Purpose: To help demonstrate the lean principles

1
Purpose To help demonstrate the lean
principles Time 1 hour
2
Materials Needed

• 1 Ream of white paper
• 1 Ream of color paper
• 1 Box of manila folders
• 1 package of post-it-notes
• 2 Stopwatches
• 2 Boxes of small paper clips

3
Preparation

• Prepare metrics flipchart (see slide 5)
• Identify the number of positions for round 1
• Identify layout for round 1
• Note It may be helpful to have examples for each
  position for round 1 to help explain the process.

4
Airplane Instructions Round 1

• 7 minute Round
• Layout should be scattered and NOT make sense.
  Ie - position 1 by 5 etc.
• Assign positions and show participants folds
• Batch Size 3 pieces of paper in each folder
• Everyone should work on the folder with the
  lowest number first
• At 2 minutes communicate to the 1st operator to
  start using colored sheets of paper to indicate
  defects. Only Operator 4 can see the colored
  paper to indicate to Operator 1 to Stop making
  bad parts. At that time Operator 1 returns to
  using white colored sheets.
• Key to the airplane exercise is to have 1 person
  that has more folds than others to create a
  bottleneck (ie position 3 or 4).
• Calculate Lead-time by timing the first folder
  from beginning (operation 1 to finished goods)
• Prevent operators from making any improvements to
  the process (ie. moving station)
• Remember this should be a fun exercise for the
  team.

5
Record the following metrics each round
Metrics Round 1 Round 2
Number of Airplanes Shipped
WIP(Work-in-Process)
Rework
Lead-time
6
Metrics

• Number of Airplanes Shipped
• For Round 1 you can not count any airplanes
  shipped until work is completed for the total
  batch (3 airplanes) at the last station.
• Work in Process
• Work-in-Process are all the airplanes in process
  but not complete. You need to count the total
  number of folders (folders with rework are
  included) x 3 pieces Total WIP
• This metric is pointing out all the inventory
  that is clogging the system.
• Rework
• Number of folders with colored paper x 3 pieces
  Rework
• Lead-time
• The time it takes the first batch to be produced.
  The time for the first batch for round 1 and 1st
  airplane for round 2 to be shipped. (Start the
  stopwatch when position 1 starts and stop the
  stopwatch when the airplane is shipped).

7
Round 1 - Positions

• Position 1
• Insert 3 Sheets of Paper in the Folder
• Label for Folder
• Everyone should be working on lowest numbered
  folder first (First in First Out)
• Alert the first operator to start making bad
  parts at 2 min into the round

• Position 2
• Fold all sheets of paper in half (per example)

8
Round 1 - Positions

• Position 3
• Fold one corner to the center to create a
  triangle. Fold other side to create triangle

• Position 4
• Fold paper side to center of paper

9
Round 1 - Positions

• Position 5
• Fold corner to center

• Position 6
• Fold other corner to center

10
Round 1 - Assignments

• Position 7
• Make a dog ear fold

• Position 8
• Fold airplane in half

11
Round 1 - Assignments

• Position 9
• Fold wings (make tip of are plane side flush)

• Position 10
• Fold other side of wing

12
Additional Positions for Round 1

• Position 11
• Add paperclip and write logo
• Position 12
• Flight Test person fly airplanes and track
  number of airplanes shipped
• Position 13
• Material Handler
• Position 14
• Time keeper - tracks lead-time of 1st batch
• Position 15
• Material Handler 2

13
ROUND 1 Debrief Batching No connection
between processes

• Questions to the team
• Functional silos impact on quality/quantity
• Anyone want to be held accountable for production
  of whole team?
• Process knowledge anyone know what others are
  doing?
• Batching necessary because all workers are in
  separate places
• Whos bored? Whos not? De-bunk perception that
  your hardest workers are your best workers
• Where is the bottleneck? How can you tell where
  the bottleneck is? Why is it a bottleneck?
• How does this round mimic your work area today?
  (silos, workers who do one job, etc.)

• Characteristics of Round 1
• Product moves only in batch sizes of 3
• All stations produce independently and work at
  maximum speed
• No communication between stations
• Material is pushed to next operation immediately
  when completed

Operation 1
Operation 2
Operation 3
Lot size 3
Lot size 3
14
Airplane Instructions Round 2

• 7 minute Round
• Balance operations to eliminate bottlenecks and
  non-value added activities
• Eliminate the use of folders and post-it-notes
• Use operator 1 as a value added operator and if
  applicable use material handlers / timekeepers as
  value added operators
• Improve layout to have operators in sequential
  order
• Have visual aids for participants to reference
• Batch Size 1 One Piece Flow
• Use post-it-notes for a kanban (signal) pacing
  line to slowest operation
• At 2 minutes communicate to the 1st operator to
  start using colored sheets of paper to indicate
  defects. Only Operator 4 can see the colored
  paper to indicate to Operator 1 to Stop making
  bad parts. At that time Operator 1 returns to
  using white colored sheets.
• Calculate Lead-time by timing the first folder
  from beginning (operation 1 to airplane shipped)
• Calculate Round 2 metrics

15
Debrief Round 2

• Questions to ask in the debrief
• What changed?
• Why is a one piece flow better?
• Why is cross-training better?
• Do you know where imbalances are? How to correct
  them?
• Did you work harder?
• Where are the best ideas coming from?

16
Fun Facts