1st Edition

The Lean 3P Advantage A Practitioner's Guide to the Production Preparation Process

By Allan R. Coletta Copyright 2012
    336 Pages 67 B/W Illustrations
    by Productivity Press

    336 Pages
    by Productivity Press

    How do you take talented engineers and surround them with the elements needed to create brilliant designs that lead to market-changing products? Lean 3P is how.

    Winner of a 2013 Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award !

    Written from an operations perspective, The Lean 3P Advantage: A Practitioner’s Guide to the Production Preparation Process explains how to build collaborative thinking and innovation into the front end of the design process. Describing how to develop successful new products concurrently with new operations, the book illustrates real-world scenarios with numerous examples and case studies to help newcomers succeed the first time around. For those familiar with 3P, the book supplies the basis to explore Evergreen 3P—a process for applying 3P to small-scale design projects for similar benefits.

    • Details the 3P Lean Design process, explaining how and why it works so effectively
    • Includes case studies and examples of real-world applications
    • Presents time-tested methods based on the combined experience of numerous practicing companies

    Coverage includes product planning and evaluation criteria, selection of alternatives, timing considerations, construction of prototypes, and measuring effectiveness. This book will help you and your team develop holistic designs that foster innovation and deliver products and production operations that effectively utilize people and exceed the expectations of all stakeholders.

    Lean 3P Design Concepts
    What Is 3P?
    Lean 2P
    Why Does 3P Work?
         Separating R from D
         Horizontal Development
         Rapid Learning
         Differences between Traditional Product and Process Design, and Lean 3P Design
    Time Commitment of the Stakeholders

    Lean 3P’s Place in the Product Development Process
    Applying Lean 3P to New Product Development
         Voice of the Customer
         Case Studies
    Lean 3P within Existing Product Development Processes
         Phase-Gate Product Development
    Point-Based Engineering
    Set-Based Concurrent Engineering
         Set-Based Concurrent Design

    Applying Lean 3P Design and Gaining Leverage
    Introduction
    Concurrent Product and Process Design Using 3P
    Is One 3P Event Enough?
    The Role of Operations
    Leverage Case Study
    Gaining Leverage
         The "Best" Time to Make Improvements
         The "Better" Time to Make Improvements
         The "Necessary" Time to Make Improvements

    Getting Started
    The Case for Change
    The Flow of a Lean 3P Event
         Information
         Innovation
         Prototyping and Rapid Redesign
         Optimization
    Key Participants in a 3P Event
    Space Required for a 3P Event
    Materials and Tools
    3P Event Charter
    Pre-Event Orientation and Training
    Getting Started Recap

    The Countdown and Overview of the 3P Event Week
    Timing Considerations
    Preparing for a Lean 3P Event
         Two to Three Months Before
         One to Two Months Before
         One to Two Weeks Before
         The Day Before
    Overview of the 3P Event Week
         Day One
         Day Two
         Day Three
         Day Four
         Day Five

    Kickoff, Charter, and 3P Goals
    Kickoff
    The 3P Event Charter
    Introducing Lean 3P Design Goals
    Each Part, Each Interval (EPE or EPE I)
    Summary of the 3P Design Goals
    Kickoff, Charter, and 3P Goals Recap

    Product Planning and Process Evaluation Criteria
    Product Planning
    Production Evaluation Criteria
    3P Process Design Criteria
         Takt Time
         One-Piece Flow
         Pull System
         People Involvement
         Automatic Unloading
         Load-Load Operations
         Low-Cost Automation
         Mistake-Proof (Poka Yoke)
         Minimal Capital
         Minimal Space Required
         Low-Motion Waste
         100% Gauging
         Maximum Operator Value-Add
         Changeover Time
         Tool Room Maintenance
         Tooling Quality or Tooling Cost
         Safety, Ergonomics, and Health (and Possibly Security)
         Environmental Impact
         Internal Waste Collection
         Simple as Possible
         Standard or Off-the-Shelf Equipment
         Process Capability Ratio (Cp)
         Known Process
         Future Challenge
         Maintenance Free
         Technical Advantage
         Autonomation
         Development Time or In-House Development
         Scalability
         Flexibility
    Selecting the Evaluation Criteria
    Product Planning and Process Evaluation Criteria Recap

    Defining Value-Adding Functions
    Product Features and Process Steps versus Value-Adding Functions
    Product Considerations
    Process Considerations
    Evaluating Product and Defining the Value-Added Process Steps
         Concurrent Product and Process Evaluation
         Product Features and Process Step Value-Adding Functions Recap
         3P Example—Kathryn’s Finest

