Aerospace, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Division

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Texas AM Engineering at Corpus Christi Army
Depot (CCAD)
Aerospace, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering
Division
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Texas AM Engineering at CCAD

• Table of Contents
• History
• Time Standards
• Method Improvements
• Ergonomics
• Lean Six Sigma Initiatives

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History

• Since 2001, Texas AM Engineering has been on
  contract at CCAD for the following support
• Developing time standards
• Developing methods improvement presentations with
  integrated video
• Developing economic cost benefit analysis and
  cycle time reduction analysis
• Recommending solutions to eliminate, prevent
  and/or decrease identified medical, ergonomic,
  safety, health, lean, quality, production,
  production tooling and equipment, and FOD
  (foreign object damage) concerns

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History

• Representative examples of evaluated shops

• Engine Disassembly Pre-shop Analysis Shop
• Rotor Blade Shop
• Airframe Paint Shop
• Rotor Head Shop
• Transmission Shop
• Disassembly Assembly Shops
• Aircraft Structure Repair Shops
• Small Parts Repair Shops
• Composite Shop
• Depot wide material management

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Time Standards

• A time standard is often referred to as a work
  measurement study.
• The study establishes a standard time to perform
  a given task with allowance for
• Personal, fatigue and unavoidable delays (PFD)
• Pace rating
• Texas AM Engineering has produced over 9,800
  accepted Standard Hours from October 2001 to
  March 2005.

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Method Improvements
Identify Method Improvements via Video Analysis
Reduce Turn Around Time (TAT) Increase
Throughput
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Method Improvements

• Method Improvement is a recommendation for a new
  tool, process or procedure as a result of
  observation and research while creating a time
  standard on the shop floor.
• Texas AM Engineering develops Method Improvement
  Presentations which are presented to CCAD
  personnel at the conclusion of a study to show
  areas of opportunity for increased productivity
  such as eliminating safety issues reducing
  ergonomic concerns.

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Method Improvements

• Issue Awkward Position
• Working Above Shoulder
• Non-Value Adding Activity
• Possible neck, shoulder, back, wrist injury
• Time consuming

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Method Improvements

• Issue Awkward Position (Cont)
• Recommendation
• Ergonomic height adjustable chair.
• Height and depth adjustable neck rest.
• Benefits
• Reduce personal injury.
• Reduce operator fatigue.
• Requires fewer breaks by employees.
• Standard time reduction ? .35 - .40

EIDOS CHAIR
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Method Improvements

• Issue Stacking of Crew Seats
• Non-Value Added Activities
• Restacking of seats
• Time spent ? 10 minutes
• Recommendations
• 5 ft sectioned chair caddy
• 10 sections _at_ 4 inches thick
• Benefits
• Eliminates repetitive stacking
• Potential time savings ? 8 minutes
• Standard time reduction ? 0.08

MVE-A3 CAT II Time 12574.8 min.
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Method Improvements

• Issue Excessive Walking to Cart
• Engine cowling assembly
• Non-Value Added Activities
• Walking an average of 123 ft to cowling cart
• Frequency 40 times during study
• Time lost 70 minutes

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Method Improvements
MVE-A3 CAT II Time 12574.8 min.

• Excessive Walking (Cont)
• Recommendations
• Rearrange layout and place cowling cart as close
  as possible to aircraft
• Scissor hydraulic platform
• Benefits
• Eliminate unnecessary walking
• Eliminate operators from having to carry items
  above shoulders
• Potential time savings ? 52
  minutes
• Standard time reduction ? 0.41
  0.50

30 ft
PSA Area
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Method Improvements
MVE-A3 CAT II Time 12574.8 min.

• Issue Arms Above Shoulders
• Time spent ? 117 minutes
• Non-Value Added Activities
• Fatigue from working with arms above shoulders
• Recommendations
• Step ladder
• Weight-activated retractable casters with
  protective rubber bumpers
• Straight handle tool
• Benefits
• Fatigue reduction
• Potential time saving ? 6 minutes
• Standard time reduction
• ? 0.05 - 0.06

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Method Improvements

• Issue Trips to Door Cart
• Non-Value Added Activities
• Unnecessary walking and carrying of items
• Time lost ? 10 minutes
• Recommendations
• Large padded panel truck (36 x 72) to
  accommodate
• Cargo doors ? 40 lbs.
• Other large components
• Red padded panel truck
• Pilot doors ? 30 lbs.
• Benefits
• Potential time saving ? 10 minutes
• Standard time reduction
• ? 0.08 - 0.09

MVE-A3 CAT II Time 12574.8 min.
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Return On Investment (ROI)

• A Return On Investment is calculated for each
  Method Improvement Presentation that Texas AM
  Engineering develops.
• The ROI quantifies time savings of
  recommendations and illustrates the time it will
  take to recover the purchasing cost of the
  equipment.

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ROI Pylon Example
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Shadow Box Example
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Ergonomics

• Ergonomics is the study of work to help prevent
  and control injury or illness while increasing
  productivity, customer service, quality,
  profitability, and reducing costs and turnover.
• Texas AM Engineering performs ergonomic
  evaluations/analysis when potential issues arise
  during a study.

