Beacon Quality Blog

Too often the root cause of a process failure boils down to poor communication. Employees on the shop floor look to management for guidance on how to improve their production quality, yet open communication channels are rarely available in a manufacturing environment. Top managers may have the tools they need to effectively communicate to their team, such as regular meetings with middle management but their messages sometimes don’t reach the front-line workers that matter in day-to-day production. 

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Understanding and applying key components of an LPA program are critical to success, but to maximize the short- and long-term effectiveness of an LPA, Ease has found that manufacturers should also integrate the following four key practices.

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In today’s competitive environment, manufacturers are more focused than ever on delivering high-quality products while reducing costs. Unfortunately, too often efforts are driven by a skewed perception of how best to achieve this goal. This is because many manufacturers pay greater attention to the cost of poor quality (CoPQ), comprising internal and external failure costs, over the cost of good quality (CoGQ), comprising proactive prevention and appraisal costs. As a result, they make reactive investments that yield less return and later prove to be insufficient.

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While nearly every manufacturer has employed audits to identify issues with staff output and process compliance, an LPA is distinctive in that it focuses on driving cultural change throughout an organization to improve quality and reduce failure rates. LPAs are part of a formalized system for providing constant attention to an organization’s core, high-risk processes and controls to ensure minimal variation.

Created by the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) nearly a decade ago, LPAs were first applied in Daimler Chrysler and Toyota plants, and since have become required practice for most auto manufacturers. Over time the practice has spread to other manufacturing industries, but with only varying degrees of success.

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The Definition of Standardized Work

Standardized work (also referred to as standard work) defines the current best practice to complete the task using available people, equipment and materials. It includes:

• Cycle times, production sequences, and the methods to use
• Operator procedures, work instructions, QC checks and safety issues
• Material flows, optimal WIP and layout

The Purpose of Standardized Work

To insure that tasks performed repeatedly are accomplished optimally and consistently. Variations in the process will create quality issues requiring rework or scrap and will decrease labor performance.

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