Making more money and making the world a better place are often framed as a tradeoff. 

But a better way to think about it is that production issues and carbon emissions are just different ways to measure inefficiency. When you work towards solving one metric, the other usually improves.

That’s why we offer Continuous Improvement and Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) solutions. Because they naturally work in sync.

Better performance uses less energy

Put simply, better performance leads to less waste. Less waste means each finished product takes less energy to produce.

Our Continuous Improvement software is usually used to improve three key metrics: better quality, less downtime, and faster problem solving.

Improved quality means less out-of-tolerance product is produced. When an out-of-tolerance end product is thrown out, the carbon price of its inputs is spread out through your good products, increasing their carbon footprint. When more of your inputs are going into products you can actually sell, the lower each of their individual PCFs will be.

Less downtime means your factory runs more efficiently. All that time your line is down, you’re still keeping the lights on and running other machines. Energy is a major component of a PCF. When your line runs efficiently, your energy input per product drops.

Faster problem solving can affect your PCF in a few ways. A shorter feedback loop means an issue on a line can be fixed before it has cranked out hundreds of poor quality products. Visibility into temperature fluctuations means you can quickly mend a loose oven cover - improving quality and reducing wasted energy. Shift-to-shift variation can be identified and rectified, with similarly green results.

This all also works in reverse. Each of these examples could be a key recommendation that emerges from a Product Carbon Footprint consulting engagement.

Same datasets, different calculations

The beautiful thing about the overlap between operational efficiency and sustainability is that they use very similar datasets.

Throughput, availability, and quality are the cornerstones of OEE, and they all impact the energy used to make a product. 

PCF’s laser focus on the inputs you use to make your product can be used as a forcing mechanism to find ways to decrease their amount and their cost. 

Once you have a functioning data pipeline from your factory floor to your manufacturing operations platform, the possibilities for what you can improve begin to look endless.

What’s this mean for me?

You can use sustainability goals to drive operational efficiency. Or vice versa.

And the overlap in datasets means if you have one data acquisition solution that can do both kinds of calculations, you’re in great shape.

Most customers come to us with a pressing need for either an operational or sustainability solution. But the symbiotic relationship between the two means it's easy to apply the other solution to the same factory or product. 

So why not handle both at the same time? Get carbon compliant and a lot more efficient, all at the same time. Set up a time to chat with one of our experts and we can see if it can work for your unique process.

Trying to find the root cause of production issues can be overwhelming. Modern manufacturing is a complex mechanism made up of elements that unpredictably impact each other. 

Many leading operations managers use the 4M Method to organize their challenges into discrete, solvable pieces. In doing so, they make prioritizing and solving those problems much simpler.

The 4M Method can also make implementing lean manufacturing concepts like Continuous Improvement much easier and more effective.

Ready to learn more, and find out what’s up with the fish in the image? Let’s dive in.

Origins of the 4M Method

The 4M Method, much like Continuous Improvement, has its roots in Japanese manufacturing and organization theory. 

Kaoru Ishikawa was a professor at Tokyo University who translated and taught the concepts of American management theorists like W. Edwards Deming (a founder of Continuous Improvement thinking) and Joseph Juran.

Ishikawa wanted to determine how to apply continuous improvement to processes when all variables are known. The result was the fishbone diagram (initially composed of 6Ms) shown below, out of which the 4M Method emerged.

What is the 4M Method?

The 4M Method is a way to identify and group the causes of a specific problem or effect in a manufacturing process. The four factors most manufacturers use are Manpower, Method, Material, and Machine.

Manpower

This M is about all things people - skills, operations, and resources. Common issues grouped under Man include: Lack of skills, missing qualifications, inadequate training, poor habits and behavior, and lack of motivation.

To apply the Manpower factor (yes, it sounds like a deodorant brand) to current performance, companies should:

• Organize training opportunities to improve employees’ qualifications and skills.
• Define the capabilities of each employee, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and ensure they are in the best position to succeed

To apply the Manpower factor to the future, companies should:

• Rigorously define job goals and performance indicators
• Invest in recruiting the best team members in both ability and attitude, whether through pay or other benefits

The ultimate question we need to answer is: Do my employees have the skill and the will to do what is expected of them safely, consistently and effectively?

