Intrex, an experienced aerospace machining company

Commitment to Continuous Improvement and Lean Manufacturing

Jan 16, 2023

Intrex Aerospace ours is a commitment to Continuous Improvement and Lean Manufacturing. Our processes are designed to minimize waste and drive efficiency.  At Intrex our focus is on a continuous lean journey. We strive to exceed the expectations of our internal and external customers.

This lean journey starts at the very top. Our leadership team is key to driving a lean culture and appetite for change. We are committed to be a leader in lean manufacturing in the aerospace, space, and defense markets. Our initiatives and processes are linked to providing our customers real value through improved levels of technical, quality and delivery service and responsiveness.

Our typical practice is to utilize 5S. 5S is a Japanese methodology for organizing and improving the work environments. It has real value reducing waste and optimizing productivity.

 

Pillars of 5S:

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Sort the first S, focuses on eliminating unnecessary items from the workplace that are not needed for current production operations. An effective visual method to identify these unneeded items is called “red tagging”, which involves evaluating the necessity of each item in a work area and dealing with it appropriately.

Set in Order Orderliness. Set In Order focuses on creating efficient and effective storage methods to arrange items so that they are easy to use and to label them so that they are easy to find and put away. Set in Order can only be implemented once the first pillar, Sort, has cleared the work area of unneeded items.

Shine Once the clutter that has been clogging the work areas is eliminated and remaining items are organized, the next step is to thoroughly clean the work area. Daily follow-up cleaning is necessary to sustain this improvement.

Standardize Once the first three 5S’s have been implemented, the next pillar is to standardize the best practices in the work area. Standardize, the method to maintain the first three pillars, creates a consistent approach with which tasks and procedures are done.

Sustain Making a habit of properly maintaining correct procedures, is often the most difficult S to implement and achieve. Changing entrenched behaviors can be difficult, and the tendency is often to return to the status quo and the comfort zone of the “old way” of doing things. Sustain focuses on defining a new status quo and standard of workplace organization. Without the Sustain pillar the achievements of the other pillars will not last long.

5S provides a methodology for organizing, cleaning, developing, and sustaining a productive work environment. In the daily work of our company, routines that maintain organization and orderliness are essential to a smooth and efficient flow of activities. This lean method encourages workers to improve their working conditions and helps them to learn to reduce waste, unplanned downtime, and in-process inventory.

A typical 5S implementation results in significant reductions in the square footage of space needed for existing operations. It also results in the organization of tools and materials into labeled and color coded storage locations, as well as “kits” that contain just what is needed to perform a task.

Proof of our Commitment to Continuous Improvement and Lean Manufacturing are some of the successful 5S initiatives we have implemented in our 75,000 sq. ft.  Thornton, CO. facility.

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The 5S methodology is a proven system for improving productivity and efficiency in our workplace. Our workers adhere to these guidelines, improving the flow of work and reduce wasted time and energy. 5S  benefits our  business in a number of ways, including reducing costs, improving quality and speeding up production times. Implementing 5S can be challenging but the benefits are well worth it.

If you would like to contact us for more information we would welcome the opportunity to speak to you. Please click here.

 

 

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Intrex Aerospace is a world-class manufacturer of precision CNC machined components for the aviation, defense, and space industries.

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