Need to improve your “Pre-Series Parts” handling process?

24th March 2011

One of the biggest headaches when developing a new product, model, or model revision, is the sourcing, sequencing and recording of ‘pre-series parts.’ Some of which may be prototypes and all of which are low volume.

Arriving from all over the globe, suppliers of these parts may not even be the long term volume supplier. However, these ‘pre-series’ parts mature through iterative engineering processes and are fitted to different phases of pre-production cars. Which means it is critical to understand which parts, from which tools are being fitted to which cars.

It’s made more complex by the speed of change in a development environment.

The process from when the initial order is placed with the supplier, up to the part being on the shelf in the New Parts Store, is often made more complex by the speed of change in a development environment.

Each pre-series part consignment therefore is accompanied by documentation which certifies the specification achieved. The note provides the specific generation level (maturity of both the part and the tool that made it).

Matching each part to its documentation is critical - without the documentation the part cannot be used.

“The administration required to maintain this control routinely involves several functions within the manufacturers team; all logistics partners within the supply chain and the part suppliers themselves, each of whom has a variety of differing requirements and deliverables.

The key to streamlining this process is to analyse the whole process, this can only be achieved through partnership, full transparency and a willingness to cooperate. Something we achieved to great effect and with significant improvements to the overall process”.

Mark Cranidge - Operations Director, Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive

A three day workshop to achieve a single set of business targets

Representatives from the parts suppliers, Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive Management team, the OEM logistics project team and several other logistics suppliers within the supply chain attended a three day workshop. Held at the end of April 2010, this multi-faceted partnership enabled a single set of business targets to be set.

This included:

• Process pre-series parts from receipt to shelf (i.e. dock to stock) in less than eight hours
• To reduce the concerns (i.e. pre-series parts arriving with incomplete paperwork, or without order coverage) by 50%

The newly combined logistics project team mapped out the current process within the workshop, from when the pre-series part is ordered, to when the part is on the shelf and ready for picking to be eventually sent to the manufacturing track.

Next, the process was analysed, with areas of ‘waste’ or unnecessary activity being identified. This was used to create a future state, where the waste was removed to meet the agreed business targets.

The team broke the future state down into four distinct elements:-

• Deliver a smooth JIT (Just in Time) delivery profile for pre-series parts incorporating necessary documentation
• Get parts into and in SAP (Warehouse management and Purchasing System) as soon as possible via a single cell activity
• Record, resolve and reduce the number of ‘concerns’

During the improvement event it was clear to everyone involved that by looking at the whole process, “The Value Stream”, from end to end, there were considerable opportunities for improvement. Rudolph and Hellmann’s experienced logistics management team were a major contributor to this part of the process.

To date, stage one of the project has seen a significant improvement in moving closer to the main objectives identified in the initial brief.

The realisation of the “future state” is ongoing, with implementation of what we call the “single cell” and the “concerns process” that are now being finalised to build on this success.
 

Here’s how the 360 onsite logistics audit and assessment works!

Put us to the test, what have you got to lose?

Contact us for a FREE ‘on site' logistics audit – carried out under a non disclosure agreement - our findings will be reported in full confidence and will provide a detailed analysis of where savings and improvements can be made.

_{There’s only one condition - you must be UK based and be operating in the automotive sector, with a head count of around 25 - 30 or more operating in logistics roles.}