The TWI Programs - Part 2 (Mark Warren)

Option 2

You can do-it-yourself with just about the same level as the average certified Job Instruction trainers today. The sessions are scripted, all you need is a little practice.… treat it like practicing for the lead role in your high school play. There is a trainer’s guide to give you insights into what is needed to deliver and coach. If you want to get an idea of what is in both manuals, they have been combined as a series of 39 articles, one for each segment — here is the link to the index[MW1] .

Option 3

Or you can create an environment where the employees can learn all the skills. In 2015 a wide variety of companies hosted Dr. Vivek and myself to test if we could teach and apply the TWI skills within 10 days. The goal was to replicate Ohno’s improvement curve at Toyota. The companies ranged from limited exposure to lean to those winning quality awards from Japan and connections with Toyota. The results in terms of problems found and solved are similar. This approach has since been tried in many more countries as we continue to learn and simplify the program.

Example Results — 1 to 2 weeks

Motorcycle plant

 

Chain manufacturing operation

[MW2] 

Large iron casting operation (5-ton part)

Automotive component supplier

Similar results have been achieved by staff in service operations (hospitals) and light manufacturing (sewing operations). We follow a standard road-map to approach problem solving; from the discovery and selection of which problem to solve to the training of staff to the ‘one best way’ to experimenting to validate ideas for improvements.

Poster to guide problem solving process

While the coaching has been simplified to the point where significant improvements can happen in the first week, the depth of skill to sustain takes longer. Critical to success is leadership participation in daily practice to trigger the habit building process.

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 [MW1]This is a link to an index of a series of articles posted on Medium… which is not accessible from every country.

 [MW2]This slide did not explain that the machining took several days! So, not only was the part scrapped, they paid for the machining at one of their contract suppliers.

What you can expect…

The first few half-days are spent learning about the TWI skill sets and fact finding by the small teams of about 5 people. We divide the time between the conference room and the work area. Once people realize their overall objective is to create flow, it is easier to identify which problems need to be addressed first. It is typical for the teams to start with production and quality data, then do a validation step to confirm the details of the issue.
 
Example bulb
For an example, let me share with you my experience with a compact florescent light bulb manufacturer. The pilot project selected was for the bulb that is made up of 3 U shaped tubes that are bent, then joined before final assembly. There are about a dozen machines the tube must pass through before becoming a light bulb. Each team was assigned a section of the line to investigate.
At the end of day two the teams summarized their findings of the problems each segment had and identified which problem solved would have the biggest impact. Overall, cracking and breaking of the glass tube was the largest contributor to losses. At first, they said they were not that concerned because they always recycled the glass (they ran the tube making facility as well). However, when they began to look at the defect as a disruption to flow, which translated into lost production, their opinions changed.
Day three was spent observing all the locations that cracked or broke the tubes. Ideas were proposed, experiments to test the ideas were developed and a to-do list was handed off to the second shift. On day four, they confirmed that most of the experiments had worked and the breakage had dropped 70%… the equivalent of an extra hour of production each day!
 
Problem solving sequence
While these examples show the possibility of dramatic improvements in a very short period of time, the real value happens when you can develop these problem-solving habits in the normal day-today behaviors of your leaders. This is a daily effort, not events or special jobs. This is when the number of improvements will number in the thousands after a few months… and most will not be as dramatic as the first big wins.
Want to hear about how we help you create a learning environment in your organization?
Contact: Mark Warren http://[email protected]/