Apprentices fast track to lean best practice

Citation

(2008), "Apprentices fast track to lean best practice", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 80 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2008.12780aab.024

Apprentices fast track to lean best practice

Apprentices fast track to lean best practice

Apprentices from Callender Aeropart Ltd, in Accrington, have got off to a flying start in their career by taking the fast track to lean best practice.

Scott Appleby and Robert Harris (both aged 19) attended the Manufacturing Institute's new Start Lean programme, which is aimed at converting apprentices to a lean way of thinking early on in their career (Figure 8).

The two-day course promotes awareness of the lean fundamentals, including the seven wastes, process mapping, 5S, TPM and changeover reduction. Apprentices then implement an improvement project in their own company before reporting back to their peers and mentors, which also helps to develop communication, project management and presentation skills.

Scott and Robert took their intensive lean learning back to Callender and set out on their improvement project to introduce 6S (sorten, straighten, sweep, standardise, sustain and safety) to a key cell where components are produced for Rolls-Royce aero-engines.

They arranged team briefings to research the key issues for improvement within the cell, identifying the need to reorganise and tidy up the area, and to create a step-by- step guide to help colleagues sustain a standardised lean operation. Photographs were taken to highlight problem areas.

One of the major improvements made was to reorganise a recycling station for cutting tool inserts and an education campaign was implemented, including the display of information cards, demonstrating how team members could sort their inserts in the right containers for recycling, rather than depositing them in the waste. This has the potential to save the business thousands of pounds per year.

To assist the recycling operation, machines were cleaned up and a live consumable tool monitoring system introduced to monitor usage of the cutting tools and ensure any maintenance issues resulting in over- usage are addressed immediately. This is improving productivity, with the cell on target to raise throughput by 5 per cent.

As part of the improved housekeeping measures introduced, shadow boards were installed, equipment was labelled, and designated areas were created for trolleys and boxes. Explained Scott: “The kit we need is now laid out more logically and is kept tidy. We can find things when we want them, which we couldn't always do before and that was really frustrating and irritating, as well as time-wasting.”

Said Robert: “After we created the 6S system it was difficult to get everyone involved, but gradually they did and we can all now see the results. We had to prompt people at first to cooperate and the most difficult thing was getting the nightshift to join in, but we are determined not to drift back to old, bad habits.”

A key element of the improvement programme was health and safety, and small measures, such as introducing a guard to a milling machine, helped colleagues to see the potential benefits of the exercise.

The course has also helped the apprentices improve their communication skills. “We're less intimidated by people we don't know than we were before” said Scott. “We are now proud to demonstrate to people how lean might be able to help their work – by using our project as an example of good practice.”

Added Tommy Gallagher, Training Officer for Callender: “The training has given Scott and Robert both the theoretical and practical skills to understand and apply lean. It has improved their knowledge and appreciation of what the company is trying to do, as well as giving them a major confidence boost. They are now a lot more involved in day-to-day operations and are much more willing to challenge and ask questions.”

For details of the Start Lean course contact Dawn Beeforth at the Manufacturing Institute on 0161 872 0393.