1. Liston Manufacturing, Inc. is a local, diversified, build-to-print bearing (figure 1)
specialist that produces Babbi? lined high-speed bearings that are used in a variety
of industries. Founded in 1958 and named aFer the street that one of the founders
resided on, Liston Street in Tonawanda, NY, Liston started to be the only Babbi?-
lined bearing manufacturer in the Buffalo area since its incepMon in 1973. Liston’s
mission is quality, cost, delivery & customer service.
Liston Manufacturing, Inc.
A. Nuhuli, T. Fortman
Packaging for shipment at Liston is a home-grown process that has evolved through
trial and error. Overseas shipping requirements and recent packaging failures are
driving Liston to re-evaluate product packaging. The objecMves were to sit by the
management to evaluate current packaging pracMces, preform major cause analysis
for packaging failures, recommend correcMve acMons and improvements based on
best pracMces and/or packaging tools, and document future packaging guidelines.
Using our Fishbone diagram that we developed, we were able to determine
the causes of specific cases of recent packaging failures. One such example is
shown below (figure 6). The box in this case was overstuffed, which was
caused by the lack of a procedure for packing the box fully without over
packing. Another cause was a lack of box sizes as choices, which resulted in a
box size choice that was too small for the part and its packaging. For each of
these causes, correcMve acMons such as developing a procedure, were
recommended.
Using our Current State Analysis, we determined with the help of
management, which were the most important steps that needed documented
procedures. We addressed five of these steps, while creaMng four standard
operaMng procedures (one of which combined two procedures into one
document). One example of our SOPs is shown below (figure 7), which is the
procedure for washing the parts.
We also submi?ed recommendaMons to Liston, based off of knowledge of the
procedures. We determined possible improvements that could be made, both
to the procedures themselves, as well as the materials used. Such
recommendaMons include improved safety procedures, an electronic system
for automaMcally inpu_ng part informaMon onto labels, improved packaging
materials and an improved procedure, and pu_ng fragile sMckers on the
boxes.
From the beginning of our project, it was clear that the shipping department at
Liston did not have very much documentaMon for its procedures. This was
causing issues resulMng in packaging failures, as well as presenMng a risk for the
future as new workers are just trained using word of mouth procedures. Our
SOPs standardized the most pressing procedures, while also providing a
template for future documentaMon at Liston.
Our Major Cause and CorrecMve AcMon Analysis determined the causes of past
packaging failures, and resulted in recommendaMons for correcMve acMons.
These correcMve acMons included adding fragile sMckers to prevent further
handling failures by the carrier, as well as more box sizes to eliminate failures
due to under and over stuffing, as well as to reduce waste.
We also made recommendaMons that will improve the procedures at Liston,
that will promote safety, reduce wasted materials and Mme (and therefore
cost), and reduce packaging failures (reduced cost and increased customer
saMsfacMon).
Liston Manufacturing, Inc., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.listonmfg.com/>.
"Lucidchart." Lucidchart. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
<https:www.lucidchart.com/>.
Packaging Improvement and Standardization
To evaluate & understand the system, one day was spent working in the packaging
department. A process flow chart was drawn (figure 2) in order to be?er
understand the system. A Fishbone Diagram (figure 3) was made to assess the
causes of packaging failures. A Current State Analysis was used to determine the
current state of the system, and a table (figure 4) was developed to classify each
sub-procedure current state and a recommendaMon for improvement. Standard
OperaMon Procedures (SOP’s) were wri?en for assigned sub-procedure, which
follows the company format (figure 5). These SOP’s were created using an iteraMve
design method.
Fig. 3 Fishbone Diagram Fig. 2 Process Flow Chart
Fig. 4 Current State and
RecommendaMons Regarding SOP’s
Fig.5 Liston Format For WriMng procedures
Fig. 6 Major Cause Analysis Fig. 7 SOP for Part Washing
Fig. 1 Babbitt bearings produced in Liston Manufacturing