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MODAPTS Blog

MODAPTS Blog

Industrial Sustainability: Creating an Equitable Future

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Industrial sustainability may sound difficult to achieve, but large-scale change IS possible. Not only is it possible – it has already begun to happen. Industrial engineering is a field of intense and complex problem solving. Since the Industrial Revolution, the advances made in manufacturing has had unforeseen environmental effects that we are just now starting to learn about and see in action.  Some of the unforeseen issues include raw material extraction, emissions, waste and invasion with subsequent destruction of critical natural habitats. Making The Call For Improved Technology Across the board today – every engineering discipline is engaged in sustainable design.  From employing various initiatives, especially initiatives like life-cycle analysis (LCA), pollution prevention, design for the environment (DfE), design for dis-assembly (DfD), and design for recycling (DfR). This engagement has begun replacing – or at least changing pollution control paradigms. An example of this includes the concept of a “cap and trade” program – a tested process that works well for some pollutants. This system allows companies to place a “bubble” over entire manufacturing complex’s, or even to trade pollution “credits” with the competing companies in the industry.   Changes In Regulations and Policies These kinds of policy and regulatory innovations require improved technology-based approaches. They also require better quality-based approaches. This means requiring specific actions like leveling out the pollutant-loadings or utilizing less expensive technologies to better remove the largest bulk of pollutants. Higher operation and maintenance standards for technologies – and for the more difficult-to-treat stacks and pipes – also needs to be in place. This total-effect can elicit a greater reducing of pollutant effluents and emissions than treating each stack or pipe as independent entities. The life-cycle analysis approach has been established as a foundation for most sustainable-design approaches. This approach prioritizes the most vibrant problems by size, level of challenge for correction and feasibility. Then you match the technology to apply to the operation. Adjusting Perspectives  Naturally, when it comes to paradigm shifts, all expectations have to be monitored from operational and technical perspectives simultaneously.  Dealing with past results, such as an uncontrollable waste stream, became a problem too vast and expensive to deal with effectively.  Industrial sustainability requires new ways of thinking and problem solving. Green industrial engineering has shown these processes to be inefficient – both economically and environmentally. Green industrial engineering approaches achieve four goals: Waste reduction Pollution prevention   Materials management Product enhancement Industrial engineering sustainability is not just about lowering carbon emissions and recycling; it’s about creating an equitable future for generations to come.   The World Engineering Partnership for Sustainable Development was formed to take responsibility for some of the following areas: Redesigning of industrial engineering responsibilities and ethical focus to sustainable development Analyzing and developing long term plans, finding solutions by exchanging information with vested partners with new technologies Solving the critical global environment problems, such as fresh water and climate change Industrial Engineering Goals: Energy and Resource Efficiency When Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr. began re-envisioning the Rouge he was influenced by Bill McDonough, a pioneering environmental architect. Working together with universities Ford  transformed the Rouge, an icon of the 20th century s Industrial Revolution, into a 21st century symbol of responsible manufacturing. Through comprehensive redevelopment, the historic brownfield site became a lean, flexible manufacturing facility an example of large-scale sustainability that has been benchmarked by companies, educators and organizations around the world. Years after its revitalization, the Ford Rouge Center continues to be a hallmark of sustainable manufacturing. The green technologies utilized in its redevelopment and operation inspires others to adopt similar solutions. Looking out the window at the facility’ s living roof one sees a field of green where Canadian geese, mallard ducks and killdeer nest and raise offspring. Seeing wildlife flourish at the Rouge Center would have seemed farfetched in 2003 when the Rouge was just black top, concrete and steel. The greening has transformed it. Among Ford Rouge Center’s sustainability solutions are the pollution-reducing, energy-generating fumes-to-fuel system in its paint shop; natural lighting and efficient artificial lighting systems in its assembly areas; an energy-efficient heating, ventilation and cooling system; as well as the creation of a wildlife habitat. The facility is best known for its innovative storm-water management system that includes the largest living roof in the automotive industry and one of the largest in the world. Sedum, a drought-resistant perennial groundcover, covers 10.4 acres of roof at the Rouge’ s Dearborn Truck Plant. Not only does the plant life help diminish storm-water runoff, it doubles the life of the roof, provides insulation, reduces cooling and heating demands by five percent, and absorbs carbon dioxide to reduce greenhouse gases. The transformation of the Rouge Center placed Ford Motor Company at the forefront of the sustainability movement. As an industrial engineer what are you doing to help your firm become Green”?

