GEMBA KAIZEN IN A STANDARD WAY

Mr.P.Pandiyaraj, AP(SS)-MECH,Periyar Maniammai University,Vallam,Thanjavur 9597902046,pandi_kcet@yahoo.com Mr.S.Balamurugan, AP-MBA, Periyar Maniammai University,Vallam,Thanjavur 9994119991,bala_guys@yahoo.co.in Abstract: The paper aims to find the standard way of achieving excellence in the Gemba through Kaizen. In order to achieve the objective of the organisation the Kaizen, implemented in the working places i.e. for the survival and profitability of the organisation. Various aspects of the Kaizen in the form of Questions are discussed. Such as, who were the people behind the development of this Tool either US or Japan? What will be the definition of kaizen? Whether excellence can be achieved by bringing standardisation in the Gemba? With respect to investment, whether the organisation prefers rapid or constant way of improvement? Based on the discussion, some industrial activities from different areas of engineering were chosen and Kaizen was used to improve the process. As a result of kaizen, the process had been improved and explained in this paper. Introduction: GEMBAKAIZEN is KAIZEN activities that take place in GEMBA. The Gemba means the place where the major activity (Producing and selling) of an organisation is taking place. Let us discuss on the various aspects of the Kaizen. Aspects of Kaizen: (a) US or Japan: Words from the History The president of Toyota, Kiichiro Toyoda, presented a challenge to the members of his executive team: To achieve the same rate of production as the United States in three years. At the same time Ford performs well with their continuous improvement tool. Taiichi Ohno, VP of Toyota, accepted his challenge and, inspired by the way that an American supermarket works, invented the JIT method. We can say Ford vs. Toyota; these key players works for Continuous improvement and for change to compete with their competitors. They developed many tools such as JIT, Lean, Re engineering, Benchmarking, etc all this focus for the improvement. Due to versatility nature of this tools, we can apply this to several industries to achieve the continuous improvement for the betterment. (b) Definition of kaizen: Kaizen is a Japanese term that means continuous improvement, taken from words 'Kai', which means continuous and 'zen' which means improvement. Some translate 'Kai' to mean change and 'zen' to mean good, or for the better. As per the famous quote Everything will change except the word change hence nothing will be permanent. If an organisation doesnt work for change, then they will be no more in the business. As per Fig.1, organisation should consider the both the Continuous improvement and Change. Now we can define the term Kaizen as the tool of continuous improvement by making changes for the better on a continual, never-ending basis.

Fig. 1

(c) Standardisation a barricade against improvement: To standardize a method is to choose out of the many methods the best one, and use it. Standardization means nothing unless it means standardizing upward. Todays standardization, instead of being a barricade against improvement, is the necessary foundation on which tomorrows improvement will be based. If you think of standardization as the best that you know today, but which is to be improved tomorrow you get somewhere. But if you think of standards as confining, then progress stops.- by Henry Ford As long as the standard improved continuously, it will be the best forever. This fixes the target on which the change to be focused. (d) Kinds of Improvement: The improvements can occur rapidly and sometimes in a constant way. The radical improvement is a result of Business Re-engineering or Automation which incurs major investments. If the process is being improved constantly then the expensive innovation process can be reduced, and this is what kaizen does. In many cases kaizen means improvements from the employees suggestions which results in a constant way of improvement. And in many cases the improvement from the top management always in the form of radical way. Always the optimum is preferable, lead the improvement can be made in a constant way to boost the productivity certain investments is must. The decision on extent of investment, time of investment is based on the feasibility study. As per Fig.2 the organisation can reach the final position either in a constant time consuming basis with minor investments, or the organisation do in a radical way, or they allowed to improve in constantly using Kaizen along with the some optimal investment using Reengineering.

