Flawed Execution: Performance Matters – Surface Pro 3

Softpedia recently published an article titled, “New Intel Drivers Boost Surface Pro 3 Performance by 30 Percent“.  According to the article: Intel says that the new drivers released for the HD 4400/5000 graphics used on the Core M processor range can improve performance by up to 30 percent, which means that the Surface Pro 3 can now reduce loading times and […]

Are you Winning? A Hockey Lesson for Lean Metrics.

The world of sports is rife with statistics and hockey is no exception, especially here in Canada.  Over the past few weeks, local Toronto hockey fans anxiously watched or listened for the results of every Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game – all the while hoping for a win and a shot at making into the playoffs. As has been the case for the past many […]

Communication Breakdown – The Language of Lean

Getting people engaged and “on the same page” requires everyone to understand the language used to convey the message.  Even the method of disseminating information can create confusion.  Oral presentations can convey a completely different message than one delivered in writing. The tone used in an oral presentation cannot be delivered in writing using the same words.  Voice inflections, body language, and atmosphere […]

Benchmarking OEE

Benchmarking Systems: We have learned that an industry standard or definition for Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) has been adopted by the Semi Conductor Industry and also confirms our approach to calculating and using OEE and other related metrics. The SEMI standards of interest are as follows: SEMI E10:  Definition and Measurement of Equipment Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability. SEMI E35:  Guide to Calculate Cost of Ownership […]

OEE: Frequently Asked Questions

We added a new page to our site to address some of the more frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) we receive regarding OEE.  We trust you will find this information to be of interest as you move forward on your lean journey.  We always appreciate your feedback, so feel free to leave us a comment or send an e-mail directly to LeanExecution@gmail.com or Vergence.Consulting@gmail.com We have had […]

How OEE can improve your Inventory

Once you have established a robust OEE system, you should also be reaping benefits in other areas of your organization. We will be offering some insights into the other performance metrics such as inventory over the next few weeks. Improved availability, performance, and quality will all have an impact on your inventory and materials management processes. Inventory turns is one […]

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 and Capacity Management

Capacity – Available or Required? From a scheduling perspective it is very easy to determine how much capacity (or time) will be required to manufacture a minimum quantity of parts.  However, it is not just a matter of multiplying the Standard Cycle Time by the Quantity of Parts and dividing by the part or process OEE %. As you may recall, the availability component of […]

OEE Measurement Error

How many times have you, or someone you know, challenged the measurement process or method used to collect the data because the numbers just “don’t make sense” or “can’t be right”? It is imperative to have integrity in the data collection process to minimize the effect of phantom improvements through measurement method changes.  Switching from a manual recording system to […]

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 […]