MODAPTS Blog

Talent: The Future Supply Chain’s Missing Link

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According to a 2013 research study – over the next decade we may find that talent is the missing link in our supply chain. It follows that companies are actively recruiting as well as mentoring high-value talent, while there is a major shift happening within talent management today. The study was conducted by a group called Supply Chain Insights LLC. The results were objective and independent, and revealed current markets trends for supply chain talent and it’s current availability as they connect to future trends. The research conducted by Supply Chain Insights is intended for application to the supply chain manufacturing industry to better predict short falls and other critical events that can cause a destabilization of the industry. Industry Response: Supply Chain Management Talent Shortage Solutions The study goes on to report that many manufacturing administrators remain unaware of the impending shortages. They also fail to take into account the potential solutions that can be reinforced immediately to protect a company from the shortages hitting too hard or too soon. Within the executive overview of this study – it was announced that there is no debate over the facts of the results. The impending talent shortage for supply chain management is facing a crisis. Yet nowhere in the text of the response, were there reports or even mention of the effective response to this shortage that many in this industry have already wisely attended to: namely – the critical value of establishing predetermined time standards to address effective and efficient performance of specific supply chain manufacturing tasks within key positions. Predetermined Time Standards Clearly the manufacturing industry is experiencing the dawn of a new era. Much to everyone’s chagrin, when companies go to the market to recruit, they are discovering the competition for manufacturing supply chain talent has never been tougher. The result of this reality is that more often than not – smart manufacturing supply chain leaders are turning to the use of predetermined time standards, like MODAPTS, for reliable productivity measurement, while making cross training and cross talent pools even more accessible within their enterprises. In this revealing study, more companies rated themselves as worse than their peer group in managing supply chain talent. This ratio was 2:1. In the study, when companies were asked to self-assess their capabilities for managing their supply chain talent, 17 percent reported that they perform better than their peer group while 34 percent reported that they did worse. Currently there is a rolling 15 percent turnover within supply chain employees. In the report -, 46 percent of companies try to hire from within the company. 17 percent fill roles mostly by recruiting talent from other supply chain manufacturing companies. The current dynamics of supply and demand make it challenging to fill an open position within this supply chain manufacturing industry. Most of these companies have open positions that remain empty for up to four months. This pain is more than critical. The average company in the study has four positions open for five months at a time. The most difficult positions to fill are in the areas of planning. These require both a technical mastery of technology and an organizational understanding of the business drivers. Only 23 percent of companies responding to the study enjoy the benefits of a planned cross-functional training program for existing employees. In the predetermined time systems, MODAPTS, MODular Arrangement of Predetermined Time Standards is the easiest to learn and simplest to use system available. This study points out the need for cross-functional skill development. Why not make MODAPT training for mid-management supply chain management leaders part of your world class company? With the provision of MODAPTS efficiency and effectiveness results in greater profitability every time. Are you interested in learning more about how predetermined systems can be used to train and teach your employees? If so, contact us for more information. We have helped others, maybe we can help you too.

MODAPTS Blog

Rethinking How You Develop Work Standards

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In today’s fast-paced world of global competition – organizations need to keep their processes on the cutting edge. This includes the training of your employees as they cycle through their assignments on their upward trek within your organization. When it comes to the process of training – people should always rotate through – avoiding a rotation of the fundamental training itself – be it finance, marketing, product design or manufacturing. Key Training Overview The key to a solid foundation and growing strength for any organization is the robustness of the training curriculum itself. This means the classes should be developed for both an overview – as well as being in depth enough to provide competence and quality when taking the next steps. This process should include methods that deliver consistent job performances and approaches that make it possible to more simply cross-train for back up of critical positions. It should also include methods that heighten the awareness of trainees to the standard amounts of time that are required to perform and complete an average task that is commonly conducted by numerous other workers. Company Upward Mobility Subject matter technical experts should be groomed for leadership or senior department positions as “go to” people for each class of new hires that come into the company. Experienced guidance is a critical element when it comes to quality training, class design and implementation. Utilizing the most talented workers and actively honing their talents for the benefit of the company is an efficient way to garner greater levels of loyalty and effectiveness. Creating Reasonable and Profitable Work Standards One essential aspect of establishing work standards that are effective across the field of trainees – is the comprehension of the value of time standards for task performances. When reliable work standards are developed and effectively communicated – they can have a permeating effect across entire work force in a manner that establishes highly productive work performances. When the culture within any organization shares a comprehensive overview of performance standards – it can assist in the further development of goal setting and realistic projections of any time-dependent process across the organizational landscape. MODular Arrangement of Predetermined Time Standards, or MODAPTS, is one of the most commonly utilized approaches to determine reasonable expectations for the time required to complete a defined task by a typical operator. Cross-Training for Greater Flexibility and Understanding Having well established predetermined time standards for commonly conducted tasks is also the best way to stabilize a company’s work ethic within its internal culture. Anytime workers become alert to commonly established norms – and a culture of competition and goal setting is also encouraged – there can be a dynamic community of loyal and motivated participants. Cross-training of employees is a key and dynamic way to approach the perspective of worker equality and worker engagement as active team members working towards similar or identical goals. Cross training also encourages greater awareness and overview as to the underlying structure of how and why any company is organized in the manner that has been established. Rethinking the Development of Work Standards If you are part of an organization that can improve its company culture or one that needs to enhance its training programs for current and incoming employees – it would be beneficial to consider exploring the MODAPTS training curriculum before further designing your own program. Expansion towards even greater profitability lies largely within the realm of accurate time projections, and efficient labor management. When focusing on these target areas – the enhancement of efficiency, effectiveness and quality reputation management is always much more attainable. Are you interested in learning more about how predetermined systems can be used to train and teach your employees? If so, contact us for more information. We have helped others, maybe we can help you too.

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