Method

Method means the way you do things - processes, schedules, and procedures. Common issues grouped under Method include: Inadequate procedures, instructions, specifications, or responsibilities, incorrect process definitions, or not applying best production practices

To apply the Method factor to current performance, companies should:

• Create a clear production strategy with public goals and metrics, and identify tasks that will help achieve those goals
• Make sure each employee and department has tasks that match their skills and goals
• Use a software solution for visibility, analysis, and informed decision making

To apply the Method factor to the future, companies should:

• Review the percentage of errors (whether that is reflected in quality or production amount) when they apply their methods
• Ensure their security is top-notch
• Build charts and dashboard to track progress (Glassdome’s CI solution is great at creating custom dashboards)
• Review instructions for machine operation, and place them where employees can easily review them

The ultimate question we need to answer is: Do I have the processes in place to produce my products consistently and safely?

One real life example: A Glassdome confectionary client measured quality by pulling snacks off of the conveyor belt by hand, measuring them with calipers, writing down the information, and handing the completed sheet to operations staff at the end of the day.

If there was a machine fault, hundreds of out-of-tolerance snacks could be produced before the problem was spotted and fixed.

By installing the Glassdome CI solution and automating the method with real-time data collection, the quality issues were dramatically reduced.

Once the Glassdome CI solution was installed, the quality control measurer was reassigned to manage machines.

In this case, a Method fix helped resolve Machine faults quickly, and optimized Manpower. The 4Ms are all interconnected.

Material

Material means the inputs in your process - information, raw materials and consumables. Common issues grouped under Material include: Poor quality of raw materials, defective components from suppliers, poor storage conditions, sourcing delays or excess

To apply the Material factor to current performance, companies should:

• Rigorously review exactly how many materials they need in their production process
• Check how materials and inventories are handled
• Invest in technology that allows real-time review on quantities and conditions in warehouses

To apply the Material factor to the future, companies should:

• Create or automate a process to check incoming material quality
• Apply just-in-time manufacturing concepts to reduce the amount of raw materials and finished products that need to be stored for long periods of time
• Develop a supplier management system to consistently re-evaluate the caliber of your suppliers

The ultimate question we need to answer is: Do my materials meet my needs? Are there no defects or shortages? Are they being handled or moved too much? Are they stored in the right conditions?

Machine

Machine is simple. It means the equipment you use to make your products. Common issues grouped under Machine include: Inadequate care, cleaning, and inspection, inadequate or aging machines, or poor installation

To apply the Machine factor to current performance, companies should:

• Create a comprehensive maintenance plan that works with your production schedule
• Implement software that helps you see and solve issues with machine maintenance and help you predict over- or under-use of your machines
• Invest in modern machinery. It’s expensive, but just like trading in a creaky lemon for a new car it can be worth it over the long run

To apply the Machine factor to the future, companies should:

• Review their maintenance schedules and results
• Review how machines are arranged on the floor and how and when they’re used for maximum efficiency
• Check that employees are properly assigned to machines based on their skills, and how many operators the machine needs

The ultimate question we need to answer is: Are my machines capable of sale and reliable output at the quality and rate I want? Are breakdowns, defects, or unplanned downtime getting in the way of that goal?

How can I use the 4M Method? And how can Glassdome help?

By prioritizing your issues through the 4M method, you can turn an ominous cloud of problems into a structured plan full of solutions. Making continuous improvement a lot more manageable.

Continuous Improvement is all about making big improvements over time through frequent small wins. It’s a natural fit with the 4M Method’s emphasis on prioritization and visibility.

It can start with a simple checklist like the one below.

Both methodologies only work to their highest potential if you can see and analyze what’s actually happening on your factory floor. That’s where Glassdome’s real-data-based Continuous Improvement solution comes in. By seeing real machine, shift, and production data in real time, you can make informed decisions that lead to big improvements.

You’ll cut downtime, increase quality, and solve problems faster. 

Sound appealing? Get in touch with one of Glassdome’s manufacturing experts to learn more.

When it comes to manufacturing, continuous improvement means more than simply making things better. It’s an organization-wide approach to driving major change through incremental improvements. When they adopt a continuous improvement approach, organizations take established processes, break them into manageable components, and make consistent incremental improvements.

It’s a methodology born from manufacturing and designed to increase productivity and efficiency, reduce waste, and improve employee engagement and customer satisfaction. And it’s holistic: it affects everything from C-suite decision-making to company culture on the factory floor.

It’s much easier to implement continuous improvement when you work with a software partner that knows how to get your manufacturing data and turn it into the reports and analytics you need. That’s what Glassdome does.

What are the key principles of Continuous Improvement?

Continuous improvement is based on five core ideas:

Most improvement comes from small changes, not total revolution: Continuous improvement is in some ways a broad implementation of the saying “don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” Any idea, no matter how small, to reduce time-to-market, cut defects, or reduce waste is a good one.

Bottom-up change is as valuable as top-down: A culture of continuous improvement means that input from the factory floor, whether from employees or machines, is key to identifying and implementing useful changes.

