Aidan is a division manager at Beaded Stream $($temperature data loggers$).$ He has been tasked

with standardizing and optimizing the workflow across the production process. There are five

different tasks to complete one cable and a data logger$.$ Each logger and cable is considered to

be a system. Design the cable to meet customer requirements, assemble the data logger and

cable, bench test system, program system based on the location it will be used, test, and

validate in a controlled environment.

After speaking with the team, Aidan has found the different sections responsible for the tasks

are unaware of how many systems they are working on$,$ nor do they know what their process is$.$

Customers have started to complain that they are getting inconsistent information on delivery

time, long lead times, and some quality defects. He has determined he needs to get control of

the process; after working through a Black Belt project to remove the waste and optimize the

process, all he has left is to determine the optimal WIP to streamline throughput and get the

products to the customers as fast as possible with accurate reporting.

Aidan has asked each section to report how many systems they are currently working on$.$ In

addition, he has reviewed the production log $($data collection$)$ to determine how many systems

they are completing per day. Here are the results.

$-$ Design the system $=12$

$-$ Assemble the system $=23$

$-$ Bench test the system $=10$

$-$ Program the system $=8$

$-$ Validate the system $=4$

$-$ They are completing a total of $11$ systems per day.

A few other notes of importance to the Beaded Stream process based on their swimlane map.

They work four days a week, $10-$hour shifts. They have a morning Lean stand$-$up for $15$ minutes

to review, they take a $45-$minute lunch break, and $2-15$ minute breathers throughout the day.

Lastly, after the OEE was calculated, uptime was determined to be $93\%.$