General A & E
Newsletter

Volume 1, Issue 8
April 11, 2005

•“Lean Manufacturing” – GOAL: AVERAGE LEAD TIME OF TWO WEEKS
o NC Set up times have been reduced, and we’re working on reducing them further-Our Amada EM2510 is fully operational and reducing punching times!
o Bending times are shrinking, as we improve our forming tool inventory-Cross training is proceeding with a goal of all employees knowing how to run three machines.
o The Plating Department is running faster, using more multiple part handling fixtures…insulating the tanks will reduce drying times and increase throughput-Completed-Now working on ways to reduce water usage and effluent.
o Changes to our raw material vendor base have reduced time from order to release. We continue to use our vendor rating program to improve our supply chain.
o We’ve added staff to Engineering to allow faster throughput.

Some early results:

•Orders up again over the last six months
• Rejections are at or below ½ of 1%
• We have two new stated goals as part of “lean manufacturing”:
   -“Delivery in days not weeks”
   -“Everybody can run at least three machines”

"Progress on ISO 9000":

Our registration audit is July 26th, 2004-We passed!

Latest News:

• Business is up over last year at this time and over the last six months.
• We’re in the process of setting up a “lean cell” for high quantity repeat parts.
• We will be having our first ISO annual surveillance audit this July.
• We will be an exhibitor at the Job Shop Technology trade show the week
    of May 11th. Come visit us in Fort Washington, PA!