Category: Problem Solving Tools

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Problem Solving Tools

Case Study: Multi-Machine Recovery, Quality Stabilization & Production Control 

man holding tool in workshop
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Client: General Aluminum Manufacturing (GAMCO) – Conneaut, OH  Situation  General Aluminum Manufacturing experienced recurring production instability across multiple Mazak CNC platforms. Challenges included crash events, tool retention failures, geometric misalignment, burr formation, surface finish concerns, gage discrepancies between CMM approval and GO/NO-GO verification, incorrect spindle chiller oil viscosity, fixture component failure, casting-related dimensional nonconformance, and lack […]

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Problem Solving Tools

Case Study: Process Stabilization & Cycle Time Reduction 

close up shot of a cnc machine
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Client: Major Aerospace Manufacturer  Situation  A major aerospace manufacturer engaged Andy Watkins LLC after internal teams spent more than three months attempting to resolve a persistent machining challenge within an aerospace component production line. Despite ongoing effort, the desired performance and consistency targets were not achieved.  Action  Upon engagement, Andy Watkins LLC conducted a focused evaluation […]

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Encouragement Problem Solving Tools

Boosting Morale Through Real Process Improvement

Let’s face it folks with all the uncertainty in the workplace today we are finding that morale is often at an all time low. Many folks fear a layoff and find themselves working under a cloud of oppressive doubt.What can you do to boost morale without coming off as disingenuous? True process improvement based on […]

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Problem Solving Tools

What is Your Problem Solving Solution?

Solving problems at work
Solving problems at work

Having a problem is not an issue. How you handle the problem is what matters most. We all could think of many examples of the issues we run into when attempting to problem-solve. To list a few we have: lack of ideas, communication barriers between blue- and white-collar workers, lack of participation, reluctance to share […]

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Problem Solving Tools

Creating Ahh-ha! moments for business solutions. (Part 4)

Engineer Teaching Apprentices To Use Computerized cnc metal processing machines
Engineer Teaching Apprentices To Use Computerized cnc metal processing machines

In the last few posts we covered some of the basic tools of Hoshin Kanri. Let’s take a look at an example where these tools helped to create a Ahh-ha! moment. The problem: Operators were not always filling out routers correctly and not always scanning the barcodes to move the part to the next op. […]

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Problem Solving Tools

Creating Ahh-ha! moments for business solutions. (Part 3)

We have covered some basic tools of Hoshin Kanri that will help you find those pivotal breakthroughs in business. We have learned that the Affinity Diagram will help us gather, group, and organize ideas from our subject matter experts. The Interrelation Digraph helps us understand how these groups of ideas have influence on each other […]

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Problem Solving Tools

Creating Ahh-ha! moments in business solutions. (Part 2)

We have covered some of the Hoshin Kanri tools that you can use to create breakthroughs for the most stubborn issues. Our last three posts covered the intro to Hoshin, using the Affinity Diagram(AD), and the Interrelation Digraph. So then how do we get group consensus to focus on the key actions that we have […]

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Problem Solving Tools

Creating Ahh-ha! moments for business solutions.

In our last 2 posts we covered how to use some basic tools of Hoshin Kanri like the Affinity Diagram (AD). Now let’s look at how we can find cause and effect relationships from the natural groupings we created using the AD. Enter the Interrelation Digraph. (IRD) The facilitator will place the header cards from […]

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Problem Solving Tools

Enter the Affinity Diagram!

Businesswoman using sticky notes at office to plan project
Businesswoman using sticky notes at office to plan project

Our last post introduced how Hoshin Kanri helps create Ahh-ha! moments to solve business related issues. Let’s discuss how the Affinity Diagram works in this process. It allows a team of subject matter experts to quickly gather ideas and organize them into natural groupings. This exercise will have everyone discussing the merits of each idea […]

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Problem Solving Tools

How Hoshin Kanri Helps Your Team

How Hoshin Kanri helps your team of experts uncover surprising breakthroughs and solutions for your business. Let’s discuss three simple yet powerful tools of Hoshin Kanri. The Affinity Diagram, The Interrelational Digraph, and The Nominal Group Technique. Utilizing each tool in succession will produce Ahh-ha! moments that each member of the team will have ownership […]