Custom Molds, Inc. , manufactures custom-designed casts for plastic parts and produces custom-made plastic connections for the electronics industry. Located in Tucson, Arizona, Custom Molds was founded by the male parent and boy squad of Tom and Mason Miller in 1975. Tom Miller, a mechanical applied scientist, had more than 20 old ages of experience in the connection industry with AMP, Inc. , a big transnational manufacturer of electronic connections.
Mason Miller had graduated from the University of Arizona in 1974 with joint grades in chemical science and chemical technology.The company was originally formed to supply makers of electronic connections with a beginning of high-quality, custom-designed casts for bring forthing plastic parts. The market consisted chiefly of the merchandise design and development divisions of those makers. Custom Molds worked closely with each client to plan and develop casts to be used in the client 's merchandise development processes. Therefore, virtually every cast had to run into fastidious criterions and was slightly alone. Orders for multiple casts would get when clients moved from the design and pilot-run phase of development to large-scale production of freshly designed parts.
As the old ages went by, Custom Molds ' repute grew as a interior decorator and storyteller of preciseness casts. Constructing on this repute, the Glenn millers decided to spread out into the limited industry of plastic parts. Ingredient-mixing installations and injection-molding equipment were added, and by the mid-1980s Custom Molds developed its repute to include being a provider of high-quality plastic parts. Because of limited capacity, the company concentrated its gross revenues attempts on providing parts that were used in limited measures for research and development attempts and in pre-production pilot tallies.
Figure 3.13 Plant LayoutProduction PROCESSESBy 1985, operations at Custom Molds involved two distinguishable procedures: one for manufacturing casts and one for bring forthing plastic parts. Although different, in many cases these two procedures were linked, as when a client would hold Custom Molds both fabricate a cast and bring forth the necessary parts to back up the client 's R & A ; D attempts. All fiction and production operations were housed in a individual installation. The layout was characteristic of a typical occupation store, with similar procedures and similar equipment grouped in assorted topographic points in the works. Figure 3.
13 shows a schematic of the works floor. Multiple pieces of various/ types of high-precision machinery, including milling, turning, cutting, and boring equipment, were located in the mold-fabrication country.Manufacturing casts is a skill-oriented, craftsman-driven procedure. When an order is received, a design squad, consisting a design applied scientist and one of 13 maestro mechanics, reviews the design specifications. Working closely with the client, the squad establishes the concluding specifications for the cast and gives them to the maestro mechanic for fiction. It is ever the same mechanic who was assigned to the design squad.
At the same clip, the buying section is given a transcript of the design specifications, from which it orders the appropriate natural stuffs and particular tooling. The clip needed to have the ordered stuffs is normally three to four hebdomads. When the stuffs are received for a peculiar cast, the works maestro scheduler reviews the work load of the assigned maestro mechanic and schedules the cast for fiction.Manufacturing a mold takes from two to four hebdomads, depending on the sum of work the mechanic already has scheduled.
The fiction procedure itself takes merely three to five yearss. Upon completion, the cast is sent to the testing and review country, where it is used to bring forth a little figure of parts on one of the injection modeling machines. If the parts meet the design specifications established by the design squad, the cast is passed on to be cleaned and polished. It is so packed and shipped to the client.
One twenty-four hours is spent inspecting and proving the cast and a 2nd twenty-four hours cleansing, smoothing, wadding, and transporting it to the client. If the parts made by the cast do non run into design specifications, the cast is returned to the maestro mechanic for revising and the procedure starts over. Currently, Custom Molds has a published lead clip of nine hebdomads for bringing of custom-fabricated casts.The fabrication procedure for plastic parts is slightly different from that for mold fiction.
An order for parts may be received in concurrence with an order for a cast to be fabricated. ln cases where Custom Molds has antecedently fabricated the cast and maintains it in stock list, an order may be merely for parts. If the cast is already available, the order is reviewed by a design applied scientist, who verifies the portion and natural stuff specifications. If the design applied scientist has any inquiries refering the specifications, the client is contacted and any alterations to specifications are reciprocally worked out and agreed upon.
Upon credence of the portion and natural stuff specifications, natural stuff orders are placed and production is scheduled for the order. Chemicals and compounds that support plastic-parts fabrication are typically ordered and received within one hebdomad. Upon reception, the com- lbs are first dry-mixed and blended to accomplish the right composing. Then the mixture is wet-mixed to the desired consistence ( called slurry ) for injection into modeling machines. When ready, the slurry is transferred to the injection modeling country by an overhead grapevine and deposited in keeping armored combat vehicles next to the injection machines. The full commixture procedure takes merely one twenty-four hours.
