Join local manufacturers to celebrate and recognize those companies that share information and experiences to strengthen the local manufacturing community.
Once a year local manufacturers are brought together by the Manufacturers Alliance to celebrate their achievements. It is because of their willingness to share their experiences of what has worked and what has not, that manufacturers continue to discover new ways to add value and become more productive. Reward your employees for a job well done - invite them to this gala event. Limited seating, no walk-ins please.
Each workshop can be taken independently or sign up for both and save.
5S Improvements--Workplace Cleanliness & Organization: Learn how to improve productivity and quality by employing 5S, a necessary building block for becoming lean. Visual Management: In this hands-on workshop, learn how Visual Management can give real-time performance feedback, provide incentive to meet and exceed goals, illustrate what is expected of everyone each day and recognize a job well done. In-house sessions available-call 763-383-9445
Are you looking for more productivity and quality Improvements? Practicing 5S can impact your customer and employee image, and regain lost productivity. 5S is a necessary building block to create the discipline and pride to become lean. It builds involvement and engagement across the workforce and allows employees to show pride in their area.
This Green Belt certification is offered by the Manufacturers Alliance in a 3-part series. The series may also be credited toward Lean/6 Sigma Certification These courses will allow all attendees to participate in interactive exercises that demonstrate, in a practical manner, the application of basic 6 Sigma principles and tools. The application of these improvement techniques applies equally to the plant or office, whether service or manufacturing. Note: Our instructors are 6 Sigma practitioners with a blend of service and manufacturing backgrounds. Attendees will be required to submit a project in order to receive the certification.
6 Sigma Define & Measure - April 7, 2010 8:30 am - 4:30 pm 6 Sigma Analysis - April 22, 2010 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, 6 Sigma Improvements and Control - May 13, 2010 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
The A3 thinking is a proven and powerful approach used by Toyota and many other companies. Policy deployment enables the organization to focus on the right things to get them done. When applied to policy deployment, A3 thinking engages the organization in reflecting on past results and activities to establish a focused and effective annual plan.
Have you changed your management system to enable ongoing improvement activities?
This workshop presents a concise, behavior-based model with specific management tools. The Lean management system is built on a tier structure with practices, tools and behaviors that address organizational issues in order to strengthen integration of the “hardware” and “software” of Lean for sustained success. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
You’re using shadow boards, kanbans, and floor markings…now what? This advanced class builds from a Visual Management foundation to further enhance your visual factory. Expand your use of Visual Management techniques into the management of the entire work flow. Participants are encouraged to bring examples of current practices for discussion. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Everyone agrees that Lean Accounting is critical to the success of a Lean organization. But very few have the leadership, courage and conviction to begin the Lean Accounting journey. In-house secessions available call 763-383-9445
Improving your throughput while reducing costs & increasing capacity
Manage all of your assets for optimal uptime. Determine your maintenance intervals based on logic, not guessing. Get the near 100% reliability, repeatability, yield, and uptime needed to increase profits.
April 29th 2010 08:00 AM to 12:00 PM
at
Alquest, Inc.
Learn which concerns top the FDA's list, how to establish your system requirements, set objective criteria for assignment to CAPA, and ways to close the loop on CAPA actions in a timely manner. Whether you are with a large established firm or a start-up, our instructor can provide you with guidelines to improve your CAPA system.
Successful companies understand the competitive edge that can be gained by engaging their workforce in implementing daily improvements. Discover some effective techniques for developing a workforce idea system that builds teamwork, energizes employees, and builds a sustainable competitive advantage. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Design for 6 Sigma (DFSS) a two-day class, focuses on designing the product or process “right” the first time. The first workshop, “Capturing Customer Design Requirements” will teach critical success factors in capturing customer needs and perceptions and translating them into customer requirements and solution concepts. The second workshop, “Selecting a Design Solution Concept” will teach techniques to select critical parameters and track a solution that meets customer needs. All will participate in interactive discussions and exercises. Capturing Customer Design RequirementsWhen: April 27, Where: Maple Grove Community Center Selecting a Design Solution ConceptWhen: May 11 Where: Maple Grove Community Center.
Break down the "wall" that stands between Design and Manufacturing. Learn how to design components and assemblies that will reduce the risk of non-conformance to the established specifications and how you can introduce this concept into your company. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
DOE statistical tools can be applied to improve quality, processes, designs and many Lean and 6 Sigma problems. It is a powerful statistical method to develop mathematical transfer functions (eg. V=IR, but too complex for first principles) or relationships of a result based on complex dependencies.
Engineers will often use the logical, but expensive, method of changing one factor at a time (OFAT) while holding the rest constant. The better alternative often is DOE which reduces the number of experiments while returning greater knowledge at minimum cost! In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Members
$199.00
Save 10% by registering before
September 6th, 2010
Extended Value Stream Mapping (EVSM) builds upon the fundamentals of single-facility VSM and expands the view to all of the entities that add value to a product or service to the end customer. Learn techniques for identifying the major wastes that are outside your four walls which impact the overall enterprise.