Improvement doesn’t need to be expensive: Many continuous improvement initiatives lead to streamlining process steps, fixing broken processes, or reducing waste. Simple changes in mindset and better data flow can actually cut costs and save money.

Improvement engages employees: By empowering and upskilling staff, manufacturers can retain and improve the staff they already have while they refine their processes.

Improvement should be measurable: You should be able to track improvement through metrics like reduced costs, lower takt time, fewer defects, or improved customer satisfaction.

What are the origins of Continuous Improvement?

Continuous Improvement is based on kaizen. Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy and professional methodology based on creating major improvements in one’s life through small daily changes.

Kaizen was adopted by manufacturers tired of large top-down initiatives crumbling in the absence of experimentation, necessary data, and team input. They found that a consistent culture of making things better helped make changes stickier and less risky.

Major manufacturing leaders like W. Edwards Deming and Taiichi Ohno (we’ll come back to him later) codified the continuous improvement approach in methodologies like Total Quality Management and Lean Manufacturing.

Why do manufacturers need Continuous Improvement?

Manufacturing companies around the world face enormous challenges, from labor shortages, to rising input costs, to aging equipment. By implementing a continuous improvement plan, manufacturers can make themselves more adaptable, efficient, and profitable.

Continuous improvement strategies can solve multiple challenges at once. These include:

• Improving quality
• Cutting down on waste
• Lowering operating costs
• Increasing workplace safety
• Enhancing efficiency
• Increasing employee productivity & buy-in
• Reducing staff turnover
• Enhancing agility

The world continues to change rapidly. The adaptability and resilience built into companies with a culture of continuous improvement helps ensure that they don’t get caught flat footed. While competitors stall and flounder, they can quickly start evolving.

How does Continuous Improvement connect to Lean Manufacturing?

Continuous improvement approach means getting better each day through small-scale refinements and adaptations built on bottom-up input and data. Lean manufacturing is a systemic approach to increasing efficiency and cutting waste through empowering employees and streamlining processes. 

While the two are subtly different, they are naturally symbiotic. A culture of continuous improvement makes lean manufacturing work better.

Lean manufacturing has its origins in the automotive industry, with Henry Ford’s assembly line and the Toyota Production System developed by Taiichi Ohno. But the lean approach can be adopted by any manufacturer.

Lean manufacturing is built around a four-part cycle: Plan, Do, Study, Adjust. Through consistent use of this cycle, lasting changes are built and strengthened.

In that cycle, lean organizations are guided by five principles (defined in the book Lean Thinking by James Womack and Daniel Jones):

Identify Value: Understand what customers want and are willing to pay for. Deliver products and services that meet those needs in the least wasteful way possible.

Map the Value Stream: Identify and codify every step and process involved in creating and delivering your products or services. Include any delays that happen between those steps.

Create Flow: Remap the value stream to channel a smooth flow of work, focusing on the handoffs between teams and departments. Cut down on interruptions, delays, and bottlenecks to increase efficiency.

Establish Pull: Adopt a system where customer demand drives (pulls) production and material movement. By producing only what customers need when they need it, you avoid overproduction and excess inventory.

Seek Perfection: Cultivate a culture of reflection, continuous improvement, and empowered problem-solving. Create better processes by striving for perfection at the employee level.

Integrating continuous improvement with lean manufacturing leads to the best of both worlds. A culture of innovation and engagement with a structure for waste reduction and process improvement.

How can I implement Continuous Improvement?

Continuous improvement is an approach, a mindset, and a culture, built into one. The fact that it’s not one-size-fits-all makes it adaptable, but it can also leave managers wondering where to start.

Workflow tools like Kanban, systems like 5S, and techniques like Root Cause Analysis can all be helpful.

But all of them rely on good data. Good data is where impactful continuous improvement starts. Without accurate, timely information, quick and effective changes can’t be made.

That’s where Glassdome comes in.

The Glassdome Continuous Improvement solution gives you all of the data you need from your factory floor, in a form you can understand and use.

Our consultants come to your location and connect your machines to our IoT gateways to start acquiring process data. Our manufacturing expertise means we can even pull useful data from older machines, machines that use proprietary software, or machines that aren’t connected to the internet.

Once the data pipeline is established, we work with you to build a real-time overview of your processes, from basics like downtime and pace of production to advanced analytics like flight paths, takt time, and more.

With that information, you can improve your processes in real time. And with customizable, actionable reports, you can measure your progress month-over-month (or week, or year). 

Want to start implementing a continuous improvement plan? Our staff of manufacturing experts can help. Get in touch today, and let’s have a conversation.