COMMITTEES

In the past two weeks, I've been involved with a committee at work to trouble shoot an issue that came to light recently.  Because of my experiences and previous history in this kind of endeavor, my name was one of the first to get tossed in the hat.  Lucky me.

And this fits right in with some of the more "forward thinking strategies" being implemented.  (Dontcha love those "buzz word" catch phrases?)  Though I will have to admit, what they are doing does make sense.

Since being involved with a similar project just a couple months back, and the impact that made, I am becoming more and more popular when it comes time to look at issues.  Not that I am the "brain trust" to these programs, just that I have forgotten more than some of the people involved know.  Plus the added bonus of me not hesitating to speak my mind.  I think it creeps them out when I not only tell them why an idea is of little merit, but I tell them why and the reasoning behind it.

Of course, to be fair, I also give them a chance to counter any comment I make.  If they sell a good alternative approach to the idea I just tanked for them, I back off and evaluate what they have to say.  If it sounds reasonable, or if the approach is new (as in, unknown) to me, I concede.  Hey, coming at a problem with a failed method, but from a different angle, might just shed some light on a solution.  So, give it a go.  But if it is a tried approach that failed miserably, and they are just doing the same thing all over again (and again, and again...) I tell them.

Well, since getting involved in the recent search for a solution, I have also been brought in for an "Intro to Six Sigma".  Myself and the other couple people to sit in on this, have been told we can expect to be involved in this more, in the future. 

I'm alright with this.  Being taught in this process can only be a plus, even if it means a lot of extra work.  We already have a team of Black Belts in house.  So, this could be fun.  Besides, I have always been in favor of having the people that work with the equipment, or actually DO the job, being involved in finding new and better ways to do it.  After all, who really is the expert here, someone who says, "This is the way it SHOULD work."  Or the person who says, "This is the way we've been able to GET IT TO work."

I've seen, and lived, this first hand too many times.  Prime example, a couple years back, they moved a press that makes parts.  The movers and the engineers claimed the press should work just fine once they had it in place.  It didn't.

I pointed out to them that it took months for the operator to "tweak" and "tune" in the press in its old spot.  When you move a 500 ton press, you shift everything.  Even after being placed, the operator will need time to "re-tune" the operation.  AND...as the press settles in in the new spot, it will need "more tweaks" and "more tuning" before it runs properly.

Of course, they thought I was crazy.  But even the regular operator couldn't get good parts out of it for a while.  Every setting they had for it from its old location didn't work any more.  The operators aren't stupid, they keep books on what settings work for each part.  We had to prove to the engineers that none of the settings were good any more before they would believe us.

They had a hard time believing that with a piece of equipment that large, you move it 3 inches, or 3 miles, you have to tune it in all over again.  Makes no difference.

And WE learned, it's easier to tune a press, than an engineer.  (no disrespect to family meant.  I'd be willing to bet they would have known about the press)

Teaching, and learning, happens.

Comments

[Cop Car]

Before moving such a massive piece of equipment, lots of theodolite readings should be taken (if they are not already known). After the move, the theodolite readings should be taken, again. The differences in the two sets give one a chance of figuring out what's going on! (Yeah, I know that I'm the dumb ole--and old--engineer you had in mind!)

[bogie]

Unfortunately there tends to be a syndrom, amongst some engineers, that they don't listen to what the operators tell them, or don't take suggestions seriously.

When I was a growth technician, engineers that hadn't been there 2 days acted like growers that had been there 10 years had no clue as to what they were talking about.

I KNOW that the engineer in our family wasn't like that - I just wish more were that way!