Every new design or design/process change should be preceded by an FMEA. This will convert qualitative concerns into specific actions, identify what negative effects could occur, and make sure that all possible ramifications are understood. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Members
$199.00
Save 10% by registering before
September 4th, 2010
How can you speed design at lower risk with the right blend of Six Sigma Development tools? In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Learn how your Human Resource practices can Support Lean! Your HR team can lead and model the lean transformation for the rest of your organization. This class is all about sharing ideas, best practices and learning from our mistakes. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Great Workshop for Teams! All attendees will participate in interactive exercises that demonstrate, in a practical manner, the application of 6 Sigma principles and tools. The application of these improvement techniques applies equally to the plant or office, manufacturing or service. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Solve problems, train others and retain critical knowledge
As a Lean tool, A3 reporting addresses the root causes of problems that arise every day at work. When used properly, the A3 process dramatically increases the probability of success. Leading companies, such as Toyota, to use the A3 report to train engineers, supervisors and managers in a proven and structured problem-solving approach. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Lean Accounting provides better managerial accounting for decision-makers without disrupting the financial accounting for tax reporting. Lean reporting can be the missing link between tangible operational improvements and financial results. In-house secessions available 763-383-9445
We know all about Kaizen events, but how do you lead one? This half-day workshop will provide the education and experience that is necessary for you to lead Kaizen events. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Do you need productivity and cost improvements now? This workshop will provide the education and experience that is necessary for you to deploy rapid improvement teams at work. Interactive team exercises demonstrate, in a practical manner, the application of Kaizen techniques and principles. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Standard work for leaders is the engine that drives the lean management system and is crucial to any successful lean implementation. Learn how to develop leaders standard work appropriate for all levels of the organization. Ensure the standard work is followed and generates results as well as continuous improvement. In-house sessions available-call 763-383-9445
The cornerstone of implementing a Lean Enterprise is getting a critical mass of people on board working towards improvement. Our experienced instructor, Lynn Moline, will lead attendees through interactive discussions and exercises that demonstrate effective improvement team leadership and training. Perfect workshop for team leaders and members.
In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Assess where you are on the lean continuum and understand why. Are you backsliding, at a plateau, or gaining ever so slowly? Discover some strategies and behaviors to keep moving to the next level. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Great workshop for teams! Lean Manufacturing is the most productive, flexible, and highest quality approach to manufacturing - proven by bottom-line results. Attendees participate in an interactive business simulation that demonstrates, in a practical manner, the application of lean principles. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Lean material flow can improve the efficiency of the production operator. This course will introduce you to material movement tools, techniques and metrics and give you the ability to understand what is required in a lean material flow process. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
When setting up a Lean Material Replenishment System (MRS); we must focus on the people, the process, and the sizing. When done right, this will decrease inventories, increase material availability, and eliminate many stressful conversations between departments caused by MRP. In order to size the MRS/kanban effectively there are some fairly simple statistical techniques that can be applied. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
This workshop is part of the Lean Office Mini Series. See the Lean Office Mini Series flyer for information on all of our Lean Office workshops.
The most untapped improvement opportunities are in the OFFICE! Learn how proven manufacturing improvement processes may be adapted to office systems. Participants will experience hands-on learning of lean applications through a simulation exercise.
“You get what you measure” is a truism among managers. Therefore, it is of critical importance that you “measure the right things” to get the performance you desire. In this case, the intended outcome is performance improvement. So, don’t get caught in the trap of using historical accounting measures to measure and motivate current and future performance improvements!
Communicating with Medical Professionals. Understanding Medical Records and Literature. Whether you are monitoring patient medical records, providing technical support in the operating room, reading journal articles, or discussing research with physicians, your confidence will increase when you can quickly decipher and understand medical jargon. Certificates of attendance will be provided to be used towards CEUs and contact hours.
Join your peers to learn Poke-Yoke techniques to eliminate defects. People don’t want to make mistakes, but all workers make them. Learn how simple Poke-Yoke fool-proofing may remove the possibilities for error. Production devices or design for assembly criteria can eliminate mistakes before they happen. Achieve the reliable, continuous flow of Lean manufacturing. In-house sessions available-call 763-383-9445
Customers, employees and suppliers can tell a well-run office without a narrated tour. The visual clues are everywhere. This workshop is a straight-forward approach that impacts your customer and employee image, productivity and sales. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445.
This workshop is part of the Lean Office Mini Series. See the Lean Office Mini Series flyer for information on all of our Lean Office workshops.
Cut lead times . . . React faster . . . Eliminate more waste than ever! Office Process Mapping is one of the most important tools for the lean office. Applying lean concepts and tools to the office environment presents unique challenges. The ability to see and recognize our processes is paramount to our ability to drive process improvement. This hands-on workshop provides you with the knowledge and experience necessary to start implementing mapping in the office. In-house sessions available-call 763-383-9445
Learn to avoid added costs and conflicts between Production and Maintenance. This workshop provides examples you can use immediately. The core of these activities include manufacturer suggestions, Early Management, and Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) or historical data to select the optimum mix of planned maintenance activities. Predictive (PdM), Preventative (PM), and Autonomous (AM) Maintenance will be included. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Theory of Constraints, TOC, is an important tool for Lean Manufacturing. This workshop will provide you with the information that is necessary to start eliminating the bottlenecks in your shop and in the office. Typical improvements are lead times cut in half or better, on-time performance in the upper 90%s, and real productivity up 20% to 30%. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445.
