Understanding the Optimas Line Walk<\/h1>\n
The average tenure on our engineering team is 15-20 years. So, when OEM operations and engineering professionals invite Optimas experts like Director of Engineering, Steve Adkins, or Applications Engineer, Mike Eusanio, into their facility for a line walk, it\u2019s not because they have problems. It\u2019s because they want solutions.<\/strong><\/p>\n A Production Line Walk is also called a Gemba Walk<\/em>. The Japanese term Gemba<\/em> translates to \u201cthe actual place,\u201d which in manufacturing is the shop floor\u2013the place manufacturing is completed. Gemba Kaizen <\/em>is a term used to describe the concept of continuous improvement designed for enhancing processes and reducing waste.<\/p>\n A line walk brings together company leaders in purchasing, operations and engineering to see with their own eyes the way parts move through production. The experience often reveals gaps between how processes were designed and how they are accomplished. The goal is to identify potential productivity and efficiency gains while addressing logistical challenges.<\/p>\n The short answer is questions<\/em>. You can expect our experts to ask a lot of them because we bring a particular perspective in application design, installation and manufacturing engineering to fastener usage. We\u2019ll even bring in our own suppliers, if necessary, in order to share a comprehensive view of everything we can provide.<\/p>\n Conversations typically start with individuals on the ground. We get operators involved as much as possible, so we understand what they\u2019re seeing and document their challenges. Solutions are developed alongside the people they affect.<\/strong><\/p>\n Where would you like to see improvements?<\/strong><\/p>\n How does the product flow through the plant?<\/strong><\/p>\n Where is your engineering located?<\/strong><\/p>\n How hard is it to make changes through your engineering department?<\/strong><\/p>\n How is change made?<\/strong><\/p>\nWhat should you expect during a line walk?<\/h2>\n
Prior to the Walk starting or within the first cells or stages of a production line, we\u2019re looking for process improvements by asking questions to production leaders like:<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/div>
![\"stick](\"https:\/\/optimas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Optimas-April-Blog-Graphics-v2.png\" "\\"Optimas-April-Blog")
<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
![\"Green](\"https:\/\/optimas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/green-binoculars-sm.png\" "\\"green-binoculars-sm\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>