A few months ago I helped a team with a seemingly easy question: will our existing equipment satisfy our new standard operating procedure (SOP)?
At first glance it appeared to be a no-brainer…of course it will. But after taking a deeper look at the new SOP and the uncertainty of related federal regulations, the question did not seem to be quite so mundane.
To help to validate the equipment, the team collected data from several runs. The data was then used to construct control charts.
Control charts are very useful in showing how well a process is working over time. A control chart includes specification (spec) limits (usually established by the equipment manufacturer or a SOP) and control limits (based on the performance of the process).
By collecting and graphing (i.e. time, temperature, or output) about the process over time, one is able to see how well the process (in this case a machine) is functioning. One is able to spot outliers or other anomalies that might be missed by other monitoring methods.
Through the data analysis and accompanying control charts, the team showed that the equipment was in fact functioning within the manufacturer’s specification on a consistent basis. Based on this data, the department that relied on this piece of equipment avoided the need to build a new facility, buy new equipment, and hire and train new staff. The team was able to save the company an estimated $1M through cost avoidance!
Control charts are a great way to demonstrate how well a process is functioning. While this type of chart is often associated with manufacturing, it can be used in many situations to evaluate the output of a process. A control chart can give an excellent depiction of how things are going within a process and be used as a basis for further root cause analysis.
How are you helping your employees to work smarter by reducing the amount of time they spend on non-productive activities and correcting errors? If your business processes need a “check-up,” please email me at michael@leadingchangeforgood.com! I’d love to help you get back to a healthy, productive workplace.
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