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Man-Machine-Material Methodology Guide

1) The document discusses strategies for improving a manufacturing organization called 4ME across four categories: Man, Machine, Material, and Method. 2) For the Man category, it suggests developing employees through training, performance reviews, and healthy competition. 3) For the Machine category, it recommends continuously upgrading machines with new features to improve productivity, noise reduction, and customization for research projects. 4) For the Material category, it proposes offering more options for components, software, and automated material handling to add value for customers.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
871 views3 pages

Man-Machine-Material Methodology Guide

1) The document discusses strategies for improving a manufacturing organization called 4ME across four categories: Man, Machine, Material, and Method. 2) For the Man category, it suggests developing employees through training, performance reviews, and healthy competition. 3) For the Machine category, it recommends continuously upgrading machines with new features to improve productivity, noise reduction, and customization for research projects. 4) For the Material category, it proposes offering more options for components, software, and automated material handling to add value for customers.

Uploaded by

anua9496
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Man
  • Machine
  • Material
  • Method
  • Environment

4ME - Man, Machine, Material, Method, Environment

Man: [Man - career, training, performance evaluation, family, beliefs, characteristics, ]


Convey genuine interest in the career development of each individual from an owner to a
trainee. Spend time listening, understanding, and helping each employee succeed, knowing
that acceptance (not wage) is a primary motivator.
Rotate field service and assembly personnel. Move limited talent into very specific roles and
monitor efficiency closely. Use results to create standards for quality and productivity.
Establish scoring system for machining quality. Inspect everyone's work in a random pattern
and post scores. Establish training levels to "pay for skill / performance"
Schedule review within sub-teams - Create continual goal setting and creative work
distribution decided by their peers. Create healthy competition for bragging rights, not pay.
Winning team gets pizza or extra learning video break each week. Different team rep. each
week in short review, graded on that weeks presentation.
Create a rotating training schedule with Triangle Tech, PSU, the Business College, etcetera. Fill
in gaps and expand individual capacities.

Machine: [Machine-tools, electro-mechanical devices, computers, vehicles ]


Rebuild to enhance features, not just back to original standard - more productivity, new
feeders, electronics, additional fail-safes, sensors checked in both states every cycle,
accessories, quick-change tooling, canned controls option, parts accumulation/transfer to next
operation, pick&place options (simple and custom), hydraulic resistance (beef-up brackets to
address adding required stiffness), continuous improvements of existing press lines. Also,
promote continuous improvement of standard feature in newsletter.
Re-design products with noise reduction components, part out sensors, quiet orientation
feeders, quick-change tooling
Custom Products - Offer PSU students opportunities for research projects. Test various filling
methods and materials, then measure properties.

Material: [Material - components, software, ]


Offer more Adjustable Frequency Drives, new HMI retrofits, options with various features,
wear-surfaces using alternate materials and techniques for alignment and durability,
automated material handling devices both simple and complex, third party enhancements with
high performance rating from customers, accumulators and continuous flow to next operation
conveyance, operation/training manuals and reference literature online.

Method: [Method - practices, procedures, rules, discipline, LEAN processes ]


Gold Mine Theory - Build relationships with business partners/customers; striving for longterm mutual benefits. Know their business objectives and capital budget plans. Help them
make good choices, even at the risk of losing a short-term sale. Develop a five year rolling

forecast and marketing approach distinguishing new start-ups, rapid growth, steady state, and
neglected companies in recovery. Something big is always on the horizon.
So many technicians in the industry love adjustability and ease of access, but are concerned
with quality and speed. Fix this perception by setting challenges through customer feedback
and share with the world through Newsletter. We don't need to instantly solve every potential
for improvement, but rather create a steady movement in that direction (glacier).
Free purchasing assistance and cut sheets for customers' maintenance staffs. Offer small,
publicized mark-up (e.g. 25%) in cases where customer needs purchasing intervention. Every
chance we get, add to online recommended spare parts collection and cross ref. by press, by
feature category... protect to maintain security. All this will build trust and develop loyal
customers.
Open Mind Policy for review customer feedback - Reward, with recognition, our best customer
feedback (and how we plan to address it) in a monthly newsletter. Include some lively,
interesting reading like quick tips on personal finance, health and wellness, latest trends, etc.
Share (in general terms) team activities and successes (open communication with customer
and healthy pressure for employees to perform in front of the most important audience, their
final customers). Offer prizes for completing customer surveys. (Hold drawing for quarterly
special prize, online via website for convenience.)
Special Products and Services - Include technology articles in website (e.g. specific successes)
BOM - RAK inventory control. Modernize Purchasing, BOM across press lines, categorize and
share components and track usage. Incorporate Engineering and Business System. Share
indicators, like Sales dollars per employee, with each employee (strategically timed) to align
his/her mindset for upcoming business decisions (like layoffs during down trends). Bar code
inventory. Auto-release standard product assemblies with options. Make options/no options for
each feature interchangeable. Pre-drill mounting holes, using CNC machining whenever
possible. Use sub-assemblies for various groups of options.
Empower engineers to tackle roadblocks and incrementally & continuously improve products
and systems. Create pride, ownership, appreciation, and satisfaction in every product and
service they provide. Create a forum for interaction and design review among Engineering,
Customer Service, and Sales Managers beyond the current work in process issues. Continually
refine this focus to keep current with business climate and companywide strategic objectives.
Conduct a Lean Office Kaizen event with a volunteer from PSU academia and your industry.

