Comments on: Ask Art: Why is a Lean Sensei Necessary? https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/ask-art-why-is-a-lean-sensei-necessary/ Lean Production | Lean Manufacturing | LEI | Lean Services Mon, 16 Jan 2023 19:35:55 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 By: Ronald A. Kirby https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/ask-art-why-is-a-lean-sensei-necessary/#comment-65766 Mon, 16 Jan 2023 19:35:55 +0000 https://www.lean.org/?p=17926#comment-65766 9/1995 General Electric Aviation- (AWO-5 Days Production Test) – S/U – Test – De-Prep S/U – Ship) AWO – Evendale, Ohio (2) Test Cell’s) (5 Days)
As my Master Lean Sensei – “Master Iwata San” – President of Shingijutsu (JP – World), would state… let us cut right to the elimination of all wastes. Let’s start in the production “TEST”; Cell’s “Schedule’s” / department(s) with the most waste, starting with Test S/U thru each process step to a finished product with a pull flow demand of TT; that will meet a Daily 24 hour, Variable TT of Scheduled Delivery, for your customer!
This sound simple to do: Right!
Iwata San, would say we can do this with simple flow charts at each work station, collecting all examples of (all waste in time, travel, corrections and scrap / unavailable parts / tools – tooling / manpower / material products) / (Timming Flow), Test Cell certification NA including the, (WHY?), for all the, “WASTE”… in (Test S/U (Completion)- (Test Engine to Qualification Schedule (Pass/Fail-Comp.) – (De-Prep to Ship / Return to Assy for Failure) – ( Repair- Re-Test (SHIP)!
This consisted of each Employee (that rotates (is trained) to all sub-jobs & leads in each Team Jobs in each department & his Team Leader & the Linkage of Top Leadership and one Production Manager from start to finish, and in each we will have One “Water Spider” & “One Maintenance Personnel to insure (3) Shifts of level loaded pull and maintenance support of three shifts (Variability) of Pull Demand Workflow components per Jet Engine Models are at the ready… Coupled with daily (@)(24) Hours of (3) Shift Production Demand of daily (24 Hr.) JIT, delivery of Customer demand!
After explaining this new learning “Lean Working Curve” to me he would ask, do we need any other added support to eliminate all the wastes (hidden and or the waste in plain sight)?
I, had to be very careful with my answer… “I would say, Master Iwata San… I believe, you have covered everything, completely!
He, would look at me for about 10-20 seconds and ask the same question, again?
I would respond with the same answer. He, then put his hand on my shoulder and said, Ron San, do you think that all the teams, people, leaders and managers, water spider and maintenance man have the “Same Waste Elimination -“Lean Groth Mindset” that we have?
That was an easy question for me to answer, I said.. “No Sir!”
He simply said, then you have a lot of prep work with, “EACH”… of the above, on a “TOTAL Waste Elimination Test Team AWO”… so they are all on the same “Lean Groth Mindset” of the Elimination of All the Waste in Progress from start to finish, … (Assy./Prep S/U, Test, De-Prep – Ship!) = “DILIVERY” (SHIP) (all within STD> Work Written Directions and New Engine Test Kitted Hardware, (Sequenced Work Level Loading with all Installations & Removal) – SU & De-Prep Engine Hardware Front / Back L&R Sides Top & Bottom of all said Jet Engine Models… “Kitted – PER. STD> WORK HR.”!
Waste Data Collection (Targeted and Highlighted) – Before 5 Day AWO
“Before” / Lean AWO 1-3 engines Test a day > (6) Engines would be a Max Targeted Completed in (3) Shifts Per day. (Assy. Bld. 700 deliveries to Test were operatic at best very, very – best) Some days no engines delivered to Test at All!
After / Investigations in Bld. 800 – Jet engine Assy Failures of Assy. & a Moving Assy. Line Moving Flow Line was Recommended! It was denied by the Union.
After, the (1 Week 5 Days Lean Test AWO), it was proven with 85-90% the Waste in Test removal and the Value-Added STD. Work and Kitting of all Test Hardware we could Test (6 Complete Engines) in One 24 Hr. Day – It was a massive improvement! Alas, the downfall was that Bld. 800 Union Assy Crews pushed back because they could not and would not install a moving ASSY. Line & Kitted Eng. Model Assy Line and do a Waste AWO Removal in their area like, we in Test… did ours! GEA Management in the long, term… sent all Commercial Jet Engine Test to a Remote Non-Union Test Site (Peebles – PTO) 75 Miles away. Long story short, Leadership would not work with the Union and the Union didn’t work with Leadership, GEA Outsourced from Evendale, OH over 300 Union & 400 Salaried People and eliminated all NEW Commercial Testing @ GEA Evendale, OH.
Ron San

