Daily Archives2016 September 18

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In today’s competitive world shorter product life cycles, customers rapid demands and quickly changing business environment is putting lot of pressures on manufacturers for quicker response and shorter cycle times. Now the manufacturers put pressures on their suppliers. One way to ensure quick turnaround is by holding inventory, but inventory costs can easily become prohibitive. A wiser approach is to make your production agile, able to adapt to changing customer demands. This can only be done by JUST IN TIME (JIT) philosophy.

Taiichi Ohno, a former shop manager and eventually vice president of Toyota Motor Company, is the individual credited most for the with the development of just-in-time. It is a term used to describe the Toyota production system, is widely recognized today as the one of the most efficient manufacturing system in the world. In simple words we can explain JIT only required necessary units be provided in necessary quantities at necessary times. Producing one unit extra is as bad is being one unit short. Completing one day early is as bad as finishing one day late. Items are supplied “just-in-time”. Ohno describes the development of JIT as

*By actually trying, various problems become known. As much problems become gradually clear, they taught me the direction of the next move. I think that we can only understand how all of these pieces fit together in hindsight.

The concept is very simple, if you produce only what you need when you need it, then there is no room of error. JIT has truly changed the face of manufacturing and transformed the global economy. JIT is both a philosophy and collection of management methods and techniques used to eliminate waste (particularly inventory). In JIT workers are multifunctional and are required to perform different tasks. Machines are also multifunction and are arranged in small U-shaped work cells that enable parts to processed in a continuous flow through the cell. Workers produce pars one at a time within cells and transport those parts between cells in small lots. Environment is kept clean and free of waste so that any unusual occurrence are visible. Schedules are prepared only for the final assembly line, in which several different models are assembled at the same line. Requirements for the component parts and subassemblies are then pulled through the system. The “PULL” element of JIT will not work unless production is uniform and lot sizes are low. Pull system is also used to order material from suppliers (fewer in numbers usually). They make be requested to make multiple deliveries of the same item in the same day, so the manufacturing system must be flexible.

Just-in-time inventory is viewed as the waste of resources and considered as obstacle in improvement. As there is little buffer inventory between the workstations, so the quality must be high and efforts are made to prevent machine breakdowns. When all these things are taken into consideration, system produces high-quality goods, quickly and at low cost. This system is also being able to respond to changes in customer demands. These elements of JIT can also be applied to the almost any operation, including service operations.*K.Suzuki, The Manufacturing Challenge(New York: Free Press, 1985), p250

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Source by Ali Abbas

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It’s well known in the automotive industry that consumers may prefer certain cars during specific times in their lives. Younger drivers tend to like cars that are really aggressive and sporty like the Ford Mustang or something a bit quirkier like the Fiesta. Older drivers may prefer something a bit more comfortable and easygoing like the Ford Taurus. Demographics is important to car manufacturers because this information is used to create advertising and market products toward specific demographics.

Let’s take a look at a car that tends to appeal to people of all ages, incomes and backgrounds; this car is the Toyota Prius. I’ve seen the Prius driven by young professionals as well as families and even seniors. Even though old and young drivers may vary drastically when it comes to their taste, everyone seems to recognize environmental problems and wants to make a difference when it comes to keeping the planet cleaner. The cost of gas is another factor that seems to affect everyone regardless of their age or stage in life.

Most folks attending college or on the verge of building careers are generally cash strapped. As a result they tend to favor economical and efficient cars such as the Ford Focus, Ford Fiesta or Ford Edge. Ford’s cars offer excellent mileage and some models are even nearing the 40 mpg mark which is great for a young person on a budget. Cars like the Honda Accord and For Edge are also quite popular with young drivers.

Sports cars like the Mustang and Camaro are also a big hit with teens; males in particular. Car modification is popular with younger drivers. This may include lowering the car to the ground, adding rims and beefing up the sound system. Both of these cars have a lot of horsepower and are well known for their speed. Quirky cars like the Nissan Rogue can also be popular because they are quirky and epitomize fun and youthfulness.

