By Process Optimization A Lean Enterprise Component

- By reviewing the existing manufacturing processes and then by developing and setting up custom programs to optimize line speeds, to minimize start up times, to minimize shutdown times, to minimize scrap and, to minimize negative materials variances.
Please see Items (1), (2), (3) and, (5) below.

- By ensuring that the existing processes are totally reliable.
Please see Items (4) and (5) below.

By Improving Process Repeatability A Lean Enterprise Component

- By developing and publishing process manuals for each production and cable repair machine.
Please Item (6) below.

- By developing and setting up process recipe programs for the products run in your plant.
Please see Item (6) below.

- By ensuring that your process manuals and recipes become a part of your ISO 9000 program.
Please see Item (7) below.

- By verifying that your operators and other employees are properly trained.
Please see Item (6) below.

By Improving Machine Reliability A Lean Enterprise Component

- By developing and setting up planned and preventative maintenance programs.
Please see Item (8) below.

By Providing Training to the Operators and the Office Staff

- By teaching all of your employees the basic technologies of the wire and cable industry.

- By setting up formal training programs with your operators so that they become integral components your training program and thus ultimately the best trainers around. Please see Item (9) below.

By Providing Contract Engineering Services A Lean Enterprise Component

- Our contract services give you fast access to highly experienced wire and cable engineers at very reasonable cost.
Please see Item (10) below.

Revenue Savings, Revenue Generation, Revenue Protection

(1) Line speed improvements, start up time improvements and, shut down time improvements bring increases in productivity and all allow additional orders to be run. Productivity improvement programs bring new and often significant profits to the bottom line.

(2) Scrap should be at an absolute minimum and not be more than 1% of the materials sold. The savings generated by scrap reduction programs are usually significant and all go directly to the bottom line.

(3) Negative materials variances should not exist apart from perhaps extruder bleedings and these should be absolutely minimized wherever possible with hot melt granulators. Often negative materials variances are created because of the lack of effective instrumentation or machines and this in turn puts the machine operators in impossible personal situations. The operators then always opt for "oversize" or "extra length" because that gives them more job protection than a remake or a rework order does. The savings gained from programs developed to eliminate negative materials variances are often significant and all go directly to the bottom line.

(4) Unreliable processes are true production disasters as they generate much scrap and significantly reduce productivity. These bad processes must be either modified or replaced. The savings generated by the elimination of unreliable processes are usually significant and all go directly to the bottom line.

(5) Items (1), (2), (3), and (4) all reduce costs and increase productivity. During the next planning cycle, these gains reduce cost factors and overheads thereby reducing product costs. This in turn makes your products and plants more competitive. This allows increases in sales and profits while simultaneously protecting existing revenue streams.

(6)Process repeatability programs are fundamental for the protection of existing and new revenue streams. Without these programs, all the work performed in items (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) will have been for nothing and all of the revenue gains will be lost. Process manuals, recipes and employee training are the basic building blocks of process reliability.

(7) We are experienced with ISO 9000 programs and we believe that appending process manuals and recipes to your ISO manual will show your customers just how much your company has focused on manufacturing uniformity, product quality and, product reliability. This should build or reinforce your customers' confidence, generate more orders and, bring new and often significant profits to the bottom line.

(8) Unexpected machine failures are true disasters as they result in unplanned downtime, loss of revenue, increased scrap, increased material variance and, a reduction in delivery reliability. Planned maintenance programs categorize and prioritize maintenance requests thereby ensuring that the maintenance group is addressing the correct problem. Preventative maintenance programs are offshoots of planned maintenance programs and thus are designed to be instituted without hiring more maintenance staff. The savings generated by a reduction in unplanned machine failures are usually significant and all go directly to the bottom line. Likewise, the resulting improvements in delivery reliability can build customer confidence, generate more orders and, bring new and often significant profits to the bottom line.

(9) Training tends to open peoples' minds and this often leads even more ideas and suggestions for saving money in the manufacturing process. A trickle of good ideas can turn into a torrent of great ideas and this can lead to significant savings which all go to the bottom line.

(10) A specialized contract engineering service like Stewart-Hay Associates gives you access to highly experienced process and plant engineers at reasonable cost. It is the ideal way to train or reinforce your own wire and cable engineering groups and it eliminates any future need to hire additional, less-experienced engineers. Hiring engineers is expensive, especially when fringe benefits are considered plus of course a new engineering position is forever.

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