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Ergonomic Lifting Equation
Recommended Weight Limit (RWL) LC HM VM
DM AM FM CM

• NIOSH Lifting Equations set a safe weight limit
  to avoid Lower Back Problems

• Lifting Index (LI) Load Weight / RWL
• An ideal LI value is equal to or less than 1.00.

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Ergonomic Lifting Example

• Operation
• Lift Carry Heavy Objects
• Issue Heavy Lifting
• Commander Policy Memo 32
• 35 lb maximum lift
• T-55 fuel control weights ? 35 lbs
• Lean Recommendation
• Height adjustable cart system
• Range 1 - 4 ft
• Slip sheets
• Push, Pull, or Slide Approach

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Ergonomic Analysis of Task
Operation Lifting 35-lb. T-55 Fuel Control
With the current conditions, mechanic should only
pick up 14.16 lb. objects
Lifting Index exceeds ideal value of 1.00 or less
35 14.16
2.47
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Ergonomic Recommendation for Task
IDEALLY PUSH, PULL and SLIDE instead of LIFT,
LOWER and CARRY
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Ergonomic Analysis of Task

• Repetitive Motion
• Many screws and/or bolts
• Ratchets, wrenches and screwdrivers used
• Time consuming
• Possible cumulative trauma disorders
• Lean Recommendation
• Battery-operated screwdriver with interchangeable
  bits
• Benefits
• Reduced repetitive trauma disorders
• Increase productivity 2.0 - 2.5

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Lean Six Sigma Initiatives

• Pre-Lean Research
• Value Stream Analysis
• Rapid Improvement Events
• 6 S (Clean-up of a shop)
• 3 P (New facility layouts)
• Total Production Maintenance
• Six Sigma
• Post-Lean Validation

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Analysis of Shop Layout / Cell Design

• Pre-Lean Research
• Current Operations
• Standard work time observations
• Current Flow
• Movement of parts in and out of shops
• Movement of parts between operations
• Movement of People
• Work In Progress (WIP)
• Parts
• Current Delays
• Parts/supplies shortage
• Inspection
• Equipment materials

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Analysis of Shop Layout / Cell Design

• Pre-Lean Event Analysis
• Gather Data for process improvement
• Time Observation
• Capture Method and Process Issues on Video Tape
• Identify waste
• Ergonomic, Safety, and Environmental Issues
• Layout Utilization
• Process Flow Optimization
• Material Management Issues
• Routing Issues

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Process Map Flow Chart

• Map of assembly process
• Helps to identify value / non-value activities

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Spaghetti Charts

• Demonstrates operator movement
• Illustrates time spent traveling

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Layouts

• Benefits
• Increase rack capacity by 38 (8 extra racks)
• Increase Pallet storage to at least 128 (32 extra
  pallets)
• Decrease clutter on floor
• Decrease or eliminate the number of parts stored
  at central location
• Decrease distance traveled by parts

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Rapid Improvement Event (RIE)

• Also referred to as a Kaizen Event
• Rapid Improvement Events are aimed to create an
  improvement or solve a problem during an event
  that normally lasts 5 days.
• The three main tasks of an RIE
• Develop several feasible solutions
• Demonstrate current problems
• Deliver best solution

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UH-60 Structures (Firewalls) RIE

• Problem
• Misaligned firewalls during structural upgrades.
• Develop
• Create a solution to ensure proper alignment of
  the UH-60 Firewall.

Pre-RIE Alignment Tool
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UH-60 Structures (Firewalls) RIE
Implement RIE team improvement to problem/process

• Best design
• Team consensus
• Most practical
• Space utilization
• Ease of installation
• Ergonomic design
• Go No Go operation
• Complete with instructions

Firewall Alignment Solution
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Production Control Boards

• Post-Lean Event Analysis
• Validation
• Standard Work (Process Control Boards)
• Establishment of CAT 2 Time Standards
• Layout Optimization
• Ergonomics and Safety
• Further Method and Process Improvement

Ilustration Production Control Board
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Conclusion

• The scope of work performed by Texas AM
  Engineering at CCAD has increased tremendously
  over the years.
• The scope initially included measurement of
  Standard Work (CAT 2 studies) and Method
  Improvement Studies.
• Texas AM Engineering work now includes
  Pre/Post-Lean Analysis, Ergonomic Studies, Layout
  Optimization and Lean Six Sigma Initiatives.
• Texas AM Engineering has become the go-to
  group for data gathering and data analysis.

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Contact Information

• Harry S. Whiting, MSIE, EIT, On-Site Manager
• Tel [phone] x229
• hwhiting_at_ccad.army.mil
• Bessie Irizarry, MS MOT, Program Manager
• Tel [phone] x247
• birizarry_at_tamu.edu
• Dr. John Ayala, DE, PE, Director
• Tel [phone] x224
• john-ayala_at_tamu.edu