Yves Halliburton
Elite Cafe Member
How to analize your working environment by Value Steam Mapping it.
Ok, I expect to get some pretty serious feed back on this. I know a lot of you will think this is way off the wall, but my job is all about making the product better and in less time. Which means more profit. I think we all want this. So hit me with your questions, comments and criticism.
“NON VALUE and VALUE added timeâ€. In my business (Industrial Engineer) this is a term we use everyday. What it means is “the time used to make and not make the productâ€. In “NON VALUE†we can break this into two categories, necessary and non-necessary. But first (this may be hard to grasp) in all businesses, as well as engraving, the only “VALUE ADDED†time is what is accomplished to make the product. So I will use a firearm as the product for demonstration. There are only a few “VALUE ADDED†time processes when engraving a firearm
• Engraving and/or cutting
• Polishing/deburring
That’s it. This is what the customer is truly paying for. When he receives the firearm and holds it in his had this is what he paid for.
Now, overall he paid for a lot more of your time. Design, sharpening, etc, but these are all overhead cost and “NON VALUE†time. Ok, sharpening, design, etc. are necessary “NON VALUE†time that is required but getting up out of your chair and walking to sharpen that engraver is “NON VALUE†non-necessary. That is the walking part. Getting a drink is “NON VALUE†non-necessary. Necessary in our functions of everyday requirements, but as a cost of the product, NO! The customer is not paying for you to go get a drink, or walk to your powerhone; he is paying for the engraving. Now, granted we do works based on the job and not an hourly wage, for the most part, so you could say it doesn’t matter. But that time wasted or ill spent could be working on another project. If you have employees then it is a big effect on your cost. The more you can stay at your bench the less time ill spent.
Example: If it was a firearm and you disassembly/reassemble it, this is NON VALUE necessary. If you did the finishing/bluing, this is VALUE ADDED. When the customer looks at his products he will see it was blued. Disassembly and reassembly is necessary but the customer does not see this aspect of the product. ARE WE THINKING YET!!!!
A general list of NON VALUE
Necessary
• Sharpening engravers
• Designing
• Transfer
• Receiving
• Shipping
Non-necessary
• Answering the phone
• Going to the power hone
• Finding the gold
• Setting up the draw plate
• Etc.
This list can go on for ever, but the point is to make you start thinking about what the customer is truly paying for and where your time is being Valued and Not Valued.
Now, I will give you a basic of basic assignments for this, as we call it A Value Stream Map. This is to look at how you do an engraving job or any job, as see where your time is spent. You must be honest because this will only help you. Do it, even if you are the most skeptical person around.
The Japanese industry has been doing this for many years and look where they are from a standpoint of efficiency and productivity. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
Here is your assignment. Sit down and starting from the end of an engraving job (the last thing you did) and list all the processes you did to do that job and work back to the beginning of that job. It must be a job you have accomplished so you can relive what was done. List everything, no matter what the detail, and list the times it took to do each task. Then look at what would it take to really do the job. Start from the most obvious and take out those items that are TRULY NON VALUE NOT NECESSARY and see how much time you could save. Next look at the NON VALUE that is NECESSARY and see where you could get more efficient. IE, put the power hone next to you so you will not need to get up. You will be surprised at how much time is wasted in the day on things that do not make you MONEY! I know this works, as I use it everyday in my environment and my job depends on me being able to do it and do it well. NOTE: I know going to the bathroom is necessary, but list it anyway. This exercise is only to get you to start thinking!!!!!!
Ok, I expect to get some pretty serious feed back on this. I know a lot of you will think this is way off the wall, but my job is all about making the product better and in less time. Which means more profit. I think we all want this. So hit me with your questions, comments and criticism.
Industrial Engineering Principles
Value Stream Mapping
Value Stream Mapping
“NON VALUE and VALUE added timeâ€. In my business (Industrial Engineer) this is a term we use everyday. What it means is “the time used to make and not make the productâ€. In “NON VALUE†we can break this into two categories, necessary and non-necessary. But first (this may be hard to grasp) in all businesses, as well as engraving, the only “VALUE ADDED†time is what is accomplished to make the product. So I will use a firearm as the product for demonstration. There are only a few “VALUE ADDED†time processes when engraving a firearm
• Engraving and/or cutting
• Polishing/deburring
That’s it. This is what the customer is truly paying for. When he receives the firearm and holds it in his had this is what he paid for.
Now, overall he paid for a lot more of your time. Design, sharpening, etc, but these are all overhead cost and “NON VALUE†time. Ok, sharpening, design, etc. are necessary “NON VALUE†time that is required but getting up out of your chair and walking to sharpen that engraver is “NON VALUE†non-necessary. That is the walking part. Getting a drink is “NON VALUE†non-necessary. Necessary in our functions of everyday requirements, but as a cost of the product, NO! The customer is not paying for you to go get a drink, or walk to your powerhone; he is paying for the engraving. Now, granted we do works based on the job and not an hourly wage, for the most part, so you could say it doesn’t matter. But that time wasted or ill spent could be working on another project. If you have employees then it is a big effect on your cost. The more you can stay at your bench the less time ill spent.
Example: If it was a firearm and you disassembly/reassemble it, this is NON VALUE necessary. If you did the finishing/bluing, this is VALUE ADDED. When the customer looks at his products he will see it was blued. Disassembly and reassembly is necessary but the customer does not see this aspect of the product. ARE WE THINKING YET!!!!
A general list of NON VALUE
Necessary
• Sharpening engravers
• Designing
• Transfer
• Receiving
• Shipping
Non-necessary
• Answering the phone
• Going to the power hone
• Finding the gold
• Setting up the draw plate
• Etc.
This list can go on for ever, but the point is to make you start thinking about what the customer is truly paying for and where your time is being Valued and Not Valued.
Now, I will give you a basic of basic assignments for this, as we call it A Value Stream Map. This is to look at how you do an engraving job or any job, as see where your time is spent. You must be honest because this will only help you. Do it, even if you are the most skeptical person around.
The Japanese industry has been doing this for many years and look where they are from a standpoint of efficiency and productivity. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
Here is your assignment. Sit down and starting from the end of an engraving job (the last thing you did) and list all the processes you did to do that job and work back to the beginning of that job. It must be a job you have accomplished so you can relive what was done. List everything, no matter what the detail, and list the times it took to do each task. Then look at what would it take to really do the job. Start from the most obvious and take out those items that are TRULY NON VALUE NOT NECESSARY and see how much time you could save. Next look at the NON VALUE that is NECESSARY and see where you could get more efficient. IE, put the power hone next to you so you will not need to get up. You will be surprised at how much time is wasted in the day on things that do not make you MONEY! I know this works, as I use it everyday in my environment and my job depends on me being able to do it and do it well. NOTE: I know going to the bathroom is necessary, but list it anyway. This exercise is only to get you to start thinking!!!!!!