Wood Products Case Study
The cabinet manufacturing business has a long tradition of building cabinets in a specific way. While times have changed and technology has gotten better, the processes for manufacturing wooden cabinets for this particular Stream client haven't changed—until now.
Stream saw ways to innovates two business-critical components of the client's process flow: The Custom Door Line and the Drawer Box Assembly. After a thorough observation and careful planning, Stream dramatically transformed the production process for both assemblies.
FIVE-PIECE DOOR ASSEMBLY LINE
PROBLEM
BACKED UP PRODUCT
Large batches of door rails and stiles waiting to be matched up with center panels for assembly.
SOLUTION
MATCHED PRODUCT
Door rails and stiles flow with the center panel through all of the value added process steps.
PROBLEM
SLOW COMPONENT FLOW
Doors traveled over 1,500 feet and consumed 20,000 square feet of valuable floor space.
SOLUTION
SIMPLE, ORGANIZED FLOW
Distance traveled reduced by 80% and floor space reduced by 50%.
THE RESULTS
Five-Piece Door Assembly Line
We moved from batching multiple orders together to an assembly line that produces one order, one door at a time. This change yielded:
- Boosted production with 30% fewer people
- Improved labor productivity by 20%
- Reduced door manufacturing times by 75%
- Reduced work-in-progress inventory by over 80%
- Consolidated floor space by 50%
- Reduced MIA and rework doors by 75%
DRAWER BOX CELL
PROBLEM
INVENTORY MADE 3 DAYS AHEAD
Drawer boxes were moved across the factory, lost and damaged during the travel.
SOLUTION
INVENTORY MADE 5 MINUTES AHEAD
Labor hours were reduced by 33%, distance traveled reduced by 88% and floor space reduced by 65%.
THE RESULTS
Drawer Box Assembly
STREAM completely reconfigured the dovetail drawer box assembly which yielded:
- A cellular manufacturing operation where a two-person team produces one drawer box at a time
- The production of drawer boxes 5 minutes before they are needed on the final assembly line
- Dramatically increased labor efficiency
- Reduced floor space
- Reduced lead time
- Eliminated handling damage and remakes
