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Case study

New facility without
production interruption

New facility without
production interruption

An automotive supplier had struggled with a new model launch and realized they needed to open another plant for a portion of the parts they were producing. However, the OEM had launched so this new plant would have to be built, filled with equipment, have tools transferred, be staffed, and start production without interrupting vehicle production.

Recognizing the problem beyond the problem


Our launch expert was brought on as a part of a team responsible for staffing, training, and transferring fixtures and various pieces of equipment between facilities. Separate teams were handling facilities, equipment, and tooling. It became clear that nobody was coordinating the activity of each of our individual teams to come together for a successful launch.
​
We created a credible plan to orchestrate the confluence of facility, equipment, staff, materials, training, and tools and lead the overall launch as the Launch Manager. With the creation of a production ramp plan, we set expectations for equipment installation, tool moves, production, OEE improvement, crew start up, and training. This major project required 7 months to complete.



Issues below the surface


Since the plant would open while regular production was already underway and tools would be required from a sister facility, a complex tool move "spaghetti diagram" became the credible plan to move tools and avoid production interruptions. The tools had to be moved, temporarily, to produce parts for validation testing and then return to the sister plant until the results were published. Then a coordinated final move to the new facility was planned. Sufficient bank build planning was required for over 40 tool moves.



Executing the plan and tracking improvement to target


Once ramp plan and tool move “spaghetti diagram” were in place, we developed customized execution tracking and accountability tools to ensure the actual progress kept pace with the planned progress.
​
Finally, with all the Program Management and Launch Management tools in place and execution being managed, our consultant introduced a production performance convergence plan to track operations performance to the levels targeted at project inception.


Result


We executed the plan, launched the facility with no vehicle production interruption, and secured production part approval (PPAP) before the sister plant, which was the location for the original launch over a year prior.

Recognizing the problem beyond the problem


Our launch expert was brought on as a part of a team responsible for staffing, training, and transferring fixtures and various pieces of equipment between facilities. Separate teams were handling facilities, equipment, and tooling. It became clear that nobody was coordinating the activity of each of our individual teams to come together for a successful launch.
​
We created a credible plan to orchestrate the confluence of facility, equipment, staff, materials, training, and tools and lead the overall launch as the Launch Manager. With the creation of a production ramp plan, we set expectations for equipment installation, tool moves, production, OEE improvement, crew start up, and training. This major project required 7 months to complete.



Issues below the surface


Since the plant would open while regular production was already underway and tools would be required from a sister facility, a complex tool move "spaghetti diagram" became the credible plan to move tools and avoid production interruptions. The tools had to be moved, temporarily, to produce parts for validation testing and then return to the sister plant until the results were published. Then a coordinated final move to the new facility was planned. Sufficient bank build planning was required for over 40 tool moves.



Executing the plan and tracking improvement to target


Once ramp plan and tool move “spaghetti diagram” were in place, we developed customized execution tracking and accountability tools to ensure the actual progress kept pace with the planned progress.
​
Finally, with all the Program Management and Launch Management tools in place and execution being managed, our consultant introduced a production performance convergence plan to track operations performance to the levels targeted at project inception.


Result


We executed the plan, launched the facility with no vehicle production interruption, and secured production part approval (PPAP) before the sister plant, which was the location for the original launch over a year prior.

Recognizing the problem beyond the problem


Our launch expert was brought on as a part of a team responsible for staffing, training, and transferring fixtures and various pieces of equipment between facilities. Separate teams were handling facilities, equipment, and tooling. It became clear that nobody was coordinating the activity of each of our individual teams to come together for a successful launch.
​
We created a credible plan to orchestrate the confluence of facility, equipment, staff, materials, training, and tools and lead the overall launch as the Launch Manager. With the creation of a production ramp plan, we set expectations for equipment installation, tool moves, production, OEE improvement, crew start up, and training. This major project required 7 months to complete.



Issues below the surface


Since the plant would open while regular production was already underway and tools would be required from a sister facility, a complex tool move "spaghetti diagram" became the credible plan to move tools and avoid production interruptions. The tools had to be moved, temporarily, to produce parts for validation testing and then return to the sister plant until the results were published. Then a coordinated final move to the new facility was planned. Sufficient bank build planning was required for over 40 tool moves.



Executing the plan and tracking improvement to target


Once ramp plan and tool move “spaghetti diagram” were in place, we developed customized execution tracking and accountability tools to ensure the actual progress kept pace with the planned progress.
​
Finally, with all the Program Management and Launch Management tools in place and execution being managed, our consultant introduced a production performance convergence plan to track operations performance to the levels targeted at project inception.


Result


We executed the plan, launched the facility with no vehicle production interruption, and secured production part approval (PPAP) before the sister plant, which was the location for the original launch over a year prior.

Duration

7 months

Engagement service

Launch recovery

Key result

Successfully opened a new assembly plant and transferred the operation without production interruption at the OEM.

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