TWI Industries

Model Answer

TWI Current State Map

Production
Control

Orders

Rod + Forging
suppliers

Shop order

2x Month

Order
60 days

OE + after market
customers

Size adjust
2 weeks

Daily priorities
Daily

Daily ship schedule

Weld area
Supervisor

Machining
Forgings C/t = 30 sec
20 days C/O = 120 min
5 Days
Uptime = 100%

Weld 1

Outside
Painter
2 days inv.

Deflash

C/t = 30 sec 3 Days C/t = 30 sec

C/t = 30 sec 5 Days
3 Days10 sec Op
10 sec Op
10 sec Op
C/O = 15 min
C/O = 15 min
C/O = 15 min
To 60 min
To 60 min
To 60 min
Uptime = 90%
Uptime = 80%
Uptime = 100%

Cutting
Uncut
Rods
20 days

Weld 2

Assembly

Shipping

Work = 195 sec

6 Days C/O = 10 min 4 Days

Uptime = 100%

4 Days

C/t = 15 sec
C/O = 15 min
To 60 min
Uptime = 100%

20 Days

3 Days

5 Days
30 secs

30 secs

3 Days
30 secs

5 Days 2 Days 6 Days

30 secs

4 Days
195 secs

Lead time = 48 days

Value Add = 315 sec

The Eight Questions and Answers

1. What is the Takt Time?
We have 15 hours per day, and 20 days per
month.
= 300 hours per month
= 1080000 seconds per month
Demand = 24000 pieces per month
Therefore Takt = 1080000/24000
= 45 seconds per item

2. Should TWI build to a finished goods supermarket or

direct to shipping?
Finished product variety
= 20 lengths x 2 diameters x 3 types of
end
fittings x 2 ends
= 20 x 2 x 3 x 2
= 240 product types (plus any colour variations)
This is a lot of variety to keep in a supermarket we
would need 240 locations
Also, if we can reduce lead time to less than 2 weeks,
then we will be sure of the customer order.
So, we should aim to build direct to shipping.

3. Where can we introduce continuous flow production?

In Assembly, we have 195 seconds of work. This is split
between 6 workers. So, if we can get an even split of the
work elements, we can get a cycle time of 32.5 seconds.
If we are careful, we should be able to split the work
elements to give a cycle time of 39 seconds with 5
workers. This is within the Takt time. This will be cell 2
Weld 1, Weld 2 and Deflash all have 30 second machine
cycle times and 10 second operator cycle times. So we
can combine these and run the cell with 1 operator. This
will be cell 1.
We can not include cutting as it is not dedicated to this
product family. (See Q8 for further development)

4. Where will we need to use supermarket pull

systems?
As cutting is not dedicated to the product family,
we will need a supermarket pull system to buffer
it from cell 1.
We can also do the same for (the faster cycle,
but long set up) Machining of Forgings, and also
for both raw material types.
Between the cells and painting, and also
between cell 2 and shipping, we should use
FIFO lines

5. At what single point (the pacemaker process)

should TWI schedule production?
The pacemaker process should be the point
furthest upstream from the customer where
production can flow to the customer. So, the
pacemaker process should be the Weld 1, Weld
2, Deflash (Cell 1) process.
After Cell 1, product will flow through FIFO
transfers to paint , assembly and shipping.
Production feeding Cell 1 will be controlled via
supermarket pull systems.

6. How will TWI level the production mix at

the pacemaker process?
We should use a Hiejunka (levelling)
box at cell 1.
Steering arms are packed 5 to a box. So a
Kanban should be for 5 arms.

7. What constant increment of work should TWI release

and take away at the pacemaker process?
1 kanban = 5 *45 seconds
= 225 seconds or 3.75 minutes
To release a single kanban would mean somebody
visiting the Heijunka box every 3.75 minutes. This may
not be practical.
The smallest customer order is for 25 pieces. So why not
release 5 kanbans at a time?
This would make the Pitch = 5 x 3.75 minutes
= 18.75 minutes
This appears to be a more practical pitch.
(There are equally good arguments for releasing 8 or 10
kanbans at a time)

8. What process improvements are necessary to

make the value stream flow as the future state
design indicates?
See the Kaizen flashes on the future state map.
In summary:
4 x set up reduction projects (cutting,
machining, assembly, and the 3 operations
in cell 1)
2 x maintenance (to improve welder uptime)
1 x work element balancing (assembly)
Request weekly delivery from suppliers

Rod + Forging
suppliers

Production
Control

Orders

OE + after market
customers

Orders
2 weeks

Weekly
Daily

Pitch = 18.75 minutes

Forgings

6 Days

Rods

6 Days

Machining

Machined
forgings

C/t = 30 sec
C/O = 30 minChange over
Uptime = 100%

Cutting
C/t = 15 sec
C/O = 5 min
Uptime = 100%

6 Days

Weld &
Deflash

C/T = 30 sec 1 day

C/O < 5 min
Uptime = 100%
Work = 90 sec

Assembly
Shipping
1 day

1/2 day

Takt = 45
Work = 195 sec
C/O = 0
Uptime = 100%

Cut rods
Change over
Welder uptime

Change over
Work element balance

Change over

<1 Day

1 Day
30 secs

Outside
Painter
1 day inv.

90 secs

1 Day

<1 Day

Same day Lead time = 10 days

195 secs

Value Add = 315 sec