How should dramatic change be led, communicated, supported and its barriers overcome? This workshop focuses on learning implementation best practices from successful lean transformations. Learn how to overcome resistance and biases to change. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445.
It takes more than a title and some authority to effectively lead people; ask anyone newly promoted into a leadership role! This course assists participants with understanding and developing the influence and persuasion skills that make them more effective as team leaders.In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445.
June 17th 2010 08:00 AM to 12:00 PM
at
To be announced
Process Validation Methods for Medical Devices that Promote Continuous Improvement
Process validation and continuous improvement are an important part of a successful Medical Device Operation. Completing a process change or product improvement can prove to be a long and costly process, requiring multiple process validations. This course provides insight and tools for the risk based approach to process validation, which promotes continuous improvement throughout the product life cycle. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Successful project implementation - a foundation for success. This is a practical application workshop. BRING AN ACTIVE PROJECT TO CUSTOMIZE FOR YOUR BUSINESS. Learn the critical steps which highly impact effective projects. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
Product development projects are challenging. Unforeseen technical problems, cross-functional resource allocation conflicts, and time-to-market pressures conspire to give the best project managers fits. This course will give the experienced project management professional new insight into how to improve project outcomes for complex product development projects. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
An early warning system for project performance problems Improves definition of project scope;Allows accurate communication of project status to stakeholders;Keeps project teams focused on achieving real results.
This course will outline the fundamentals of Earned Value Analysis, a predictive tool used to monitor project performance.
Learn how to eliminate knee-jerk reactions to disagreement such as backstabbing, withdrawal and self-righteous indignation. Protect productivity from the corrosiveness of “us versus them.”
Excellent workshop for machine operators! Send teams to learn how to reduce setup times and eliminate waste on virtually any operation or machine.Participants will learn the tools necessary to conduct a setup reduction event. These tools will then be applied to a simulated process where they will identify wastes, make improvements and track their progress. In-house sessions available-call 763-383-9445
Standard Work is a prerequisite for sustaining continuous improvement. Standard Work defines what workers need to do. Learn through theory, real life examples and hands-on exercises how Standard Work contributes to the results you need to stay competitive. Participants will walk away with the knowledge, tools, and confidence they need to be able to begin to apply Standard Work in their operations. In-house sessions or group rates available call 763-383-9445
March 16th 2010 08:00 AM to 10:30 AM
at
Nonin Medical
What are they and why do they matter?
Join us to hear some history on the development and importance of Industry Standards. Learn why Standards are critical to R&D strategies and a successful product launch. Our presenters will share how Standards are developed, who provides input, and how you may be able to influence which ones to apply to your own efforts. We'll range from EU and domestic to UL, FDA and SAE standards.
Note: There will be plenty of time for audience Q&A - bring your questions!
Certificates of attendance will be provided to be used towards CEUs and contact hours.
Mate Precision Tooling & Ultra Machining Company, Inc. (UMC) See & hear best practices at two successful lean manufacturers in Minnesota.
7:30 – 8:00 am Check-in at Mate Precision Tooling in Anoka 8:00 - 11:00 Presentation & Tour at Mate 11:00 - 12:00 Bus trip to Monticello, Networking and lunch on bus 12:00 - 3:00 Presentation & Tour at Ultra Machining Company 3:00 - 3:30 Wrap-up and departure back to Mate in Anoka.
Cut lead times . . . React faster . . . Eliminate more waste than ever! Send your teams to this highly rated, interactive workshop. Value Stream Mapping is one of the most important tools for Lean Manufacturing. All attendees participate in highly interactive mapping of production and information processes. In-house sessions available-call 763-383-9445
Do you know ways to manage your firm without spoken words? Visual Management can give performance feedback, provide incentive to hit goals, illustrate what is expected and recognize a job well done. Practice the fundamentals in a hands-on simulation, and see a broad array of examples. In-house sessions available-call 763-383-9445
Techniques to understand customer needs and perceptions. This interactive workshop will teach critical success factors in capturing customer needs and perceptions and translating them into customer requirements and solution concepts. When you are able to uncover and balance your multiple customer needs and perceptions, you will then be able to translate them into products that result in profits. In-house sessions available-call 763-383-9445
How do communication style differences affect your performance and your team’s? Who Should Attend?HR personnel, manufacturing managers, and those involved with teams. What will be covered? Dimensions of human behavior, communication styles (strengths and potential blind spots), modifying your behavior, verbal and non-verbal behavior styles, and understanding style differences. In-house sessions available-call 763-383-9445
