Ses 2-4 | MIT 16.660 Introduction to Lean Six Sigma Methods, January (IAP) 2008

Annalisa Weigel introduces the next module, 'Lean Engineering Basics,' during a simulation break. Viewers are encouraged to support MIT OpenCourseWare through donations for continued free educational resources.

Lean thinking is essential in engineering processes, not just factory operations. Engineering plays a vital role in adding value to lean enterprise.

Learning objectives include understanding how lean principles apply to engineering, the importance of customer value in product success, and utilizing lean engineering throughout the enterprise. Tools for lean engineering are also discussed along with applying techniques to redesign a simulated airplane.

Applying Lean Fundamentals to Engineering Lean principles, applicable across various sectors, can also be implemented in engineering despite its differences from manufacturing. In engineering, information flows through the value stream instead of raw materials. The goal in manufacturing is well-defined from start to finish, while in engineering it emerges through exploring alternatives and specifications for the final product.

Translating Lean Concepts into Engineering In engineering processes, planned iterations are essential for improvement and problem-solving efficiency. Unlike manufacturing where iterations indicate rework or design flaws, planned iterations are encouraged in engineering as part of analysis and problem-solving strategies. Pull concept is driven by enterprise needs rather than tag time; perfection translates into enabling overall enterprise improvement within the realm of engineering.

Identifying Engineering Wastes Revisiting the seven wastes in engineering: over-production, inventory, transportation, unnecessary movement, waiting, defective outputs, and over-processing. Examples include New Balance factory's transportation waste to assemble in the US and Boeing Wikipedia for knowledge transfer between engineers.

Applying Waste Categories Discussion on applying waste categories to engineering processes like conceptual design. Example of older engineers not passing skills leading to relearning; introducing an eighth waste category 'unused associates creativity'. Importance of classifying wastes for problem-solving efficiency in organizations.

Minimizing Movement Wastes Examples of waiting and unnecessary movement wastes at GE Nuclear with time zone delays affecting work hours; MIT project delay due to lack of replacement causing defects or inefficiencies. Emphasis on minimizing movements between tools like MATLAB and Excel in complex industries.

Value Stream Mapping Successes 'Product Development Value Stream Mapping' manual by Hugh at MIT highlights high percentages of wasted effort (40%) and idle task times (62%-90%). Real-life success stories using value stream mapping techniques such as F16 build-to-package process optimization through single-piece flow implementation.

Achieving Efficiency Through Lean Engineering Techniques The Build-To-Package Support Center, a result of value stream mapping, achieved significant improvements in cycle time and efficiency. Process steps were reduced by 40%, handoffs by 75%, and travel distance of information by 90%. These tangible savings demonstrate the impact of lean engineering techniques on enhancing processes within an enterprise.

Strategic Importance of Lean Engineering Engineering plays a crucial role in creating value for the entire enterprise as demonstrated through lifecycle budget allocation. Early choices made during conceptual design significantly influence costs and knowledge acquisition throughout the product development phases. The leverage to make changes decreases as the process progresses, highlighting the importance of starting with lean thinking in engineering to ensure cost-effectiveness, performance optimization, reliability, safety considerations from early stages.

Customer-Centric Product Development Creating the right product involves focusing on the customer's needs and preferences. This requires allocating resources to the conceptual design process upfront to make informed decisions about the product. Lean engineering tools help in creating value throughout the product lifecycle by eliminating waste and improving efficiency.

Understanding Customer Value Customers determine a product's value based on four key elements: features, performance, quality, schedule, cost, and price. The perceived value of a product is influenced by how these elements align with individual preferences. Balancing these factors helps customers assess whether a purchase offers good value for them.

Engineering plays a crucial role in determining the cost of products, with around 80% of a product's cost being influenced by engineering design choices. Factors such as the number of parts, tolerances on parts, assembly techniques, material selection (like titanium), avionics and software complexity all impact the overall cost. Engineers must make informed decisions upfront to optimize costs and consider supplier contributions which add significant value.

Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) is crucial for achieving desired engineering results. It involves using systems engineering principles to translate customer needs into product architecture and specifications. By forming integrated product teams, knowledge from various lifecycle stages can be incorporated early on in the engineering process.

Lean engineering utilizes digital tools to improve handoff timing, reduce waiting times, and enhance quality. Production simulation tools offer cost-effective alternatives to physical prototyping for testing designs. Reusing common parts and specifications in design contributes to lean manufacturing principles.

Efficient Digital Tools in Boeing's Hardware Production Boeing utilized various digital tools in the production of hardware, including CAD programs for layouts and visualizations, parametric solids modeling tool, 3D assembly models, electronic release of build-to-packages, and computer simulations for manufacturing. This approach significantly reduced costs compared to traditional physical methods.

Cost Reduction Through Common Parts & Design Reuse Lean engineering emphasizes using common parts and reusing designs to reduce total part count. By minimizing the need for designing, manufacturing, quality control processes on each individual part through commonality and design reuse strategies can lead to substantial cost savings.

Benefits of Designing with Common Parts Designing with common parts can lead to significant benefits such as reducing unique part numbers, improving design quality by minimizing potential failures and uncertainties, and streamlining the manufacturing process. Part count reduction is a key aspect of design for manufacturing and assembly, aiming for faster assembly, easier supplier handling, less tolerance build-up issues, fewer chances of mistakes during production.

Operational Advantages & Performance Trade-Offs Reducing part count offers operational advantages like decreased need for lubrication in designs requiring more parts. It simplifies the supply chain management and ultimately reduces costs for enterprises. However, it's essential to consider performance trade-offs when decreasing part count; while cost savings are substantial along with schedule improvements customer satisfaction should be prioritized even if there might be slight compromises on performance aspects like mass considerations in aerospace systems.

The customer requires 12 airplanes per round, prompting the need to increase delivery quantities. Lowering manufacturing costs is crucial for business success at $5 per part. Collaboration with suppliers can lead to innovative solutions and address part scarcity through lean engineering principles.

Lean engineering has proven to be beneficial in real-world scenarios, particularly in design for manufacturing. By implementing lean principles, companies can streamline their processes and improve efficiency. This approach enhances the overall effectiveness of engineering projects by focusing on practicality and reducing waste.

In the F-18 E/F version, a part count reduction exercise using DFMA assembly techniques was implemented, decreasing parts from 14,000+ in the C/D version to just over 8,000. This resulted in a significant 42% part count reduction without sacrificing performance; instead, the E/F version became 25% more capable than its predecessor. The reduced number of parts not only delighted customers with increased performance but also lowered manufacturing costs and maintenance expenses.

Lean engineering tools reduce manufacturing labor by implementing efficient processes. A graph illustrates the decrease in labor hours per production unit after applying lean engineering methods. Virtual building of nine units before physical production led to a significant reduction in total manufacturing hours compared to traditional methods.

By implementing lean engineering tools, the costs associated with design were significantly reduced compared to non-lean processes. The graph illustrates a decrease in staffing levels over time from the conceptual design phase's end, showcasing how introducing better lean engineering tools led to quicker completion of milestones for vehicles of similar sizes.

Lean engineering enables faster delivery times in industries like spacecraft manufacturing. The Iridium satellite program achieved a cycle time of 25 days, significantly shorter than the typical 12 to 18 months in the industry. This remarkable feat was accomplished through the application of lean engineering and manufacturing practices.

Lean engineering enables lean manufacturing by working with the supply chain to create affordability across the enterprise. The application of lean principles focuses on reducing costs per unit along the assembly line.