 20224 min read


If the data says shoot right, then shoot right.
Using numbers and estimates to predict outcomes can either be a hobby or a profession. This data is the fingerprint of what has happened,...
Apr 9, 20224 min read


Using ALL CAPS does not make it more important.
To make a claim, I called the 800 number in the instruction manual of my coffee machine. A small fastener has broken, resulting in the...
Apr 3, 20223 min read


Increasing speed starts with understanding your losses.
Imagine watching an 800-meter race. The athletes start at the sound of the gun. They ramp up in speed hitting their targetted speed on...
Mar 27, 20223 min read


Shoveling snow does not require perfection.
Last week, the birds were chirping in my yard to signal spring was in the air. The season’s snow had melted and signaled the yard work in...
Mar 20, 20223 min read


Dr. Lloyd S. Nelson didn't yell, he insisted.
There are plenty of tools to conduct investigations within manufacturing. Some can be solved with a 5-why or an Ishikawa diagram. Others...
Mar 14, 20225 min read


Who is your department's helpline for projects?
My zipper broke on my winter jacket the other day and I was able to contact the manufacturer, work through a claim, and have it repaired....
Mar 7, 20224 min read


Did we get a good deal trading production time for scheduled maintenance?
Regardless of whether you have production units that are reliable or unreliable, I would like to propose a different type of performance...
Mar 3, 20223 min read


What is operational empathy? Part 2.
Before getting into the definition of operational empathy as a continuation of Part 1, I want to describe a mindset that we realized we...
Feb 28, 20222 min read


"No-rep" on that pushup
In some form or another, supply chains appear to be a challenge in every market. Combined with the disruptions in supply chains,...
Feb 22, 20222 min read


What is operational empathy? Part 1.
A decade ago, I was part of a team training Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) to a group of middle and upper management. The audience...
Feb 20, 20222 min read


The Burden of Weekend Work Doesn't Always Start with an Action on Friday.
I have been told multiple times over my career, “Don’t send me a notification to approve something on a weekend.” Or do not send an...
Feb 15, 20225 min read


When Does Your Analysis Reach a Point of Diminishing Return?
We all fall on both sides of the fence when solving problems. We are either on the receiving end of problems to solve or we are the...
Feb 6, 20224 min read


Don't Get an Immediate Consensus on Where OEE Delays Get Bucketed. Save That For Later.
Are you interested in starting to measure effectiveness with Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) on a production unit? To start, I...
Feb 6, 20223 min read


Rethink our view towards single-points-of-failure.
The new James Webb Space Telescope claims to have 344 single-points-of-failure (SPOF) or single components that could disrupt the...
Feb 1, 20224 min read


Improving the schedule compliance of your own meeting schedule.
In the COVID world that we live in, we have transitioned to a world that can have a Zoom or Teams meeting at any time. No more do we need...
Jan 27, 20225 min read


TIMWOODS doesn't like Munchkins. But everyone else does.
TIMWOODS was recently seen at a Dunkin’Ⓡ , ordering the option of 10 MunchkinsⓇ. Like previous times, TIMWOODS did not get ten when 10...
Jan 24, 20223 min read


Utilize Metaphors When Training OEE One Snatch at a Time.
I have measured and trained Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) for decades, routinely using different concepts to construct its...
Jan 18, 20223 min read


You know Murphy? So do I.
In manufacturing, we reference things like “Murphy will get you” or “Murphy’s Law” when describing unpredictable results and scenarios...
Jan 13, 20222 min read


No. We will not raise price.
Everyone is talking about inflation right now, yet they're all kinds of examples out there about organizations and companies choosing not...
Jan 10, 20223 min read


Implementing COVID preparation into your outage planning. Alabama’s Coach Saban might have it right.
In a recent article on AL.com, The University of Alabama’s head football coach, Nick Saban, was interviewed talking about bowl...
Jan 5, 20222 min read


Using algorithms for spares management. Easy, right?
Academic references exist for inventory optimization to reflect current reliability and current market conditions. Within manufacturing,...
Jan 3, 20222 min read


Quality Initiatives in Manufacturing: How Do We Handle Incoming Quality Losses Impacting OEE
Quality Initiatives in Manufacturing: How Do We Handle Incoming Quality Losses Impacting OEE As organizations embark on Overall Equipment...
Dec 27, 20212 min read
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