Expert Manufacturing Advice tailored for step-by-step implementation in the workplace. Small Manufacturers, Machine Shops and CAD Engineers improve and thrive with our hands-on help.

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Manufacturing Advice at Your Fingertips
Lean Manufacturing, Product Development & CAD Engineering

 

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  • Lean Manufacturing
  • Lean Manufacturing
  • Lean Introduction: Why it’s Essential
  • Significant Benefits of Lean Manufacturing
  • Powerful Lean Tools and Techniques
  • The 7 Wastes
  • 5S - Explained
  • How to Apply and Get the Best From 5S: Practical Tips
  • Value Stream Mapping - VSM
  • Total Productive Maintenance – TPM
  • Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and the 6 Big Losses
  • Kaizen: Continuous Improvement 
  • Kaizen Blitz - Practical Application
  • Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) – The Deming Cycle
  • 5 Whys Problem Solving
  • Reducing Inventory and Work in Progress (WIP)
  • Kanban
  • Just-In-Time Manufacturing (inc SMED)
  • 6 Sigma
  • Visibility and Lean Manufacturing
  • Gemba
  • Layout and Lean Manufacturing
  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Standards
  • Embedding Lean Culture: Getting the best out of your people
  • Lean Considerations - Sustaining the Gains: What Lean Leaders do
  • Make or Buy? Outsourcing Considerations for Small Manufacturers
  • The 2 Biggest Considerations: Cost and Capacity
  • Make or Buy Decision Making: Broader Considerations
  • How Automation can Dramatically Improve Your Production Processes
  • Making it Happen: Lean Manufacturing Action Plan 1
  • Making it Happen: Lean Manufacturing Action Plan 2

    • Product Development

    Product Development

    Product Development Process and Stages

    Product Development Process and Stages

    Understanding Competitors, Market Research and Mass Customisation

    Specification and Requirements

  • Concept Design: Successfully Sourcing and Generating Ideas

    • Idea Screening: Best Fit Against the Specification

    Idea Development and Testing

    Embodiment Design: Product Functions and Assemblies

    Modular Design and Product Architecture

    Benefits of Modular Design including Modular Manufacturing

  • Detail Design: Intro, CAD Engineering, Tolerances and Fits, Materials and Manufacturing Process

    • Outsourcing Consideration, Design Standards, Research and Investigation

    Physical Prototyping and Working with your Hands

    Engineering Analysis and Product Testing

    Engineering Design for Manufacture and Assembly: Refining the Design and Gearing up for Production

    Applied Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA): Practical Guidelines for Great Engineering Design 1

    Applied Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA): Practical Guidelines for Great Engineering Design 2

    Further Design for Manufacture and Assembly Top Tips 1

    Further Design for Manufacture and Assembly Top Tips 2

    Technical Documents and Data to Assist Manufacturing and Assembly

    Production and Manufacturing Engineering

    Product Launch and Development Process Review

    What the Best Performing Manufacturers Do - 1: The right people and the right environment, simultaneous/concurrent engineering

    What the Best Performing Manufacturers Do - 2: Approval gates and reviews, resourcing, cross-functional teams, access to facilities and tools

    What the Best Performing Manufacturers Do - 3: Strong communication, process visibility, relevance to all business teams, how to move at pace

    What the Best Performing Manufacturers Do - 4: Simple processes and procedures, working to a plan, managing risks, project management

    What the Best Performing Manufacturers Do - 5: Keeping it simple, managing technical knowledge, KPI’s, adopting CAD Engineering 

    Costing Considerations and Cost Reductions

    Cost Reduction through Value Analysis and Value Engineering

    Value Analysis and Value Engineering (VA/VE): Definitions and Benefits

    Costing Design Ideas Inc. Suppliers and Manufacturing Processes

  • Big Benefits ‘Designers’ can add to the Product Development Process

    • Professional Design Expertise: Industrial Products, Human Factors and Driving Strategic Business Benefits

    Intellectual Property

  • Research and Development (R&D): The Benefits for Small Manufacturers

    • So how do you ‘do’ R&D? In-house, Outsourced and Collaborative R&D

    Practical Tips for Managing R&D

    R&D Tax Considerations

    Innovation for Small Manufacturers

    The Importance of an Innovative Mind-set

    Innovation – Technology, Business and People Skills

  • Making it Happen: Product Development Action Plan 1

    • Making it Happen: Product Development Action Plan 2

    Making it Happen: Product Development Action Plan 3

    CAD Engineering

    CAD Engineering

    CAD Engineering for small manufacturers: Why it’s Commercially Essential

  • Business Benefits: Commercial Advantages and Productivity increases

    • Business Benefits: Concept Design and Product Development advantages

    Business Benefits: Specialist Detail Design, Analysis and Simulation

    Business Benefits: Manufacturing and Production Engineering advantages

    Business Benefits: Technical Illustrations, Marketing Publications and Manuals for Servicing, Maintenance and Aftersales 

    Senior Management Backing and Alignment to Business Objectives

  • Why 3D CAD? Justifying the Investment for Small Manufacturers: Key Business Drivers for Adopting 3D CAD

    • Perceived Barriers - Why Small Manufacturers are Reluctant to Adopt 3D CAD?... and answers to show its definitely achievable for You

    The Importance of Tailoring the 3D CAD Justification to Your Specific Business: Quantify wherever Possible

  • CAD Software Evaluation and Selection: Evaluation Considerations

    • Researching and Selecting 3D CAD Software

    In-depth In-house CAD System Evaluation, Specific to Your Business

    3D CAD Implementation 1: Management support, fitting it into your product development process, cultural change and staff buy-in

    3D CAD Implementation 2: Draw heavily on your CAD supplier’s expertise, prepare your IT system requirements

    3D CAD Implementation 3: Training - rapidly embedding core CAD skills in your business

    3D CAD Implementation 4: Pilot projects, standardising for productivity gains and rolling 3D CAD out more broadly throughout the business

    3D CAD Implementation 5: The importance of reviewing the CAD implementation, overcoming hurdles and challenges

  • 3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing): Explanation and Business Advantages

    • Designing for 3D Printing – Hints and Tips

    3D Printing: Different Techniques, Technologies, Materials and Bureaus

    3D Printing Industry Trends: What everybody else is doing

  • Making it happen: CAD Engineering Action Plan 1

    • Making it happen: CAD Engineering Action Plan 2

    Making it happen: CAD Engineering Action Plan 3

    Making it happen: CAD Engineering Action Plan 4

    Helping Your Manufacturing Business Thrive


    Helping Your Business Thrive

    Do you work in, manage or own a Small Manufacturing Business?

    What about the Supply Chain?

    What Specifically do Small Manufacturing Businesses Want?

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