Manufacturing audit identified improvements

Manufacturer of camera lenses requested a full manufacturing audit resulting in reduction in average manufacturing lead time of 20% and WIP stock levels by 50%.

Cooke Optics initially engaged with the East Midlands Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) with a request for a full manufacturing audit to identify potential areas of productivity improvement The audit confirmed that a number of the recently introduced systems were working well but identified a number of actions which would have additional major impact.

These included the introduction of Drum-Buffer-Rope scheduling, the decoupling of two of the processes within the lens preparation area through the introduction of a buffer which would allow the introduction of smaller batch sizes on polishing, introduction of SMED principles to reduce set up times on key grinding processes and a number of specific methods recommendations.

* Benefits Delivered - the programme was delivered in two phases.

Firstly a Theory of Constraints programme was carried out to introduce Drum-Buffer-Rope scheduling and help staff to set this up under expert monitoring.

The second phase covered the introduction and management of buffers and the introduction of SMED principles to develop increased utilisation.

This resulted in the key improvements of: * An increase of flow within the manufacturing unit of 7% overall (equivalent to an increase in labour productivity for the company as a whole of 11% as the activities of two people have now been devoted to introducing improved methods which will be self financing).

* A reduction in average manufacturing lead time of 20% and a resulting reduction of WIP stock levels by 50%.

* An increase in OTIF delivery (OTIF failure rate halved).

There were enough potential improvements identified in the initial audit to set up a planned programme of improvement projects, which will run over several years.

The two phases of improvement completed under the MAS implementation support programme have already had a major impact on the bottom line of the company.

* Company Profile - Cooke Optics has a 100 year history of involvement in the film Industry and currently undertakes the design and manufacture of prime fixed focus and zoom lenses for worldwide clients.

The company has been privately owned for six years and employs 55 people at a modern site in Thurmaston on the outskirts of Leicester, UK.

The company occupies an enviable position as the premier supplier of lenses to an Industry which has demanding and sometimes subjective quality standards.

Lenses are complex assemblies of 10 to 12 optical components and manufacturing lead times are very long due to extended delivery times for lens blanks of the required quality and to the large number of steps within the manufacturing process.

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