Lean Horizons client Tempel Steel earned an award on January 4, 2014 for Best Kaizen Project at the Quality Circle Forum of India.
The Kaizen award Tempel received was for an innovative tool used to reduce set-up time on a 300 ton progressive press. The Kaizen event, led by Lean Horizons’ Ashok Puri, identified the chute set-up time as the largest contributor to overall set-up time on the press. Through the Kaizen event, the team identified the root cause to this problem and brainstormed a solution that would reduce set-up time, without adding significant costs.
Kaizen Award to Tempel
Ultimately the solution provided Tempel with measurable benefits, including:
- 70.4% reduction in chute set-up time (142 minutes to 42 minutes)
- Increased productive time per month by 26 hours
- Eliminated the possibility of jams, leading to an increase in quality
- Faster response to customer requirements due to reduced set-up time
- Able to respond to diverse product mix with additional set-ups due to increased machine availability
- Improved employee morale by lowering effort of set-up, increased ergonomics, and pride in providing a solution that can be adopted through the company’s world-wide facilities
About Tempel
Tempel is a global manufacturer of precision steel products for the automotive, motor, generator, transformer and lighting industries. Tempel’s five manufacturing facilities, located in China, India, Mexico, Canada, and the United States, house 155 active presses and produce 350,000+ tons of electrical steel each year.
About Quality Circle Forum of India
Quality Circle Forum of India (QCFI) is recognized as the organization representing the Quality Circle Movement in India, representing the country in several international forums. QCFI’s mission is to impart training, knowledge and practice of Quality concepts and philosophy with special attention to Quality Circles in the organizations and enable the people of India to face challenges and achieve success in this fierce competitive world.