Middle aged folks are usually getting settled into their careers and may want something a bit more sophisticated and conservative. Most have access to disposable income now and thus can afford pricier autos such as those in the middle-level luxury segment. Cars such as the Toyota Avalon and those from Volvo fit the bill exactly.

Older seniors tend to like the big and comfortable sedan’s. This may include the Ford Taurus or bigger cars like those from Cadillac and Buick. Seniors tend to prefer the classic styling of these cars.

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Source by Jacqueline Star

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In the early 1970’s, Japanese cars had a reputation of getting good mileage, but very little else. They were small, tinny and not very attractive. General Motors was the monolithic corporate giant that dominated the auto industry. Now, of course, Japanese automakers dominate the auto industry, and General Motors is a corporate dinosaur on the verge of extinction. What happened over the past 40 years can be viewed from many perspectives, and fingers can be pointed in many directions, but one of those directions is toward the United Auto Workers.

The evolution of Toyota and Nissan is very American – underdogs taking on an industry leader, using great ideas and new technologies. It seemed to all start in 1970, with the introduction of the Datsun 240Z This was a great little sports car that young Americans wanted to drive. It didn’t matter that it was made by a Japanese company. It was reasonably priced, well-made, fast and cool, and it began a run that continues to this day.

Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, American automakers slowly gave away the trust they had earned from American consumers. They seem to have traded in on their name and brands, producing planned-obsolescent, tinny versions of once great cars. And despite this, they continued to make huge profits from a generation that still saw the Japanese as somewhat of an enemy, and buying American as a form of patriotism.

It seemed that the good times would always roll, and so the UAW sought to share the wealth with its members. Unions have a history of balancing the scale of corporate profits and workers wages, but the UAW wanted more than that – they wanted long-term job security bolted to the status quo, and benefits packages second to none. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, college graduates were entering the workforce in large numbers – a tide of Baby Boomers armed with new ideas looking for ways to change the world. But the auto industry wasn’t the place for them. The combination of strong market share and union benefits had turned a dream job of ideas and innovations into an assembly line of mediocrity.

The lure of General Motors had become its UAW inspired benefits package, and the security of knowing that it was nearly impossible to lose your union-protected job. And while Japanese automakers improved efficiency, incorporated new technologies, designed new innovations and made cool cars, the US auto industry was anchored to the past, and is now sinking from the weight of that short-sighted greed.

So, here we are, in September of 2007. General Motors is in deep financial trouble, having lost its market leadership, reputation, and consumer loyalty, while each of their new cars costs $1500 more, just to pay retired worker’s benefits – the so called legacy costs. Toyota and other Japanese and Korean automakers are winning the game our way. And what of the UAW – now itself a far less powerful force because the Americans working in Japanese auto plants don’t want to join the union – they called a strike because they don’t want to assume more responsibility for health care costs.

It seems that General Motors is an aging wood ship – off course, and in stormy seas, while the union wants to take boards from its hull to improve the rooms of its workers. General Motors, as it’s been, will sink – simply because they cannot compete in the marketplace they helped create. But they only need to look at what the Japanese did to overthrow them, and remember that the Japanese took a page from what they used to be.

George R. Lovelock, Writer/Producer, New York

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Source by George Lovelock

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When you step on the forklift brakes of your Toyota or Hyster truck, you expect it to stop, on a dime. Otherwise, you could smash a load onto a wall or, worse, drive into a co-worker. Like those on any other motorized vehicle, forklift brakes are what stop the truck when it is in motion. There are two types of systems used in most forklifts today: the drum brake and the wet disc brake. Many of the major brands like Nissan, Yale, Mitsubishi and Komatsu offer models with drums and discs.

With the drum system, you step on the brake pedal and the force is transferred through the brake fluid to brake cylinders which push the brake shoes outwards. The shoes, in turn, press against the drums attached to the wheels causing the wheels to stop rotating. Drum brakes are simple, reliable and easy to maintain. They are less expensive to produce than disc brakes and are still preferred for smaller vehicles like motorbikes. They are also standard equipment in most forklifts with lower load-bearing capacities.