When the slurry is staged and ready, the proper casts are secured from stock list or from the clean and Polish operation if new casts were fabricated for the order and the parts are manufactured. Although different parts require different temperature and force per unit area scenes, the clip to bring forth a portion is comparatively changeless. Custom Molds has the capacity to bring forth 5,000 parts per twenty-four hours in the injection-molding section ; historically, nevertheless, the lead clip for managing orders in this section has averaged one hebdomad. Upon completion of casting, the parts are taken to the cut and spare operation, where they are disconnected and left over flashing is removed.
After being inspected, the parts may be taken to assembly or transferred to the wadding and transporting country for cargo to the client. If assembly of the concluding parts is non required, the parts can be on their manner to the client two yearss after being molded.Sometimes the concluding merchandise requires some assembly. Typically, this entails attaching metal leads to fictile connections. If assembly is necessary, an extra three yearss is needed before the order can be shipped. Custom Molds is presently citing a three-week lead clip for parts non necessitating fabricated casts.
THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENTln early 1991, Tom and Mason Miller began to recognize that the electronics industry they supplied, along with their ain concern, was altering. Electronicss makers had traditionally used perpendicular integrating into component-parts fabricating to cut down costs and guarantee a timely supply of parts. By the late 1980s, this tendency had changed. Manufacturers were developing strategic partnerships with parts providers to guarantee the timely bringing of high-quality, cost-efficient parts.
This attack allowed financess to be diverted to other utilizations that could supply a larger return on investing.The impact on Custom Molds could be seen in gross revenues figures over the past three old ages. The gross revenues mix was altering. Although the figure of orders per twelvemonth for mold fiction remained virtually changeless, orders for multiple, casts were worsening, as shown in the undermentioned tabular array:
Number of orders
Order size
Casts 1988
Casts 1989
Casts 1990
180747226070753405155456553546485720181064911851015105Entire Orders
230238231The contrary was true for plastic parts, for which the figure of orders per twelvemonth had declined but for which the order sizes were going larger, as illustrated in the undermentioned tabular array:Number of orders
Order size
Partss 1988
Partss 1989
Partss 1990
501009370100707265150403035200363438250252725500101214750135100022830001495000138Entire Orders
286280277During this same period Custom Molds began holding bringing jobs. Customers were kicking that parts orders were taking four to five hebdomads alternatively of the stated three hebdomads and that the holds were interrupting production agendas.When asked about the state of affairs, the maestro scheduler said that finding when a peculiar order could be promised for bringing was really hard. Constrictions were happening during the production procedure, but where or when they would happen could non be predicted. They ever seemed to be traveling from one operation to another.Tom Miller thought that he had extra labour capacity in the mold-fabrication country.
So, to assist force through those orders that were behind agenda, he assigned one of the maestro machinists the occupation of placing and hastening those late orders. However, that tactic did non look to assist much. Ailments about late bringings were still being received. To add to the jobs, two orders had been returned late because of the figure of faulty parts. The Millers knew that something had to be done.
The inquiry was `` What? ''
Questions
1. What are the major issues confronting Tom and Mason Miller?
2. Identify the single procedures on a flow diagram. What are the competitory precedences for these procedures and the changing nature of the industry?
3.
What options might the Millers prosecute? What cardinal factors should they see as they evaluate these options?Beginning: Krajewski & A ; Ritzman, Operations Management, 6th EditionDrumheadCustom Molds was founded by a male parent and boy squad in 1987 to supply high quality, custom-designed casts for makers of electronic connections, but subsequently expanded into the production of plastic parts for the industry. In recent old ages, the altering environment of the electronics industry had a profound impact on the manner Custom Molds conducts its concern and fabrication procedures. The altering gross revenues mix, coupled with bringing and quality jobs, prompted the company to revise its concern schemes to turn to the undermentioned issues:1 ) Changing tendencies in the electronics fabrication industry that caused alterations in client order demands2 ) Unpredictable constrictions in the production environment3 ) Quality issues ensuing in faulty parts4 ) Delivery times1. Major IssuesQuestion 1 - What are the major issues confronting Tom and Mason Miller?1.1 Changing TendenciesThere were several issues confronting the proprietors of the company.
