1. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
Pendleton Rigid Scheduling
System Improvements
Bob Peth
Blackbelt

2. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
Charter
• Project: Develop a Robust Rigid Laminate
Scheduling System
• Team: (Cross-Functional)
Bob Peth, Richard Long, Dell Thomas, Janette Paul,Mike Coy
Ronnie Morgan, John Paulter, Vic Langley, Carol Gurley
• Completion : June 1999
Problem: Lack of a robust scheduling process causes
unnecessary changeovers, late shipments &
poor shipping output.

3. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
Objectives
• Level Load the Plant
• Optimize Finishing Schedule
• Manage Variation in Order Mix & Quantity
• Determine Order De-coupling Point
• Define One Process for B-Stage & Press
Define

4. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
Measure
Thought Process
Resolve Scheduling
Problem By
Managing
Variation
How Do We
Manage the
Variation In
Demand?
What Is the Volume
Mix By Part #
In Each Production
Step?
Where Can We
De-Couple Sales
Orders From
Production Orders?
How Do We Manage
the Chaos?
Simple
Schedule/
Simple
Production

5. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
Measure
Rigid Laminate Scheduling Process
Schedule
Based On Due
Date
KPIVs KPOVs
Sales Orders Press Schedule FIFO
Schedule
Treaters
Based On
Press Schedule
Press Schedule Treater Schedule
Finishing
Schedule
Press Output Shipped Sales Orders
The Existing Process Scheduled Based On Due Dates Alone

6. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
FMEA Highlights
Causes / Data Collection
Measure
Minimum order sizes Scheduler monitors New Bob/Ronnie 4/15/99
orders, enforces policy
Volume mix a each production step Set up master schedule for Bob/Mike 3/22/99
High volume parts
Finishing change overs Finishing coordinators schedule Dell 3/22/99
finishing equipment
Schedule Visibility Create anonymous backlog by Bob/Ronnie 3/31/99
master sheet part number
Odd rigid order volume Batch odd rigid orders twice Bob 4/1/99
per month based on historical volume
Uneven demand Enforce ATP policies & capacities Richard 6/1/99
Cause Fix Who Complete

7. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
Others
108772 UV
059 2/2
108705 65M
62T
059 1/0
110089 65M
62T
058 1/0 PHOTO
108754 UV
059 1/1
108779 UV
059 H/H
88394821204939973541013811461561397853
19.94.89.09.2
25.831.4
100.080.175.466.457.231.4
4000000
3000000
2000000
1000000
0
100
80
60
40
20
0
Count
Percent
%
Cum
Percent
Count
Master Sheet Usage in SF 2/1/99 to 3/12/99
Master Sheet
Analyze
Others
403161 UV
093 3/3
403224 UV
125 1/1
403218 UV
087 H/H
VIA
403186 UV
093 H/H
403171 UV
093 2/2
402772 UV
093 1/1
1527638851014521300216623444470695
8.62.25.712.012.219.439.8
100.091.489.283.571.559.339.8
150000
100000
50000
0
100
80
60
40
20
0
Count
Percent
Cum %
Percent
Count
Odd Rigid Master Sheets Mix YTD
Master Sheet
Findings
•80% rigid volume = 5 master
sheet parts
• 40% of odd rigid mix is of one
master sheet part number
Possible Solutions
• De-couple scheduling from
sales orders
•Schedule the press based on 5
master sheets
•Batch Process of Odd Rigid
Material

8. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
Analyze
10987654321Subgroup 0
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
IndividualValue
3/8/993/1/992/22/992/15/992/8/992/1/991/25/991/18/991/11/991/4/99Date
X=18037
3.0SL=35708
-3.0SL=365.7
20000
10000
0
MovingRange
R=6644
3.0SL=21709
-3.0SL=0.00E+00
Odd Rigids Weekly SF Shipped >.062
11653
11771
11662
11665
11655
Others
588448 251637 183207 118743 118359 90316
43.6 18.6 13.6 8.8 8.8 6.7
43.6 62.2 75.8 84.6 93.3 100.0
0
500000
1000000
0
20
40
60
80
100
Count
Percent
Cum %
Percent
Count
B-Stage Usage By Part
Part
Findings
• Odd rigid requirement was
36k sq.ft a month
• 93% of the rigid B-stage
volume is 5 part numbers
Possible Solutions
• Consolidate all odd rigids to
ship twice per month.
• Create Min/Maxes for B-
stages for the critical 5 part
numbers
• Go to 24 hour work orders

9. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
Press Schedule
Based On Due
Date
Schedule
Treaters
Based On
Press Schedule
Finishing
Schedule Dependant
On Press Output
Treat 5 Parts
93% Volume
Press 5
Parts 80%
Volume
Daily Dispatch
List/Finishing
Self Scheduled
Before After
Treater
Press
Finishing
De-couple
Master Schedule
Sales Order Backlog
De-couple Treater & Press From Sales Orders
Production Based on 80% Rule

10. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
ImprovementsImprovements
 Created a scheduling tool from the Oracle database that
allows the scheduler to monitor the master sheet mix weekly.
 Moved all odd rigid orders to batch twice a month.
Significantly reduced the absolute # of changeovers
 One process for scheduling all of the Rigid product line
including B-stage. The scheduler communicates special cause
issues in daily production meeting to the treater Ops Leader.
 Finishing is responsible for scheduling based on due date & change
overs.
 Min-max system was implemented for rigid b-stage.
 Reaction plans and standard operating procedures are in place.
 Created a scheduling tool from the Oracle database that
allows the scheduler to monitor the master sheet mix weekly.
 Moved all odd rigid orders to batch twice a month.
Significantly reduced the absolute # of changeovers
 One process for scheduling all of the Rigid product line
including B-stage. The scheduler communicates special cause
issues in daily production meeting to the treater Ops Leader.
 Finishing is responsible for scheduling based on due date & change
overs.
 Min-max system was implemented for rigid b-stage.
 Reaction plans and standard operating procedures are in place.

11. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
Standard Operating Procedures
P Press Scheduling
Purpose – Guidelines for scheduling Rigid Laminate – Pendleton SC.
Scope – Rigid Laminate Scheduling procedure
The rigid laminate schedule shall be frozen on the Wednesday before scheduled
week. This procedure shall be executed at this time.
1. Is demand equal to Capacity?
A. If yes go to #2
B. If no , is demand over capacity?
C. If yes, order must be moved out according to importance.
D. If demand is less than capacity pull order if from backlog.
2. Freeze schedule
A. Download Spares/Drop Inventory to BA24SF
B. Fill orders out of Drops & Spares
3. Download backlog into Excel file
A. Logon to Access
B. Link to Oracle database
C. Open BA24SF
D. Save Data as an Export into an Excel file
4. Sort Excel file
A. Sort file to only include next weeks backlog
B. Sort data by master sheet part number.
5. Sort Backlog using 80% volume rule
A. Top 5 master sheet part numbers are consolidated into press loads.
B. Adjust Schedule board.
C. Print press work orders
6. Schedule balance of load as “Make to Order”
A. Create press loads with “like kinds” and based on due dates.
B. Adjust schedule board
C. Print work orders for press & finishing
7. Monitor Loads Pressed/ WIP In Production
Reaction Guidelines For P Press Scheduling
(Customers)
Purpose – This document gives the scheduler authority to make
decisions when customers are involved in capacity and other
related issues in the scheduling process.
Scope – Rigid &Composite laminate scheduling.
The customer hierarchy for Rigid & Composite materials are as follows:
1. Photociruits (Both locations)
2. Circuit Wise
3. Via Systems (All Locations)
4. Dynacircuits
5. Circuit Systems
6. Tingstol
7. Distributors (1. Insulectro, 2. Tapco, 3. Midlantic)
8. Others
Control

12. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
0Subgroup 10 20
5.5
6.5
7.5
8.5
9.5
10.5
SampleMean
4/7Date
X=7.921
3.0SL=10.04
-3.0SL=5.798
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
SampleRange
R=3.681
3.0SL=7.784
-3.0SL=0.00E+00
P Press Loads Pressed By Week YTD
0Subgroup 5 10 15
2000
2100
2200
2300
2400
2500
2600
2700
2800
2900
SampleMean
15-Mar 19-Apr 24-MayDate
X=2407
3.0SL=2839
-3.0SL=1975
0
1000
2000
SampleRange
R=893.7
3.0SL=1791
-3.0SL=0.00E+00
Master Sheets Cut By Week Rigid YTD
Scheduling mix is no longer a negative contributor to production
Metrics

13. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
Results
0Subgroup 10 20
500000
600000
700000
800000
900000
1000000
1100000
IndividualValue
3/8/99 5/17Week Of
X=815805
3.0SL=1087761
-3.0SL=543849
0
100000
200000
300000
MovingRange
R=102255
3.0SL=334098
-3.0SL=0.00E+00
P Press SF Shipped By Week YTD
New Schedule
Implemented!
Production goals exceeding by reduced scheduling variation

14. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
0Subgroup 10 20
0
100000
200000
300000
400000
500000
600000
IndividualValue
3/5 5/14Date
X=319870
3.0SL=590876
-3.0SL=48864
0
100000
200000
300000
MovingRange
R=101898
3.0SL=332931
-3.0SL=0.00E+00
Master Sheet WIP P Press By Week YTD
ResultsNew Schedule
Implemented!
Master Sheet WIP Inventory has been reduced

15. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
TANGIBLESTANGIBLES INTANGIBLESINTANGIBLES
14% Increase in demonstrated capacity
Based on a $2.04/sft. ASP, potential additional sales of:
$4.2 million
Reduced the number of schedulers by 1
13% reduction of Master Sheet WIP
Scheduling simplification
causes less disruptions
and improves shopfloor
performance
Expanded systems and
process knowledge of
plant schedulers
Increase communication
between plant functions

16. Coulee Region Quality Council - September 20, 2001
• Process Knowledge is Critical
• Don’t be afraid to Change Directions! It’s important to do the right
thing!
• Simple changes in communication methods can have huge
impacts on the shopfloor.
• Key input variable is sales orders and how you manage the
variations
Learning
• Forming a Team for the multilayer area to replicate
findings/solutions ; possibly a greenbelt project
• Take learnings to other plants
• Celebrate: Recognize and Reward team members!
Going Forward