BEST PRACTICES
Best Practices for manufacturing management encompass practices aimed at promoting the timely development, production, modification, fielding, and sustainment of affordable products by addressing manufacturing and quality risks, issues, and opportunities throughout the life cycle.
APT Corp. is highly experienced in program management, systems engineering, technology development and transition, manufacturing and quality assurance, supply chain management, and implementation of best practices.
With the experience and tools to assist you in addressing affordability, cost control, productivity, and process improvement – keys to greater efficiencies and improved program performance – our staff can assist managers in achieving a balance in the design, development, and production of an affordable product.
PRODUCIBILITY
Producibility is the measure of the relative ease of manufacturing. A product is producible to the extent that it can be manufacture consistently, with high quality, by a manufacturing workforce.
Producibility should influence the design concept or chosen technical approach so that production is feasible and optimized; and the system meets performance, cost, and schedule goals.
KEY CHARACTERISTICS
Key Characteristics (KCs) are the features of a material or part whose variation has a significant influence on product fit, performance, service life, or manufacturability.
Management of KCs through use of Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Process Capabilities (Cp and Cpk) is considered a best practice.
PROCESS CONTROL
Driving improvement of manufacturing and maintenance processes through adequate
planning and effective management of variation is a best practice.
Variation is determined by collection of measurement data and calculation and monitoring of Process Capability (Cp) and the Process Capability Index (Cpk). Variation is managed by actions and controls specified in process control plans.
PPVs - FAIs - FATs
A Production Process Verification (PPV) demonstrates that manufacturing processes, documentation, and tooling are statistically capable of producing parts and assemblies that meet requirements.
First Article Inspections and Tests (FAI/FATs) formally verify that production methods have produced a conforming item as specified by contract, engineering drawings, planning, purchase order, engineering specifications, and/or other applicable design documents.
DMSMS MANAGEMENT
Management and control of Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) and Obsolescence by implementation of a management plan and process is a best practice. The plan should encompass the entire manufacturing operation, including support equipment, and include a risk-based monitoring system, and plans and procedures to mitigate risks.
SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT
Effective supplier management must include assessing the capability of the supply chain to support requirements and identifying risks as a best practice.
Risks from the supply chain can arise from sole sources, foreign sources, supplier stability, obsolescence, technology immaturity, counterfeit parts, and many other manufacturing risk areas.
RISK MANAGEMENT
Risk management is a process that begins during the earliest stages of a program and continues throughout its entire life cycle.
Risk is a measure of uncertainty - uncertainty that you will achieve program goals (cost, schedule, and performance).
Issue is a problem or consequence that has already occurred or is certain to occur and requires a resolution.
Opportunity is a potential future benefit to cost, schedule, and performance.
MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
Manufacturing technology is the technology, tools, techniques, processes, and skill sets that enable and supports the production of all manufactured goods.
Considered an industry best practice, investment in manufacturing technology provides the link between technology invention, product development, and continuous improvement.