Lean Manufacturing & Six Sigma : 3P Production Preparation Process

Many people asked me why some companies fails on Lean Enterprise implementation? Obviously there are many reason why to fail, however, the companies that embrace Lean Manufacturing and implement the 3P methodology are better positioned to succeed.

Comparison of Conventional Development vs. 3P

What is 3P? Production Preparation Process

Establishing an Appropriate Production System to Satisfy Requirements of :

Product Design Quality for the Requirement Production Volume at the Target Cost by the Target Date.

Lean Enterprise consists of physical items and defined processes to produce end products. You cannot buy your way to “worldclass” by just purchasing the latest technology. We cannot just rely on outside thinking but build on in-house creativity that is not available to competition… to connect hardware to software.

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When 3P is used?

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Why do 3P?

Short Term :

• Deliver projects within ‘entitlements’

• Time to Market, Time to Cost, Time to Quality

• Avoid rework of line designs

Long Term :

• Promotes rapid, quantum , out of box thinking in the company

• Try Storm and take Electronics Manufacturing to next level

• It’s a competitive weapon in our industry

• Methodology to solve company wide, segment wide, site wide problems

3P is highly effective weapon in the ‘ Battle for Market Superiority ‘. Any technology that is ‘plug and play’ or ‘ready to use’ can also be purchased by competition. However items developed using 3P and moonshine will have compelling value .

If 3P is not enforced in new designs , engineers then need to solve lot of problems in the line leading to unending cycle of ‘rework’ to get to standards established.

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Where does 3P Fit In?

One must first practice Kaizen on factory floor to address waste in the process. 3P focuses on entire process considering total cost, quality , delivery and stands on the shoulders of Kaizen. If we don’t know how to kaizen , we would not be able to think of Kaikaku.

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The force behind 3P is to incorporate all elements of Lean Enterprise into the design of products and processes. Unlike evolutionary process of Kaizen (Continuous Improvement) , 3P must be revolutionary. The Japanese term for this is Kaikaku.

3P designs is a competitive secret weapon. They are not purchased but moonshined and known only to World Class companies that develop the design on their own.

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Applying the Principles of 3P Lean Enterprise

Without understanding of 3P and how it differs from traditional approaches to product and process design, many 3P projects may be questioned, criticized and shortened before completion.

To be creative we must step outside the box and venture into things that are ridiculous to untrained observer.

3P must be actively practiced and promoted. If 3P efforts do not keep moving forward , they will regress. Along with this regression go the competitive advantages and dollars spent on discovering, creating and implementing the process

To assure that your company remains competitive, Kaizen Efforts (dashed line) should be complimented with elements of revolutionary change or Kaikaku . The solid line above explains how this will take us to Global Lean Enterprise. Without periodic Kaikaku efforts, our efforts at continuous improvements will be “too little, too late”.

As we hit plateau with Continuous Improvement, we get into cloud of uncertainty. This cloud blocks our view of our vision. 3P propels us to break through this cloud. This is risky. Less than 10% will jump into it. But 3P will take us to new level where Kaizen will begin with new perspective. By doing this we renew our Kaizen enthusiasm with new direction and vigor.