In the disc brake system, discs made of cast iron are connected to the axles or the wheels. In a Hyundai forklift, they are attached to the output shaft of the drive motor. Brake pads mounted on brake calipers are hydraulically forced against both sides of the discs. Friction causes the discs and the wheels, to which they are attached, to stop rotating. Forklift manufacturers usually install disc brakes on their heavy-duty models, often as standard equipment on trucks rated over 10,000 lbs. Trucks with disc brakes can stop in a shorter distance than those with drum brakes. They take longer to suffer brake fade and stay dry longer in wet weather.

Because friction is part of the process, forklift brakes are subjected to constant stress. It is, therefore, important to inspect them often and subject them to a regular maintenance program. When the drum brake does not offer any resistance or makes squeaking noises, it’s time to take a closer look at it. For drum systems, good maintenance means making sure that the fluid is topped up at all times and that there are no leaks in the lines. Worn out shoes and pads should be replaced. Drum brakes usually require servicing after every 1,500 hours of use.

With disc brakes, maintenance requirements are significantly less resulting in lower downtime. Disc brakes are sealed to protect them from rust and contamination, and are immersed in oil so that the parts last longer. However, brake pads and discs will wear out and have to be replaced. Brake discs should last twice as long as the brake pads. Brake discs should always be replaced in pairs for balanced braking action.

So, whether your truck uses drum brakes or disc brakes, regular check ups and periodic maintenance of forklift brakes will make sure that the truck stops and your business keeps on going.

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Source by Jack Ranger

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“The force is strong in this one,” Darth Vader once quipped. Was the masked one referring to the Jedi power or was he actually alluding to magnetic power? Either way, Jedi and magnets both have a powerful pull – but only one can actually work in real life: magnets. More specifically, rare earth magnets, which are used in many applications and found in a number of products. Here are top four things to know about this fascinating magnet.

A rare earth magnet is a strong permanent magnet made up of alloys and rare earth elements, which include praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, and 13 other elements. These elements were reportedly discovered in the 1800s but it wasn’t until the late ’60s when the it was developed in a U.S. Air Force lab where samarium and cobalt produced the largest magnetic anisotropy. This means that the magnetic force was so great that a magnetised object could resist being pulled in another direction. The effect is kind of like Angelina Jolie “magnetising” Brad Pitt away from his marriage to Jennifer Anniston.

The two most popular rare earth magnets are neodymium magnets and samarium-cobalt magnets. Neodymium is considered to be the strongest and more affordable kind. It’s used for jewellery clasps, electric motors for cordless tools, hard drives, and others. Meanwhile, samarium-cobalt is considered to be on the pricey side and is commonly used by industrial manufacturers.

Clean tech developers and a few car manufacturers are reportedly seeking to replace the permanent magnet they use. Both GM and Toyota, according to a Reuters report, are trying to reduce their usage and dependence on rare earths. Toyota has in fact found a way to make electric cars without rare earths and Renault SA has made electric motors that do not need permanent magnets. However, GM reps say that the permanent magnet is still the best magnet to use.

Some interesting applications for the rare earth magnets include roller coaster technology, stop motion animation, electric guitar pick-ups, neodymium magnet toys, diamagnetic levitation experimentation, self-powered flashlights, and more.

As essential and advantageous it is to certain industries, it is quite hazardous as well. It needs to be handled with great care because when these magnets come together, they splinter and break into pieces at high speed. Also, they squeeze powerfully when they come into contact against the skin. But the world needs them. And wherever you are, whatever you’re doing-rocking an electric guitar or riding the roller coaster-it helps pull things along efficiently.

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Source by Darren O Stilts

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Picture this scenario- an organized workspace, less stress, less chaos, a semblance of order. It would be nice to be surrounded by this thriving and productive environment. The goal of organizing a productive office like this one is attainable and sustainable.

More than sixty years ago Toyota created the 5S system, a method of organizing and maintaining neat and clutter-free manufacturing facilities that encouraged productivity. Today, manufacturing plants and offices world-wide have implemented the philosophies and practices of the TPS (Toyota Production System). 

