Example Reflection – Visualization

1. Challenge

I work in a manufacturing firm. The challenge was to reduce cycle time for manufacturing a  product, that is to reduce the amount of time it takes to produce a product and deliver it to  the customer. To achieve this, we at our plant decided to reduce the physical distance a part  travels during its various processing stage so that the time it takes for the part to move  around could be used to process the part and quickly complete its production.

2. Selection

So, in order to map how a particular part travels around our manufacturing plant, I decided  to use the visualization tool to map how a particular product travels to various parts of a  plant during its manufacturing process to get an idea of what are all the possible movements  that could be eliminated to reduce the parts processing time. Since the manufacturing plant  was large, we weren’t able to accurately map the journey of a parts in our mind, and hence  took the help of visualization tool to help us visualize a parts journey.

3. Application

To apply this tool, I started with the 2D layout of the entire plant and put it up on a board.  We at our manufacturing plant were producing close to 100 parts, so to reduce the  complexity we started of with 10 parts with highest cycle time in other words low hanging  fruits that could help achieve significant results in a short span. Each of the 10 parts were  assigned different colors and their movement through the plant was mapped using a string  or thread of the color assigned to the part.

4. Insight

Once all the movement path of the 10 chosen parts were mapped on the layout, it gave us a  visual idea of the total distance a path travelled and also the traffic at different zones of the  plant. Once we mapped the path of parts, we gained a new perspective that cycle time of a  part was increased due to multiple parts congregating at various spots in the plant for  processing and thus spent a lot of time waiting to get processed. So, we further these  processing locations across the manufacturing plant so as to distribute traffic and lessen the  time it took for processing the parts. Also, some of the processing stations that were  exclusive to certain parts, were moved closer to the starting point of that parts journey so as  to reduce time further. Thus, we were able to reduce processing time on an average by 33%  for all the parts and achieve quicker delivery

5. Approach

An alternate approach would be to physically measure the distance travelled by the part  with the help of a measuring tool like a measuring tape. This would increase the work  content in the entire projects multifold and would have increased the project timeline  significantly. Also, the process of physical measuring is also cumbersome. This visualization  method also gave us at the plant an insight that traffic at certain locations were leading to  higher cycle times, which we might have not got had we used the conventional method of  physical measurement of distance.


Example Reflection – Visualization 1 . Challenge I work in a manufacturing firm . The challenge was to reduce cycle time for manufacturing a product , that is to reduce the amount of time it takes to produce a product and deliver it to the customer . To achieve this , we at our plant decided to reduce the physical distance a part travels during its various processing stage so that the time it takes for the part to move around could be used to process the part and quickly complete its production . 2 . Selection So , in order to map how a particular part travels around our manufacturing plant , I decided to use the visualization tool to map how a particular product travels to various parts of a plant during its manufacturing process to get an idea of what are all the possible movements that could be eliminated to reduce the parts processing time . Since the manufacturing plant was large , we were n’t able to accurately map the journey of a parts in our mind , and hence took the help of visualization tool to help us visualize a parts journey . 3 . Application To apply this tool , I started with the 2D layout of the entire plant and put it up on a board . We at our manufacturing plant were producing close to 100 parts , so to reduce the complexity we started of with 10 parts with highest cycle time in other words low hanging fruits that could help achieve significant results in a short span . Each of the 10 parts were assigned different colors and their movement through the plant was mapped using a string or thread of the color assigned to the part . 4 . Insight Once all the movement path of the 10 chosen parts were mapped on the layout , it gave us a visual idea of the total distance a path travelled and also the traffic at different zones of the plant . Once we mapped the path of parts , we gained a new perspective that cycle time of a part was increased due to multiple parts congregating at various spots in the plant for processing and thus spent a lot of time waiting to get processed . So , we further these processing locations across the manufacturing plant so as to distribute traffic and lessen the time it took for processing the parts . Also , some of the processing stations that were exclusive to certain parts , were moved closer to the starting point of that parts journey so as to reduce time further . Thus , we were able to reduce processing time on an average by 33 % for all the parts and achieve quicker delivery 5 . Approach An alternate approach would be to physically measure the distance travelled by the part with the help of a measuring tool like a measuring tape . This would increase the work content in the entire projects multifold and would have increased the project timeline significantly . Also , the process of physical measuring is also cumbersome . This visualization method also gave us at the plant an insight that traffic at certain locations were leading to higher cycle times , which we might have not got had we used the conventional method of physical measurement of distance .