Johnson Controls' Week Long Kaizen Event

Johnson Controls' Week Long Kaizen Events

Held at JCI facilities all over the world. Hungary, Mexico, Denmark, US.

Published: 8.9.2023

Johnson Controls - Brief Lean Background

Johnson Controls is paving the way in lean manufacturing. Throughout the years, they have invested in the way their plants operate. Not only to improve flow and production, but to improve the work for their operators by eliminating wasted time and energy. Through their one-week-long Kaizen events, serious process improvements are made. These events are happening at many of their facilities around the world.

Johnson Controls recently partnered with Shingijutsu USA. The team utilizes principles of the highly-effective Toyota Production System including kaizen, kanban, lean manufacturing and just-in-time production. Shingijutsu USA's specially trained senseis help JCI achieve greater performance and higher customer satisfaction. – from http://www.shingijutsuusa.com website.

Johnson Controls also partnered with Stream Innovation to set up Moonshine Shops at each facility and to accelerate the Kaizen process during events. (See Moonshine Shop set up below). *moo͞n′shīn″: developing valuable solutions to problems by creatively adapting materials that are on hand. It requires looking at those materials and the problems themselves with a renewed perspective of doing a lot with little. Shingijutsu USA

Before the Event:

Johnson Controls Leadership typically plans for a week-long kaizen event 2 to 3 months in advance. There is significant amount of pre-work completed, including value stream maps, observations at the gemba, spaghetti diagrams, cycle time measurements and understanding of takt times for each value stream. Johnson Controls participants analyzes data and decides on the main focus area for each value stream.

Johnson Controls also purchases a Starter Kit of Kaizen Materials and Stream’s Kaizen in a Box set of tools, work tables, hardware rack, 20+ tools and specialty hardware.

The Johnson Controls and Shingijutsu team plans for the event, including the number of teams based on focus areas, team members, logistics for supplies, while also developing a plan to minimize the impact of disruptions on production. Daily agendas are also set and communicated with team members.

Beginning of the Event:

The Kaizen event starts on Sunday afternoon with a review of the target areas and agenda for the week. Goals are typically centered around improving safety and ergonomics, reducing lead times, increasing throughput, reducing changeover times, balancing production lines to takt time to meet Johnson Controls’ customer demand and reducing floor space to open up areas to expand production.

Note, during the event, there are always multiple kaizens running at the same time. Typically 4 to 10 focus teams, with 8 to 10 people on each team. Events typically have between 50 to 100 active participants. Team leaders are assigned roles in advance, while team participants are present to roll their sleeves up, get dirty and make quick improvements. A "just fix it" attitude is highly encouraged. Titles are left at the door for the week.

Stream team members set up the Moonshine Shop with Kaizen Materials and Kaizen in a Box set of tools, work tables, hardware rack and 20+ tools, all neatly arranged for ease of use and visual management.

Pictured: Moonshine Shop set ups in 45-60 minutes.

Johnson Controls Wichita, KS facility.

Johnson Controls Lubbock, TX facility.

Monday through Thursday

The mornings consist of a quick review of the previous day’s activity, and each team quickly summarizes the plan for the day and reports on their metrics. After that, the Shingijutsu team member spends all day using a predetermined schedule to meet with the Johnson Controls teams at the gemba. They point out waste, challenging the team to reduce WIP, flow materials, make the work better for operators that provide value added work content. The Johnson Controls teams initially identifies safety issues and fixes them on the spot, if possible, or schedules Maintenance to get them fixed as soon as possible.

On Monday the teams focus on 5S to remove clutter, clean the work area, get tools and materials to the point-of-use. 5S is an improvement method focus on where the work is done. It is a Japanese acronym that can be translated into the following 5 "S's": Sort, Set-in-Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain. This gets participants familiar with the work area and processes, improves morale of operators and sets the stage for further improvements during the week.

Once familiar with the physical improvements that need to be made, the Johnson Controls team members and the Shingijutsu team member come to the Moonshine Shop to innovate with the Stream team.

All participants focusing on value streams that involve the physical environment are expected to make structures that improve flow, eliminate wasteful activities and make the work easier and better for operators. The teams make structures quickly (known as “Rapid Prototyping”). The time to go from paper sketch to completed structure often can be done in one to two hours.

From Sketch to Finish Build in 2 hours.

Johnson Controls' Juarex, MX team was challenged with making a cart to eliminate safety concerns and improve flow. Parts on the previous cart were stored horizontally, and had safety issues, and the cart was very difficult to push when loaded. Participants and Stream drew a sketch of a cart to hold the parts vertically at an angle and then made the new cart in about 2 hours. This new cart reduces push-pull force by 75% or more. Better ergo, safer cart, happier operators. Drawing of angle cart before building it.

Angled Cart completed in 2 hours.

Drawing of Angled Cart before building it.

Johnson Controls team who built the angle cart.

Stream's Kaizen Material

Fast modifications to carts, flow racks, and workstations can be made with our pre-cut, powder-coated square steel tubes.The square steel tube is precut in 6” increments with a bolt through design that has the strength of a welded joint. When a process or parts change, our material can be unbolted and easily replaced. materials can be re-used for new structures. When compared to old-styled round tube and joint systems, the best-in-class system is 5X faster. No measuring, cutting, and cumbersome assembly of complex joints. The bolt-through system is also a much stronger mechanical assembly when compared to round tube, friction fit joints. Carts, flow racks, and workstations can hold several hundred pounds and even higher weight structures can be built with the new 1"x2" 12-gage powder-coated steel tube. Thismakes it possible to build any structure participants can dream up.

3-Point Joint is as strong as a welded joint.

Thursday:

Thursday afternoon Each Johnson Control team prepares an initial “report-out”, which is a 7-minute summary presentation that contains the following: Goals for the week, Accomplishments, Challenges, and Lessons Learned. Report-outs are performed at the gemba to illustrate the many improvements made during the week. (More images shown below).

Friday:

Each Johnson Controls team provides a formal report-out. The report-outs are meant to build confidence and team rapport, as well as continually teach TPS concepts. As opposed to typical projects, these rapid improvement events typically do not leave a long laundry list of homework or action items to be performed after the project. On Friday participants receive certificates of approval for Shingijutsu training. (Show image of certifications)

Carts, Workstations, Flow Racks made by Johnson Controls Teams:

Insulation Cutting Operator to cut small, intricate parts on this quickly created Draft & Cut table.

The JCI San Antonio team designed this pick cart to get parts off of floor pallets and to reduce picking and assembly errors.

Parts on a test cart to separate parts to eliminate handling and transport damage.

Tubes are now delivered to the operator at the point-of-use using this gravity flow rack.

Shingi Event #2 2022 - Johnson Controls

Johnson Controls in Hungary working hands-on with our Kaizen Material for their second Shingi Event this year.

This is a great video demonstrating lean process improvement and building structures with ease. It is always exciting to see what designs others can come up with!

Video Credit: Levai Peter

Could your Plant use a Kaizen Week?