    Flow Diagrams, Developing Seven Alternatives, and Selection of the Better Three Alternatives
    Flow Diagram
    Spaghetti Diagram
    Developing the Seven Alternatives from Nature
    Considering Industrial Alternatives
    Industrial Application of the Seven Alternatives from Nature
    Developing the Seven Alternatives
    Evaluation and Selection of the Top Three Alternatives
    The Pugh Method or Decision Matrix
    Summary of Progress
    Flow Diagrams, Developing Seven Alternatives, and Selecting the Better Three Alternatives Recap

    Process at a Glance, Selecting Teams, Constructing the Three Prototypes
    Process at a Glance
         Team Selection
    Safety Reminder
         Getting Started with the Three Prototypes
         Utilizing the Assigned Space
         The Need for Speed
         Researching New Concepts
         Identifying Risk
         Constructing the Three Prototypes
         Concept Viability
         Safety and Power Tools
         Process at a Glance
    Process at a Glance, Selecting Teams, Constructing the Three
    Prototypes Recap

    Rapid Evaluation of the Three Prototypes, Selecting the Final Prototype
    Introduction
    Rapid Evaluation of the Three Prototypes
    Evaluation Participants
    Process at a Glance and Complete Process Overview
    Congregate around the Prototype Being Reviewed
    Process at a Glance and Evaluation Criteria
    Take Some Pictures
    Selecting the Best Process Steps from the Three Prototypes
         System Impact
         People Impact
    Value-Adding Function Selection
    Summary of Progress
    Rapid Evaluation of the Three Prototypes, Selecting the Final Prototype Recap

    Developing the Final Prototype, Incorporating Evaluation Criteria, and Measuring Effectiveness—Final Report-Out
    Developing the Final Prototype
    Incorporating the Evaluation Criteria
    Add in the Transitions and Transfer Operations
    Measuring 3P Effectiveness
    Full Construction of Final Prototype
    Layout with Material and Tool Storage Identified
    Process at a Glance
    Calculation of Takt Time
    Assessment of Evaluation Criteria
    Assessment of Event Goals
    Final Cost Estimate
    Resource Plan and Teams
    Project Timeline with Milestones
    Spaghetti Diagram of New Operation
    Changeover Plan
    Review of Bucket-List Items and Action Items
    Final Report-Out Session
    Summary
    Developing the Final Prototype, Incorporating Evaluation Criteria, and Measuring Effectiveness, Final Report-Out Recap

    3P Project Management, Potholes and Stumbling Blocks
    3P Project Management
    Communication and Involvement
    A3 Problem Solving
    New Wine in Old Wineskins
    Out-of-the-Gate Performance
    Potholes and Stumbling Blocks
    Participant Selection
    Judges’ (Critical Evaluators) Selection
    Judges’ (Critical Evaluators) Role
    Participant Pairing
    Let It Breathe
    Time Management
    Leadership
    Set Big Expectations
    Believe in the 3P Process and Stick with It
    Postevent Expectations

    Evergreen Lean 3P Design, Conclusions
    Evergreen Lean 3P Design
    The A3 Process Applied to Small-Scale 3P Design
         Problem Statement
         Background
         Current Condition
         Goals
         Analysis
         Countermeasures
         Action Items
         Follow-Up
    Conclusions

    Appendix
    Flow Diagram of Lean 3P Design Process
    Lean 3P Event Charter Template
    Lean 3P Event Materials Checklist
    Lean 3P Pre-Event Activity Checklist
    Children’s Book Selections
    Potential Design Evaluation Criteria
    Potential Design Evaluation Criteria Checklist
    Seven Alternatives Template
    Seven Alternatives with Evaluation Criteria Template
    Process at a Glance Template
    Process at a Glance with Evaluation Criteria Template
    Works Cited and Bibliography

    Index

    Biography

    Coletta, Allan R.

    Finally, a go-to reference book on the important subject of 3P. Coletta does an outstanding job defining a step-by-step approach that can provide breakthrough results to manufacturing and service organizations alike.
    Drew Locher, Managing Director, Change Management Associates

    This how-to guide is filled with relevant examples that can help you apply the concepts and methodology to any product and process industry to develop higher quality products and processes delivered at lower costs.
    Ken Rolfes, KDR Associates, Inc.

    ... an extremely valuable book for any practitioner interested in capturing the significant benefits of 3P for their firms. The author’s sincere desire to share his considerable knowledge with his readers comes through on every page.
    Ron Mascitelli, PMP, President, Technology Perspectives