First, the major issue is the electronics industry was altering in that makers were developing strategic partnerships that allowed the bringing of high quality and cost effectual parts. Besides, the nature of their concern had shifted in that the mix of gross revenues had changed with the figure of multiple orders worsening and the demand for fictile parts increasing ( Krajewski & A ; Ritzman, 2007 ) .In comparing with mold fiction and fictile portion ( see appendix ) , it is clear that plastic parts has a higher possible gross revenues than mold fiction on a larger order size. This will let Tom and Mason to believe whether it is best to extinguish mold fiction and concentrate on more towards plastic parts because of the altering environment.
1.2 Production ProcedureIssues faced by Custom Molds Inc. :aˆ? The bringing times on parts order were taking four to five hebdomads alternatively of the stated three hebdomads.aˆ? Number of faulty merchandises was on the rise.aˆ? Bottlenecks increased in the production procedure.
aˆ? Changing schemes within their clients concern demands changed order demands in an unexpected manner.There are two distinguishable procedures taking topographic point in the same installation and each procedure serves different client demands. Below is the analysis of each the procedures ( Mold Fabrication and Parts Manufacturing ) along with recommendations for the same.1.
MOLD FABRICATION PROCESS:Mold fiction is the nucleus concern of Custom Mold Inc. , and the recommended procedure is shown in Exhibit 1. Mold Fabrication requires flexibleness and quality ; hence construct of Job Shop must be applied to streamline the procedure. Following are the Recommendations to make the same.aˆ? Layout:Similar equipment or map must be grouped together and the layout of the equipment must be designed so as to minimise the stuff handling, cost and work in procedure stock lists.
Digital numerically controlled equipment should be used as it gives flexibleness to alter set-ups on the assorted machines rapidly. This will let Custom Mold Inc. to vie on quality, velocity, customization and new merchandise debut.aˆ? Standardization:To place and extinguish constrictions, Custom Mold Inc must standardise all procedures.
This means that every undertaking, every occupation, every event must be approached the same manner each clip it occurs. This includes a standard manner of technology, workholding, fabrication and transportation. With standard procedures, it will go easier to place which countries are profitable and which are non. This will enable Custom Molds Inc to look t countries, which have the most variables and do them less variables.For illustration - Fixturing / Workinholding is one of the biggest variables in every store. In a twelvemonth that has 8,760 hours, we spend 2,200.
..... to supply high quality, custom-designed casts for makers of electronic connections, but subsequently expanded into the production of plastic parts for the industry.
In recent old ages, the altering environment of the electronics industry had a profound impact on the manner Custom Molds conducts its concern and fabrication procedures. The altering gross revenues mix, coupled with bringing and quality jobs, prompted the company to revise its concern schemes to turn to to following issues:Custom Molds, Inc. was founded by a male parent and boy squad in 1987 to supply high ?µN‰ to supply quality, custom-designed casts for makers of electronic connections, but subsequently expanded into the production of plastic parts for the industry. In recent old ages, the altering environment of the electronics industry had a profound impact on the manner Custom Molds conducts its concern and fabrication procedures. The altering gross revenues mix, coupled with bringing and quality jobs, prompted the company to revise its concern schemes to turn to to following issues:1 ) Changing tendencies in the electronics fabrication industry that caused alterations in clients ' order demands2 ) Unpredictable constrictions in the production environment3 ) Quality issues ensuing in faulty parts4 ) Delivery times promised to clients were non metAnalysis1 ) Procedure InefficienciesSome of the issues presented above resulted from inefficiencies in the two distinguishable procedures taking topographic point in the same production installation at Custom Molds, viz.
the Molds Fabrication procedure and the Parts Production procedure ( Exhibit 1a and B ) . The two procedures serve different client demands. Mold fiction, a accomplishment oriented and craftsman-driven procedure, requires flexibleness and quality. Partss fabrication, on the other manus, involves a more standardised procedure that competes on bringing and low cost.
The border for parts is besides much smaller.In the mold fiction procedure, the clip needed to have the ordered stuffs for each fiction is normally 3-4 hebdomads. Merely after the stuffs are received does the works maestro scheduler reappraisal the work load of the assigned maestro mechanic and agenda the cast for fiction. The idle clip between these two stairss in the procedure significantly affects the lead clip for bringing of custom-fabricated casts.The fiction of a mold takes two to four hebdomads, depending on the sum of work the mechanic already has scheduled, ...