 

Lean Office principles of 5S may seem mysterious at first, but are quite sensible when focusing on each one individually. After 5S-ing the office and committing to keeping it in place, you will be able to concentrate on the tasks at hand more easily, and productivity will increase.

Let’s take a look at the 5s’ and see why they are a necessity in today’s busy office environment.

S #1 –Sort

Scenario: As you look around your office, notice the items that have been tucked under your desk, piled on top of a filing cabinet or inherited from a previous employee when you began your job–three years ago. Even though you’ve never needed these items, you still have them. It’s time to implement the first S – Sort.

 

Begin by considering: “What do I need to do my job every day?” Think of your office as expensive real estate. Only items that add value to your daily routines and tasks deserve to sit on your desk and take up space. When in doubt, move it out! (Or, in the environmentally-conscious spirit of recycling, give it to someone who needs it!)

 

Application: Conducting a sort/purge of filing drawers and hard drives will free up much-needed space. Reviewing your company’s retention policy before starting this process helps you to make quicker decisions and gives you permission to either hang on to an item or release it. To help speed up the Sort process, have a large trash can and shredding bin available.

S# 2–Straighten/Set-In-Order

Scenario: You’ve just been handed a new project and your boss suggests a similar proposal which you worked on a year ago for another client. You open up your hard drive files and within sixty seconds, you’re reviewing the previous file. It feels great to be able to locate an older document without having to spend hours looking for it. Straighten up your area by creating specific “homes” for files, objects and equipment. You’ll use things more often and easily put them away when they are designated to a specific location.

 

Application: We’ve all seen pictures of a workbench pegboard with outline drawings for each tool. This is a prime example of Straightening and Setting in Order. You can do the same with the office supplies on your desk. Using electrical tape (available in several colors) create an outline on your desk for your stapler, 3-hold punch, phone, laptop, and other desk accessories. Instantly, you’ll be able to see if something is missing or out of order.   

 

Using labels will help in the Straightening process too. You can apply them to individual shelves, cabinets, and drawers in your office. They will act as visual reminders of what goes where and help keep you from stashing items where they don’t belong!

 

S #3–Shine/Sweep

Toyota discovered that maintaining the equipment and deep cleaning the facilities decreased the number of breakdowns and the cost of repairs. A clean environment encourages organization and also is an attitude-booster.

 

Scenario: You need to retrieve something from the dreaded storage room. The last time you were there, it took an hour to uncover what you were looking for in the dusty, cluttered mess. Thanks to 5S, when you flip on the light switch, you discover that someone has already cleaned and organized to help this space undergo a major transformation. Ahhh, life’s simple pleasures.

 

Application: Once a week (I like to do it on Fridays), wipe off flat surfaces such as desktops, filing cabinets and book shelves with a damp paper towel, cleaning cloth or disinfectant wipes. Talk to your IT department about their preferences for cleaning your keyboard and monitor. Use a can of air to deal with the dust bunnies hiding amongst the cords behind your computer and under your desk. Your equipment will run better, and you’ll breathe easier in a clean, dust-free office.  

 

S #4–Standardize

Bringing standardization into the office allows for systems to be put in place so everyone follows procedures the same way. This might mean creating a form used for inbound customer service calls, creating a color-coded filing system or using a checklist before sending product to the customer. Standardizing processes and procedures lowers the error rate (referred to as Waste of Defects) and ensures that 5S techniques will be applied.

Scenario: Several individuals in your department handle inquiry calls for new business. Your job is to follow up on the initial calls once leads have been qualified. However, the format of the information that you receive varies by who handled the call.

 

Application: Develop a standardized form (electronically or paper) for all initial inquiries to ensure that complete and thorough information will appear in the same format every time. Standardizing any process will cut down on errors (Waste of Defects) and increase productivity.