Fig. 2

KAIZEN When, What, How? 1. When should be done The organisation should aware about the need for Kaizen and to work for the Kaizen to implement for the improvement. Some of this point clearly specifies the position of the organisation. Delay in customer delivery Reduction in profitability and sales Need to identify the alternatives Need to reduce "non-value-adding work", wastes (Lean), Muda Need to reduce "overburden", Muri Need to reduce "unevenness", Mura

2. What to be done It means that identifying the ways for improvement, in many organisation suggestion schemes will be in practise to collect the ideas for the employees. The organisation issues will be placed in the notice board in the common places in order to communicate to the employees 3. How to be done It means that identifying the way to implement the ideas tested. This includes in deciding of investments, executing timings and team. Implemented projects based on the above discussions: (a) Replacing of fasteners using Clamps for Job Fit up. In the Weld shop, the components to be got welded initially being fit up using a fixture with minimal welding. In the next step the welders will do welding. For each and every fit up, the fitters will do fastening to hold the subcomponents in the fixture. This activity was considered as NVA and trails were made to eliminate the activity completely. Similarly for the Drilling machine, the components to be drilled will be hold firmly in the bed. The high pressure Mechanical Clamps can used to avoid the process of tightening. Process- Bolting for fit up Limitation need to use to pins to bring alignment as in case of circular components.

(b) Fabricated Container Ramp for Unloading at site In the field of Logistics, the loading and unloading is a major task. This will be done only in the warehouses with the help of concrete Ramp and Fork lifter. Most of organisation, unloading the components at the warehouses and uses local trucks to bring those things to the site, for this they were paying rentals for the usage of warehouse and charges for trucks. It is difficult to construct a concrete ramp at each and every site. As a kaizen activity, the process been studied and a fabricated steel ramp is designed for the purpose of loading and unloading. The things to be loaded can be placed over this ramp using a fork lifter then with the help of rollers provided at the bottom it can pushed inside the container similarly it can be pulled out for unloading. Process Alternate for container loading using Steel Ramp Limitations Bearing rollers to be employed for Loading and Unloading (c) Galvanising Hangers During Part galvanising, the process starts with jigging of components. Many organisations use MS Wire to jig the components manually. This is time consuming one and Wire will be scraped at the end of the process. Kaizen made on this process and developed the Steel frame with number of hooks. These hooks to be loaded with components manually similarly unloading can be made at the end of the process. When compare to Ms wire the hooks will consume more Zinc, but the minor increase in consumption to be neglected due to saving in time of jigging and repetitiveness of this frame. Process Jigging of components for Galvanising Limitations The design of frame is done only after the study of components to be jigged. And workers need to be trained. (d) SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die) In the field of steel fabrication, the process of punching and blanking is widely found. Based on the design and usage the diameter will varied from one to another. In the machine shop, for every change in diameter the punch and die will be changed. The Kaizen made on this process and implemented a punch and die block set with numbers of punches and dies of various sizes. These punches will be locked using spring. Based on the design the punches will be released to get the required size of holes. Process Setting time of punches to required diameter is eliminated Limitation The operator should be trained

Further work: Identification of industry wide common activities which involves more Human effort will be done. Especially in the field of Fabrication the automation is very less; hence the study will be done on those processes to develop the alternate process for improvement. Conclusion: Even small improvements can bring the organisational successful. The attempt for finding the industry wide common activities and improving them will be continued. The standard process is developed in order to implement the same where ever it applicable. Though the term kaizen developed by US or Japan we can apply this tool irrespective of all the industries. At the same time the organisation should update the technology in a periodic manner, at least they should aware about the new technologies for process improvements. Even though the industrial standards are widely accepted, it is periodically updated as for as ISO, ASME is concern. Change for improvement is mandatory for every organisation. Reference: Martin K.Starr(2007), Production and operation management, Atomic Dog Publishing, USA printed by Biztantra, New Delhi reprinted,pp.188 Imai, Masaaki (1986). Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success. New York, NY, US: Random House. http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/62/04717548/0471754862.pdf