Lean - Seeking info on training our employees

[muskrats]

I'm looking for good info on training are employees. We have a basic level programs in place for them but what I would like to find is ways to train or test, document what they have done and certify it. I have some outside training sources already but we are a production cnc machine shop so we don't need much advaince training for are employees mostly use of gages, operating machines, running quality parts, ect. I think we can do most of it inhouse. So if any one has web sites, articles, things other lean companys have done or other infomation it would be a big. Thank you

 

[tdanisevicius]

You are in a right place

Dear muskrats,

I found Cove because the same reason - we need to make our production companies more flexible and inovative. So I'm here and I'm very glad to share experience.

1. You may start to look at Forum: Common Quality Assurance Topics and Tools
There are a lot of things about 5S (first step of Lean);

2. Manufacturing Process Topics and Business Systems will bring you information about our colegues experience in Lean.

Good Luck,:

Tomas D.

 

[psyched1]

Lean is not something to take lightly since it is a holistic approach. Yes the quicker set up times (which are required due to smaller batches) and increased productivity (great if you have well maintained equipment without you shut down the entire cell for one machine because you are in a pull system) and marginal quality gains (because you shut down the line each time you have a reject) sound great but they can cost your company more than it is worth. Cellular manufacturing is a great idea if you have the space and simliar product running through your plant all the time.

It will be very expensive at first in training, reorganizing equipment, down time for rejects and focusing on set up time reductions for smaller lots.

 

[little__cee]

Training, in general

Does anyone have a good "how-to" for training in general?

I'm supposed to conduct training on our corrective action system. I know the material but have no idea how to train people.

Any tips? Feel free to split this thread into a new one or move this but I need some help and searched the Cove on "training" but it was all topic-specific. Thanks!

 

[Kevin H]

A couple of suggestions, 1. Follow the tried and true format of: tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, tell them what you told them, and then tell them again.
2. Visuals such as a process flow may help.
3. If you're training due to changes in how a task is performed, it may help to present a reason or reasons for the change.
4. For adults, hands-on activities or demonstrations that emphasize/support the training help. (Think Deming's red-bead experiment for a classic example.) Most adults don't learn to well by lectures anymore and it apparently gets worse the older we get.
5. If the training is associated with an ISO/TS quality system (& even if it isn't) you may want to add some sort of competency test to the end of your training.

Muskrats - where in PA are you located? The Pittsburgh chapter of ASQ has recently started a lean initiative. You may want to try to tie in to them. You can check out their website at www.asqpgh.org

 

[muskrats]

We are in the northwest PA, around the Meadville area. I will look in to that. We have a base of the lean system inplace some what. We are working with the local college for the actual training on what lean is and how it works and we have brought in another company to help us with setting up the lean program.

I'm in a core group trying to get info. Are project objective is to develop the training program for CNC operators and Identifiy the necessay administration tasks required to enable CNC operators to accomplish the defined skill levels established by the othe core team. Thats kinda where I'm coming from right now. Thank you I'll keep looking.

 

[RosieA]

My company's Lean Training consists of about an hour of Lean overview and then two 3 hour sessions of applying Lean.

The hands-on consisted of three sessions where a bogus company was set up with suppliers and customers. The company made Lego PCBs. Each partcipant was given a job. Some were suppliers, some were customers, others had specific roles in the manufacturing process, like material handler and final inspector. We were given a specific period of time to produce product to customer orders.

In the first session, the pre-ordained process (set up by the trainer) is inefficient and the participants work like crazy but are unable to meet customer needs. At the end of the first session, participants score themselves on on-time delivery, product quality, through-put time, number of employees and square footage used.

In the next session, the participants (same jobs) were allowed to set something up on their own. Predictably they fixed many of the inefficiences and scored better.

In the last session, the trainer set up an optimal Lean operation, using many of the principles taught in the 1 hour classroom lecture, and it always yields the best results.

People enjoy the class and go back to their work with a new view of their work flow. It's very hands-on, with lots of energy.

 

[Jen Kirley]

Does anyone have a good "how-to" for training in general?

I'm supposed to conduct training on our corrective action system. I know the material but have no idea how to train people.

Any tips? Feel free to split this thread into a new one or move this but I need some help and searched the Cove on "training" but it was all topic-specific. Thanks!

Training is a big subject with many points of view, but as a certified teacher I can say that we start with the test.

Yes, teaching to the test. (How else to ensure a student stands a chance of succeeding in the test?) We start with listing just what we want the students to learn and build a curriculum for it.

Here is a link for building a training session.
http://userwebs.cth.com.au/~gcutts/Management/26detailedtraining.htm I'd include more links but my internet is terriby slow and iffy this afternoon.

I've attached a sample Instructor Guide here http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=12406 for you to use: to jot down points to cover, time per point/subject, materials/visuals/exersizes, etc.

I regret to say I can't do better than this for now.

 

[Jen Kirley]

My company's Lean Training consists of about an hour of Lean overview and then two 3 hour sessions of applying Lean.

The hands-on consisted of three sessions where a bogus company was set up with suppliers and customers. The company made Lego PCBs. Each partcipant was given a job. Some were suppliers, some were customers, others had specific roles in the manufacturing process, like material handler and final inspector. We were given a specific period of time to produce product to customer orders.

In the first session, the pre-ordained process (set up by the trainer) is inefficient and the participants work like crazy but are unable to meet customer needs. At the end of the first session, participants score themselves on on-time delivery, product quality, through-put time, number of employees and square footage used.

In the next session, the participants (same jobs) were allowed to set something up on their own. Predictably they fixed many of the inefficiences and scored better.

In the last session, the trainer set up an optimal Lean operation, using many of the principles taught in the 1 hour classroom lecture, and it always yields the best results.

People enjoy the class and go back to their work with a new view of their work flow. It's very hands-on, with lots of energy.

I really, really like the sound of this!

 

[wmarhel]

It will be very expensive at first in training, reorganizing equipment, down time for rejects and focusing on set up time reductions for smaller lots.

Actually, getting started doesn't have to be expensive. One avenue is to seek out a local MEP (Manufacturing Extension Partnership). Their training classes are usually relatively inexpensive. They can assist with directing a company towards a local or state Workforce Investment Board.

For example, North Carolina had a government program for new and/or expanding businesses. In some cases, the training was 100%, in others it was 75% paid for by state. Part of the program even entitled the company to be reimbursed for my time where I was conducting an internal training session.

In Pennsylvania, our Workforce Investment Board in Lancaster County formed a Metals Manufacturing Consortium which is currently comprised of about 18-20 companies. To date, the training dollars we have available (a 75/25% matching program) is in excess of $600k and could possibly expand as additional companies become members of the consortium. The purpose of the grant is to focus on basic and advanced supervisory skills, along with training in Lean Manufacturing and other necessary skills (welding, metal forming, root-cause analysis, etc.)

Wayne