Systemintegrator
Controls News 13
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2007/2008
2008/2009
2009/2010
2010/2011
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2008
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Main theme:
Experiences with lean
At the beginning, every change was viewed with
scepticism and lots of counter-arguments were put
forward. During implementation, 3–5% of emplo-
yees had problems and were not compatible with
lean methods of working. For the remaining 95%
of staff, the switch to lean proved to be a very susta-
inable and positive experience.
They feel they are taken seriously as drivers of
added value, rather than unavoidable overhead
costs as previously. It is very impressive to see how
quickly and confidently new employees cope with
«
lean» production processes. Exceptionally dedi-
cated specialist personnel are no longer needed.
Qualification takes less time. Apart from teething
problems, quality and productivity matches that of
long-serving staff!
Measurable experiences and perspectives
of Lean
The effects have been just as positive for the com-
pany as for staff. This fact can also be measured and
expressed in financial terms.
An example is the processing time for complete
production of a device, including all the necessa-
ry circuit boards. For small devices, this has been
reduced from an average of 17.5 days to 3.8 days.
Simultaneously, capital expenditure for goods in
the warehouse or in progress has decreased by 30%
in 3 years, while production volume has grown by
40%
during the same period.
Delivery performance and reliability actually incre-
ased, with lower stock levels and reduced work-
in-progress volumes. 80% of deliveries from the
factory were made within 48 hours and, in general,
over 95% of deadlines were met.
The meaning of Lean for our company
Switching to lean has made our factory in Switzer-
land so efficient and fast that, even with today’s very
strong Swiss franc, we have managed to cope very
well indeed. Following on from these successes,
we have now started extending the application of
lean beyond production and into all other areas of
the company. This should allow us to continue gro-
wing sustainably in line with demographic trends,
reducing resource use and maintaining healthy
profitability. The key to our growth lies in rigorously
designing and orienting our products for lean au-
tomation, because lean automation has the same
positive effects for our customers as lean produc-
tion has for us. «Lean» will become ever more esta-
blished.
Saia-Production before lean:
Distributed units and lots of
material in circulation = fragmentation of responsibility.
The same production configured as lean:
A single person can
create a complete product in a few minutes – from the assembly of
the printed circuit board to packaging for dispatch.
People feel better with Lean
–
less hectic, less stress,
fewer grey areas.
Lean:
Energy meter production,
volumes and staff numbers.
24%
efficiency increase
between 2008 and 2011.
Thousands of units
Staff
Financial
Year
Processing time in days
The lean effect:
Processing time in days from start of production
to dispatch, example of «energy meters»
Processing time [d]
Thousands of units
Staff
Financial
Year
