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What our plants have failed to learn in 25 years

What our plants have failed to learn in 25 years

By Ned Mitenius • on June 18, 2009

Twenty-five years ago, I left the U.S. Navy nuclear submarine program. As I gained experience in civilian industry, I began to appreciate the Navy’s aplomb for reliable engineering, exceptional training and consistent operations. Their penchant for comprehensive preventive maintenance programs

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Can maintenance and operations coexist? A radical process change story

Can maintenance and operations coexist? A radical process change story

By Rex Gallaher • on May 26, 2009

My previous blog described a plant with no supervisors and with self-directed work teams that handled maintenance and operations. Most of us come from traditional plant organizations with an operations group and a maintenance group with their own supervisors and specialized skilled crafts. One of the

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Craft skills: Who are you going to call when it hits the fan?

Craft skills: Who are you going to call when it hits the fan?

By Jeff Shiver • on March 24, 2009

While it seems that every day as of late reminds us of impending doom and gloom, Neil Strauss gives us a new book entitled “Emergency” that details actions to take when disaster strikes. It was the “bonus” tip that struck home. “Make friends with your neighbors, especially

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Now more than ever, your plant needs to implement 5S

Now more than ever, your plant needs to implement 5S

By David Thompson • on January 15, 2009

One of the basic tenets of manufacturing is there is never a shortage of challenges. When times are good, the challenge is how to make more on-time deliveries with the least cost possible. In this current economic environment, the challenge is how to make on-time deliveries with the resources available.

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