Environment: [Environment - home, work area, politics, religion, earth, ]


Create a new, interesting, interactive, helpful website (problem solving, sharing improvement
ideas, helpful in customer service, used for tracking progress for training, scheduling, metrics,
etc.) [Enlist help of RAK or [Link].] Update frequently, assure that outdated
documentation is caught and corrected (e.g. Back to top button on each page to help navigate.)
Offer TPM guidelines - Offer to participate in Kaizen Events. Defer methods training to PSU CE
for TPM, SMED, ISO, Lean Six Sigma, etc. (organize short courses). Host "User Group" events
(campfire-side style) to bring various small customers together to share ideas on problem setups, technical challenges, and share the power that your industry's/services/ corporations
take advantage of through "strength in numbers". (See remanufacturing for continuous
improvement).

Common questions

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Employee performance is evaluated through systematic methods such as random work inspections and a corresponding scoring system . Rewards are focused on creating healthy competition, where peer-reviewed performance and team achievements lead to recognition through non-financial incentives like weekly rewards of pizza or extra learning breaks . This approach prioritizes intrinsic motivation and acknowledges peer accomplishments .

The 'Gold Mine Theory' is applied by building robust relationships with business partners to achieve long-term mutual benefits rather than focusing solely on short-term profits . This involves understanding customer objectives and budget plans and aiding their decision-making. By prioritizing these relationships and being open to improvement without immediate resolution, the organization fosters trust and loyalty with its clients .

The document suggests fostering employee acceptance and engagement by conveying genuine interest in their career development. This includes listening and understanding each employee, providing feedback, creating a scoring system for random inspection of work, and promoting a culture of healthy competition with non-monetary rewards like pizza or extra learning video breaks for the winning team each week . These strategies aim to motivate employees through acceptance rather than wages .

Balancing immediate and long-term business goals is achieved by maintaining customer relationships without compromising on integrity for short gains. The document advises developing a five-year rolling forecast that distinguishes companies in various growth stages. This approach emphasizes helping partners make informed decisions, even at the risk of losing short-term sales, ensuring mutual benefits and sustainable growth .

The document outlines an 'Open Mind Policy' for customer feedback utilization by rewarding exemplary feedback and illustrating how it's addressed through a monthly newsletter . This approach encourages open communication with customers and instills healthy pressure on employees to improve . Additionally, it involves offering incentives such as prizes for survey completion, showcasing responsiveness to customer needs and building long-term loyalty .

Educational institutions are integrated into the organization's training plans through structured partnerships allowing employees to enhance their skills via scheduled trainings at Triangle Tech, PSU, and the Business College . These collaborations aim to fill knowledge gaps, expand individual capacities, and align workforce development with organizational standards and needs .

The document recommends enhancing machine productivity by rebuilding machines to exceed the original standards, incorporating new features like advanced feeders, electronics, additional fail-safes, sensors, and quick-change tooling . Regular checks and continuous improvement should be applied to existing press lines, and noise reduction components should be included in product redesigns for more efficient operation . These strategies help in improving machine uptime and reducing maintenance issues.

Continuous improvement is fostered by promoting a culture of incremental progression, as symbolized by the metaphor of a 'glacier' . The document suggests involving cross-functional teams in Lean Office Kaizen events and encouraging engineers to tackle barriers by constantly refining products and systems . Integrating customer feedback into organizational processes also contributes to a sustained growth mindset .

Leveraging technology is integral to achieving strategic goals by modernizing purchasing processes, barcoding inventory, and automating product assemblies. This approach ensures efficient operations and aligns the workforce with business objectives by sharing performance indicators like Sales dollars per employee . Moreover, the creation of an interactive, updated website aids in problem-solving, service improvement, and customer interaction, thereby supporting organizational agility and customer satisfaction .

The document emphasizes the importance of rotating field service and assembly personnel to broaden skills and fill specific roles efficiently. This flexibility facilitates efficiency monitoring and allows for the creation of quality and productivity standards . The customizable workforce approach aligns with the method of fostering skill development through structured training schedules with institutions like Triangle Tech and ensuring performance-based remuneration, thus optimizing workforce potential and efficiency .

4ME - Man, Machine, Material, Method, Environment 
Man: [Man - career, training, performance evaluation, family, beliefs, cha
forecast and marketing approach distinguishing new start-ups, rapid growth, steady state, and 
neglected companies in recover

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