First steps
- Measure OTD and the cause of each late order.
- Find the bottleneck.
- Protect the bottleneck and level the plan.
How to measure success
OTD to customer and premium freight cost. Record the value before you start, so the effect of every action can be shown.
When these methods are the wrong choice
- OEE analysis: Manual processes without a machine cycle.
- Value stream mapping: A problem at one machine.
- Heijunka (levelling): Plants where changeovers are still long; do SMED first.
- Run at rate: Quality problems without a capacity question.
- A3 report: Formal customer complaints that require an 8D form.
The methods in one line
| Method | What it is |
|---|---|
| OEE analysis | Splits equipment losses into availability, performance and quality to show where time is lost. |
| Value stream mapping | Maps material and information flow end to end and shows waiting, inventory and lead time. |
| Heijunka (levelling) | Levels the mix and volume over the day so the line and suppliers see a steady demand. |
| Run at rate | Production trial at the quoted cycle time that proves the line can deliver the volume. |
| A3 report | One-page PDCA story: background, current state, root cause, countermeasures, follow-up. |