Incorporating The Lean Cell Process Into Repair Stations

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Individual Project (Proposal)

Phillip S. Gullatt

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

ASCI 490 Aeronautical Science Capstone Course (Proposal)

Submitted to the Worldwide Campus

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of

Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics

Abstract

The sole purpose of the project is to improve time deficiency and cost effectiveness through the overall overhaul and repair capability of the General Electric (GE F108-100, 200, and 201) turbo fan engine. The scope is through the development of an engine overhaul process for scheduled repair, non-scheduled repair, and technical order time compliance for a class rating to be added to a 14 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 145 overhaul facility. The description of this process identifies a cradle to grave concept, from the beginning induction process for disassembly and inspection of serviceable, non-serviceable, and condemned parts. Teams will be responsible for disassembly and inspection of the engine by sections of Quick Engine Change (QEC) kits, Low Pressure Turbine (LPT), Core Module, Accessory Gearbox Module (AGM), and Fan Major Module. The methodology is based off of the Six Sigma process created by the Motorola Company, later adopted by General Electric following the regulations outline in the 14 CFR 43 for an engine repair facility.

Proposal

This project will take on the form of an individual project.

Incorporating the Lean Cell process into Repair Stations

Statement of the Project

The researcher will develop an engine overhaul process for a class rating to be added to a 14 CFR 145 repair facility. The researcher will analyze the requirements for engine overhaul of the (General Electric F108-100, 200 and 201 engines) to include a determination of facilities needed, the cost requirements of operations, logistics of ordering and stocking parts, and employee qualifications and training. Further, the researcher will determine the regulatory requirements with local, state, and federal regulations as it relates to the operations and management of the facility.

Program Outcomes Addressed

Critical thinking. The researcher will apply knowledge at a synthesis level to define and solve problems within professional and personal environment.

The researcher will explain the collaboration of the lean cell process using the Six Sigma concept developed by John F. Mitchell of the Motorola Company and how the organizational processes are effective through the use of the six sigma steps. Critical thinking concepts of traditional propulsion engine manufacturing, takes a significant amount of time, cost and resources. The researcher will collect and evaluate information into demonstration of the lean cell process that will make the engine line run efficiently. The researcher will solve problems and will reveal solutions by applying knowledge of the six sigma lean processes by defining the goals, measuring the current process, analyzing the defective factors, improving the process through experimentation, designing steps of the process, and verifying the process effectiveness within professional and personal environments.

Quantitative reasoning. The researcher will demonstrate the use of digitally-enabled technology (including concepts, techniques and tools of computing), mathematics proficiency & analysis techniques to interpret data for the purpose of drawing valid conclusions and solving associated problems.

The researcher will demonstrate the use of digitally-enabled technology by use of Microsoft Excel to create waterfall charts as a model of tach time of each stage of the process and analyze techniques using grammatical equations to define and interpret issues of the engine overhaul process. The researcher will use waterfall charts to illuminate the process through color coordination with green, yellow, and red to signify progression or delay of any process. Financial data will illustrate the past and current state of the General Electric F108 overhaul facility through recent changes in the cost of materials, overtime labor, storage fees, and logistics.

Information literacy. The researcher will conduct meaningful research, including gathering information from primary and secondary sources and incorporating and documenting source material in his or her writing.

The researcher will provide evidence through the means of interviewing employees, current and past financial reports from the facility, using articles, textbooks, and scholarly journals through the Hunt Library and related websites. All interviews will provide meaningful feedback as a primary source from employees on how the processes affecting each individual in the facility. The researcher will use textbooks and journal sources, reiterate concepts to outline to explain process outcomes. The researcher will use company website information to incorporate the ideology of the project and document conclusions supported by factual evidence.

Communication. The researcher will communicate concepts in written, digital, and oral forms to present technical and non-technical information.

The researcher will communicate the written process that follows the American Psychological Association, 6th Ed., by using Microsoft Word. The researcher will explain the lean cell process using Microsoft Power Point presentation. The researcher will be using Microsoft Excel, Power Point, and Word to collaborate reports, charts, graphs, and concrete data to help explain the success of the General Electric F108 overhaul facility lean cell process. Furthermore, the researcher will respond to questions after the presentation to illustrate his knowledge of the project’s contents.

