Aerospace Manufacturer Experienced with Lean
With project budgets tightening, a successful aerospace manufacturer needs to operate efficiently to remain competitive. One of the keys to remaining effecient is to find an aerospace manufacturer experienced with Lean. Lean manufacturing is focused on eliminating any process that does not directly add value to the final product, generally referred to as a waste.
There are generally considered to be seven different types of waste that an aerospace manufacturer needs to address:
- Transportation – having to move tools or other items not immediately related to a project
- Overproduction – producing products before they are needed or in higher quantities than there is demand for
- Waiting – experiencing long times between production steps
- Inventory – having more raw materials and tools on hand than are needed
- Over-processing – using inefficient processes or making a part with more steps than needed
- Motion – requiring excessive labor to complete a particular task
- Defects – spending time to find and correct production errors
An aerospace manufacturer needs to be able to reliably identify wastes throughout their operations, identify what the root of the waste is and develop programs that treat the core problem causing the waste, not just its symptoms. While achieving true Lean manufacturing with all wastes completely eliminated is functionally not possible, it’s important for every aerospace manufacturer to focus on continual improvement and set targets that move them closer and closer to the ideal. Many proven tools, such as Kanban and 5s, are commonly utilized to achieve these goals; so, tier-one companies should look for a contract aerospace manufacturer that can demonstrate competency in these types of categories to receive Lean aerospace manufacturing services that provide the greatest value.
Here at Intrex Aerospace, we’ve undergone company-wide Lean training to ensure that our entire team works to eliminate waste. Using our Epicor ERP/MRP system and an added QC/QA software package, we have a wide range of tools to identify wastes and effectively track the progress of our initiatives in moving us towards our Lean goals. Through demand management, efficient machining and strict quality control, we’re able to maintain a PPM far below the industry average for an aerospace manufacturer and an on-time delivery rate between 95% and 100%. As an AS9100 and ISO 9001 certified company with extensive experience delivering multi axis machining and turnkey component solutions to businesses in the aerospace and defense sectors, you can rely on us to provide reliable high-value services and components for any parts program.
For more information on what sets Intrex Aerospace apart as a Lean aerospace manufacturer, contact us today.