S #5–Sustain

We do not live in a paperless society yet, and the paper trail often leads to your desk. Paper, projects and “stuff” are constantly streaming into our offices so we must be proactive in returning items to their designated areas (straightening) and developing processes for handling incoming information and projects (standardization). After developing a daily routine of Sort, Straighten, Sweep and Standardize, the final 5S step of Sustain will occur more naturally.

 

Application: Just keep it up! Fight the urge to “put things away tomorrow.” Make a checklist as a reminder to sustain all of your new good habits. Check the list at the end of every day, or at least at the end of every week.

 

S # 6–Safety

Many companies have added a sixth “S” – Safety. While this topic is common in manufacturing settings, it isn’t considered a very relevant topic in the office. But safety issues always exist and are worth our attention. Obviously, any accident – whether on the manufacturing floor or in the office – costs the company money in lost labor and health benefits, and costs the employees in pain and lost salary.

 

Injuries related to tripping over loose cords, tangled cables or piles of “stuff’ being stored on the floor is easily fixed. Also, if your desk surface is so full of papers, stacks and “stuff”, you may be using your lap as a work surface, putting yourself at risk for strained neck and shoulder muscles. Addressing the well-being of employees will enhance the other S’s and improve quality of work. Always put Safety first. The dividends are too high to ignore.

 

Application: Wrapping up this “S” is easy. Use bag ties or wire ties to keep cords from becoming tangled. Staple “snaky” cords to the baseboards, and file those piles away each day. Approaching your office with 5S in mind will eventually become second nature. Soon you’ll find yourself sorting and straightening things at home and spotting areas that could be improved with a little standardization.

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Source by Audrey L. Thomas

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When you pull the hood release lever in your vehicle, you are pulling on a cable, just like the brake or shift cables on a bicycle.  When the vehicle gets older, and you are under the hood every week to add oil, the cable will eventually wear out and break.  So how do you get the hood open without the cable?  My experience was with a 1991 Chevrolet S10 Blazer, but the technique I used may be applicable to other vehicles.

The only tools required are a set of pliers, a good work light, and some heavy aluminum wire.  The aluminum wire is about twice the thickness of spaghetti, and the stuff I used was 8 gage aluminum ground wire from Radio Shack.  The advantage of aluminum is that it is soft enough to work like a string, but stiff enough to create a hook.  It also is easily workable with your fingers.  If you don’t have that, a coat hanger may do.

Set the work light down low so that it shines up through the grill at your latch.  In the case of my Blazer, all I could see was the metal casing for the latch.  No portion of the mechanism was visible.  Here is where a mental picture becomes important.  The cable provides a pulling action.  You must hook your aluminum wire close to where the cable connects to the mechanism, and then pull in a direction as close to that of the cable as possible.  If you don’t know what the mechanism looks like, try and find a picture, or find a similar vehicle and examine its mechanism.

In the case of the Blazer, the business end of the cable connects near the front-center part of the case that encloses the mechanism.  Make a hook by bending the last 1/4 inch of the wire at a 90 degree angle with the pliers.  The aluminum wire can be bent very easily with your bare hands into as many compound angles as needed to make a tool that will reach the end of the mechanism.

It took me about 10 minutes and about four tries pulling to finally hook the mechanism.  When you think that you have it, apply some downward pressure to the top of the hood.  This will compress the latch spring, and hopefully take some pressure off of the mechanism so that it opens easily.  Then, pull steadily on your wire.  If you have hooked the mechanism, you will feel it give as the latch operates, and then you can stop pushing down on the hood, and try to lift it up.

Once you get it open, you can replace the latch cable.  This can be expensive and time consuming, so if you don’t care about how it looks, you can run the aluminum wire out through the grill as a new hood release.  In my Blazer, I ran a double length, and then bent it in half at the loop on the mechanism, so I have a double-strength pull.  The softness of the aluminum is what allows this to work.

Finally, be sure to grease your latch mechanism well, and also the spring latch on the hood, so that the latch will open as easily as possible.  The hood may have rubber leveling feet at each of its corners.  If you let these out too far, it will make for a nice, stable hood, but it will put too much pressure on the latch, making it difficult to open, and leading to premature cable failure.

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Source by Greg Hency