Applying Waste Elimination Principles in Product and Process Design.
75% of all waste is “hardwired” into products, manufacturing processes, and support services at the design stage. So, applying Lean methods at the design stage is where businesses can get the most bang for their waste-elimination dollars.
If your organization has not yet mastered applying waste elimination principles in your design processes, Productivity Innovation can help you catch up quickly.
Production Preparation Process (3P)
3P is a dynamic change in an organization’s approach to product and process development. The method combines the principles of Lean manufacturing and multi-disciplinary teamwork with an iterative approach to prototyping. With this combination, the 3P method achieves significant leaps in competitiveness, with 80-90% improvements in return-on-investment, productivity, manufacturing time, and quality.
The key concepts of the 3P method were developed by Toyota after the Second World War when the company no longer had the resources to continue developing products/processes in the costly manner in which it had been previously done. Using the 3P method, development requires less capital investment and creates processes with lower operating costs.
3P is a design improvement methodology that dramatically improves product/manufacturing process/support services’ value while at the same time radically reducing:
- Long and costly development cycles.
- Shortfalls on design performance.
- Design collaboration challenges.
- Over-serving customers.
- Overruns on product target costs.
- Products lacking innovation & differentiation.
- Expensive value stream design.
- Missing the mark on automation.
- Excess materials management costs.
A methodology to improve product development, manufacturing and administrative processes.
The 3P method was originally created for the development of new products and processes, but it can also be applied to the evolution of existing product or process designs. You can also use the 3P method for projects such as:
- The relocation of existing products into new or alternative infrastructures.
- In response to chronic problems, i.e. ergonomic issues.
- Facility design/redesign.
- Equipment design/redesign.
- When you’ve reached an improvement plateau and find kaizen events are no longer providing strong enough returns.
By applying the 3P methodology your products, manufacturing processes, and support service processes will consistently be designed on time, on budget, and be more customer focused, all while demonstrating a high velocity flow with quality designed-in.
It is impossible to overstate the importance of producing your product efficiently with as little waste as possible. Designing your value propositions more efficiently and less expensively than your competitors is the advantage that powers the success of industry leaders.
Productivity Innovation can help your organization bring Lean principles to your design activities using 3P. Give us a call, we’d welcome the opportunity to discuss your project and how the application of 3P could result in a big win.
Interested in learning about 3P through one of our educational events?:
