How to Improve OEE – Any Questions?

Ask any Quality or Engineering manager and they will tell you that measurement systems are valuable tools to identify problems and opportunities.  The measurement system itself is not the answer – it is the data source, the EVIDENCE that drives the questions.  It is a part of the discovery and validation process to confirm the opportunity or problem and the effectiveness of the solutions to resolve it. A well […]

OEE Integration: Can you fix it?

As we are all aware, inspecting or measuring parts does not change the quality of the product.   Likewise, measuring and reporting OEE alone does not solve problems or improve performance.  While it is fair to say that increased focus and measurement of any process usually results in some degree of improvement, these are typically attributed to changes in human behavior due to […]

OEE Integration – Where do We Measure OEE? – Part I

OEE Integration Part IX – Where do we measure OEE? Our recent posts have included numerous examples to calculate OEE correctly. We also discussed integration of OEE as an effective metric for managing your processes and ultimately how to analyze and use the data to improve your profitability.  We spent little time discussing where this measurement should occur.  OEE can […]

OEE Integration – Where do we Start?

Where do we Start? We mentioned in our previous post that OEE may be an initiative that your company chooses not to do. We doubt that too many corporations would support that view entirely, however, it may certainly influence how extensive the implementation / integration strategy is. So, where do we start?  Start with an assessment of some of your […]

OEE Integration: What Software should I use?

OEE Integration Part VII – What Software Should I Use? Many readers have noted that we have avoided recommending a specific OEE software solution.  The reasons for this are as varied as the number of companies looking to implement OEE in their facilities.  Our experience suggests that every manufacturing facility has differing or varying needs. A recent Google search produced […]

OEE Integration – Part VI

In the automotive industry, an effective quality system forms the basis of many standard operating procedures used in the manufacturing environment. Specifically, the major automotive OEM’s require that suppliers implement an effective quality system that conforms to the TS16949 Technical Specification and be able to demonstrate compliance to these requirements.  This is one area where a fully integrated OEE system […]

OEE Integration – Part V

Defining overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) criteria as part of the scope of work or purchase order agreement is quickly becoming standard practice throughout the automotive industry and manufacturing in general. OEE Assessments OEE criteria should be performed for every new purchase.  Often times, a high speed machine may be incorporated into a mixed technology production environment.  It is also possible that the […]

OEE Integration – Part III

The primary components of your OEE infrastructure are People and DATA.  The people are the life of the OEE system, all else is support.  Data collection and management technologies play an important role in the OEE process, however, they are data collection / process / delivery systems that are programmed to provide reports as requested by the people that use the system. So, […]

OEE Integration – Part II

Training and Integration Integrating OEE into your organization will take some time.  However, the benefits are definitely worth the effort.  Preparing an effective integration strategy will pay off dividends in the execution phase of your program and can serve as the core theme to launching many of your other lean manufacturing initiatives. The challenge for many organizations is turning lean […]

OEE Integration – Part I

Why is it that some organizations adopt new initiatives and incorporate new concepts into their daily activities with relative ease while others struggle or fail?  Surely a lot of companies have given up on their efforts prematurely, while others simply couldn’t break through at all. As an example, some organizations have enough trouble just reporting production and managing inventories while other […]