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 – 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 […]

Season Greetings!

We wish all our visitors, past and present, the best of this holiday season.  We look forward to serving you in 2009. Look for our guide to “Lean In Real Time” – scheduled for release in 2009. On behalf of the LeanExecution Advanced Strategy Team, Seasons Greetings and Happy New Year!

Improving OEE: A Hands On Approach

We have explored Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) from several perspectives and how it can be used as an effective performance metric.  The purpose of measuring and monitoring OEE, at a minimum, should be three fold: To ensure the current performance levels are sustained, To identify new opportunities for improvement, To assess the effectiveness of current improvement initiatives. The Culture of Continuous Improvement and […]

OEE For Dedicated – Single Part – Processes

OEE For Dedicated – Single Part – Processes Definition:  Dedicated – Single Part – Process:  A process that produces a single product or slight variations on a theme and does not require significant tooling or equipment changeover events. A single part process is the easiest application for a OEE pilot project.  The single part process also makes it easier to demonstrate […]

Availability and OEE

What is Availability? In its simplest form, availability measures the uptime of a machine or process against the planned production time.  As one of the factors of Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE), Availability is expressed as a percentage.  The uptime is calculated by taking the difference between the planned production time and total duration of the downtime events that occurred during the planned production period. We […]

Variance, Waste, and OEE

Variance is Waste. Variation and OEE are complementary metrics that need to be considered together.

Problem Solving with OEE – Measuring Success

OEE in Perspective As mentioned in our previous posts, OEE is a terrific metric for measuring and monitoring ongoing performance in your operation.  However, like many metrics, it can become the focus rather than the gage of performance it is intended to be. The objective of measuring OEE is to identify opportunities where improvements can be made or to determine whether the changes to your […]

OEE for Multiple Parts – Single Machine (Multipart Processes)

How to Calculate OEE for Single Machine and Multiple Parts. Flexible manufacturing provides the advantage of producing many different parts on the same piece of equipment.  The same is true for processes such as stamping presses, molding machines, or machining operations. The first question most often asked is, “How do we calculate OEE for a piece of equipment that is capable of manufacturing multiple […]