]]> By: Arthur Byrne https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/ask-art-why-is-a-lean-sensei-necessary/#comment-20364 Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:41:17 +0000 https://www.lean.org/?p=17926#comment-20364 In reply to Guillermo “Wil” Fernandez.

Wil, unfortunately I can’t help you with that one but I’m sure there are some good ones as Wisconsin is a big manufacturing state.

]]> By: Arthur Byrne https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/ask-art-why-is-a-lean-sensei-necessary/#comment-20363 Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:37:39 +0000 https://www.lean.org/?p=17926#comment-20363 In reply to Ovi.

Ovi, I’m glad you enjoyed the post and understand first hand the value of a good sensei. Your right I started my own lean journey in January of 1982 so this will be my 40th year. Makes me feel old but I’m still learning.

]]> By: Arthur Byrne https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/ask-art-why-is-a-lean-sensei-necessary/#comment-20362 Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:33:51 +0000 https://www.lean.org/?p=17926#comment-20362 In reply to Dan Prock.

Dan your right unless senior management, especially the CEO, understands that they need to become lean experts in order to lead a lean turnaround not much will happen. As lean is learn by doing attending a few kick off sessions to wave the flag so to speak won’t get you very far.

]]> By: Arthur Byrne https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/ask-art-why-is-a-lean-sensei-necessary/#comment-20361 Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:27:35 +0000 https://www.lean.org/?p=17926#comment-20361 In reply to Victor caune.

Victor, I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Your right about engaging the C suite over the long haul. Too often companies start down the lean path with a good sensei, decide too quickly “ok we got this”, fire the sensei and before you know it are right back where they started.

]]> By: Victor caune https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/ask-art-why-is-a-lean-sensei-necessary/#comment-20281 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 21:09:52 +0000 https://www.lean.org/?p=17926#comment-20281 Great article and perspective
My experience with companies that have achieved long term lean implementation certainly resonates
You need to engage the c suite over the long haul

]]> By: Dan Prock https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/ask-art-why-is-a-lean-sensei-necessary/#comment-20252 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 18:57:06 +0000 https://www.lean.org/?p=17926#comment-20252 This is all true, but, as you said, unless a VP like you commands it, it’s difficult to get division, plant or key support managers to do it. The norm in many big enterprises is to attend the kick off and the wrap up. Its window dressing, because there is pressure for them to say “great job’ in public, and they don’t really understand that change requires them to go right into the unknown and experiment. The plant walk tactics described in The Lean Sensei are a start. In The Sensei Way at Work, I describe one of my kaizen participants who got it when he said, “I’ve been waiting for you up front to give us the answer, but I just realized, no one knows it!”

]]> By: Sanjeev https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/ask-art-why-is-a-lean-sensei-necessary/#comment-20145 Thu, 24 Feb 2022 13:17:22 +0000 https://www.lean.org/?p=17926#comment-20145 Well said Art
Regards
Sanjeev

]]> By: Ovi https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/ask-art-why-is-a-lean-sensei-necessary/#comment-20041 Wed, 23 Feb 2022 16:28:54 +0000 https://www.lean.org/?p=17926#comment-20041 Hi Art, very valid point – working with my Sensei completely changed the way I work… and Happy 40th Lean Anniversary to you!

]]> By: Guillermo "Wil" Fernandez https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/ask-art-why-is-a-lean-sensei-necessary/#comment-20036 Wed, 23 Feb 2022 13:32:51 +0000 https://www.lean.org/?p=17926#comment-20036 does Art have a directory of Lean Sensei consultants in Wisconsin?

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