Managing Automation - September 2008 - (Page 29)

Manufacturing Award program judges to select General Dynamics as Managing Automation’s 2008 Progressive Manufacturer of the Year. “What General Dynamics did completely changed the paradigm of the business, but it’s not something they were able to accomplish overnight,” says Progressive Manufacturing Awards Judge Bruce McKay, executive vice president at Livingston & Haven, the 2007 Progressive Manufacturer of the Year. “They started with incremental gains, and they consistently added to it. In the end, they were able to change the speed of the business.” The Orion project kicked off in 1999 after General Dynamics managers realized they would need to replace the organization’s homegrown, non-Y2K-compliant quality documentation system. The company decided to deploy Solumina, an offthe-shelf application from iBASEt that includes quality documentation and management as well as manufacturing execution system (MES) functionality for complex manufacturing applications. Al- MARKUS YATSKIEVYCH Manager, Production Operations though General Dynamics still used paper-based processes for part traceability and assembly instructions, the initial project gave the unit an automated discrepancy module for managing the disposition of non-conforming parts. With Solumina purchased and partially deployed, however, AIS officials soon realized that the system’s MES capabilities offered the unit an opportunity to revamp other paper-based processes. “It was like we bought a Cadillac in order to pull it into the garage and listen to the radio,” Floyd says. “We said, ‘Guys, let’s get behind the wheel. Let’s take this thing out and get what we paid for out of it.’ ” In 2000, General Dynamics turned on Solumina’s bill of material and part traceability logs. That enabled AIS engineers to find out in a matter of minutes information about materials used on a specific part of a specific board. Such a query could take days using paper logs. In 2001, General Dynamics implemented the electronic assembly instructions piece of Solumina, eliminating the need for the voluminous paper-based instructions. That was followed in 2003 by the implementation of an electronic rework order capability that included workflow and work-in-process visibility, which eliminated more paper and accelerated manufacturing processes. In 2004, General Dynamics turned on the change authorization module, which replaced paper-based authorizations and cut time from product reconciliation. And in 2006, General Dynamics implemented an advanced reporting and data extract system using tools from Business Objects. Using the reporting tools, the company is able to get daily work-inprocess reports as well as extensive quality metrics, such as defects per million — opportunities that drive root-cause analysis of quality issues as well as lean and Six Sigma continuous improvement initiatives. The system also generates electronic pedigree reports. This detailed visibility into product quality allowed General Dynamics to deliver a 15% reduction in defects for follow-on builds. Today, 90% of the paper is gone. Work plans are authored in Solumina, work orders are released in the system, part traceability data is entered into the system, and the system is used to collect process data throughout assembly. Full product pedigree information on even the smallest chips used in an assembly now can be easily extracted. That capability has allowed the company to avoid assembly teardowns and even to reduce launch delays. “For our customers, the process standardization and data integrity that’s been enabled have been huge,” Floyd says. “Now they can capture end item data even years later.” Not surprisingly, gaining and sustaining support for such a long-term, multistep initiative wasn’t easy. Top General Dynamics executives demanded proof of hard ROI. And because implementation expenses had to be paid for on a program-by-program basis, customers had to be convinced of the benefits of each additional step. Moreover, about 260 General Dynamics shop floor employees, accustomed to paper-based processes, had to be persuaded to embrace the system. “We had a rough go of it every year to secure funding,” Floyd says. A steady stream of conference room pilots helped to convince company executives and customers of the value of each new piece of Solumina functionality. And extensive training — for both internal associates and customers — helped to ease the transition. So did a major internal communications program. General Dynamics, in fact, appointed an internal communications czar to keep all of those who would be affected by the system upto-date each step of the way. While the Orion project has come a long way, it hasn’t reached the end of the road yet. General Dynamics plans to integrate the paperless quality and shop floor systems with its ERP and supply chain management systems and processes, a move that will help the unit perform quality and part traceability back through the supply chain. “We’ve eliminated the paperwork and the footprint associated with that,” Floyd says. “But that’s just the tip of the iceberg on where we have [seen] and will see benefits.” 29 September 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Managing Automation - September 2008

Managing Automation - September 2008 Contents Take 1 Letters Tech Vendors Defy Economic Slump by Plugging into Developing World Growth New E2open Chief Outlines Plan to Accelerate Growth Is This Marketing as It Used to Be or Something New? The OMAC Group Attempts to Widen Its Influence Automation Federation Names Chief, Plots Growth Notes Cover story: The Innovation Gap Special Report: Meet the Progressive Manufacturing High Achievers Progressive Manufacturer of the Year Business Model Mastery Innovation Mastery Customer Mastery Supply Network Mastery Data & Integration Mastery Education & Training Mastery Leadership Mastery Operational Excellence Mastery Special Report: Catching the Wireless Wave Part 1: No Clear Infrastructure Winner Part 2: Wireless Apps Take Wing Part 3: The Human Side of Wireless Product Scan Advertiser Index Next

Managing Automation - September 2008

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