Scientific literacy. The researcher will be able to analyze scientific evidence as it relates to the physical world and its interrelationship with human values and interests.

The researcher will explain the scientific literacy of human factors and interest that play a role in the success or failure of the lean cell process. The interrelationships will identify the weakest link and help identify physical and ergonomic needs of the maintenance personnel and help resolve underlying issues such as tooling, technical instruction revisions, and work control documentation. The project will magnify the processes so that management can evaluate the cost effectiveness, Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) requirements and investing in long term improvements based on budget analysis to meet the goals and interest of the General Electric Company.

Cultural literacy. The researcher will be able to analyze historic events, cultural artifacts and philosophical concepts.

The researcher will provide evidence of historical events of previous aeronautical engine manufacturing methods that improved safety, quality, and production. The project will explain the effects of how the lean six sigma process has benefitted repair station facilities. The project will explain the changes of aircraft engine manufacturing since World War II when aircraft engine production was at the pinnacle of mass production. The project analysis will enlighten the historical significance of different processes created to improve aircraft engine production and the changes in technology.

Lifelong personal growth. The researcher will be able to demonstrate the skills needed to enrich the quality of life through activities which enhance and promote lifelong learning.

The researcher’s completion of this project and as a certified jet propulsion mechanic of the General Electric F108 at an engine overhaul shop, and his attendance at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will enhance the pursuit of a Bachelors of Aeronautics and will be the key to enriching the quality of life and performance of the GE F108 shop. The benefit will be production superiority and demonstrating the skills needed to accomplish the any given task. Enhancing the GE F108 engine line will be achieved through strategic management of the lean cell process. The goal is to be the first engine manufacturer to reach full disassembly and assembly in 55 days or less. This will be a challenge; however, with the tools provided by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, success of the lean cell process will be the greatest accomplishment. In essence, it will promote lifelong learning and more innovation for future generations as the world of aviation progresses through the twenty-first century.

Aeronautical science. The researcher will demonstrate an understanding and application of the basic and thus advanced concepts of aeronautical science as they apply to the aviation/aerospace industry for solving problems.

Aeronautical science is a cornerstone to the researcher’s ability to demonstrate his knowledge while building upon his career in the aviation industry since 1999. The researcher’s project will demonstrate the application of problem solving skills needed in aviation safety, strategic management, advanced computer science, business communication, industrial manufacturing, and logistics. The researcher will analyze and report the findings of others in this profession, thus adding to the world-view body of knowledge.

Aviation legislation and law. The student will engage and discuss to present an understanding and application of basic concepts in National and International Legislation and Law as they pertain to the aviation/aerospace industry.

The project will define the aviation industry laws and federal regulations that must be met in order to be within compliance of any operating 14 CFR 145 engine overhaul shop. The researcher will use the federal, state, and local aviation legislation and laws in demonstration of the effects of FAA regulations, labor management relations, and other company relevant involvement. This will involve the lean cell process and how it will positively and negatively affect the production of the F108 jet engine. The project will be encompassing the Code of Federal Regulations, as applicable. The researcher will demonstrate concepts of how laws and legislation can influence the national and international jet engine overhaul production.

Aviation safety. The researcher will compare and discuss in written and spoken formats an understanding and application of basic concepts in aviation safety as they pertain to the aviation/aerospace industry.

Common ground in the aviation industry is always safety first. The researcher will discuss how the lean cell process and the Volunteer Protection Program (VPP) go hand in hand. The combination allows the mechanic to produce a safe, quality product in a short period of time by minimizing the risk of endangering personnel, equipment, and final product through the six steps of Operational Risk Management. Breaking down the engine into individual processes helps to minimize the threatening exposure to hazards in the workplace. VPP empowers employees to help make changes to existing work environment and increase the shops ability to succeed with the lean cell process.

Aviation management and operations. The researcher will present and illustrate an understanding and application of management activities as they apply to aviation/aerospace operations.

The researcher will present and illustrate how to strategically manage a jet engine production line with time management, logistics, training, human resources, and production techniques. The whole lean cell process will change the way the engines are shuffled through the overhaul process. Managing local manufacturing of parts and contracts of outside vendors that produce aerospace parts will be key to keeping a warehouse stocked with new and remanufactured engine parts with the ability to create a ceiling of assets on hand to be to maintain the monthly production goal and managing a budget to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse of the company’s resources. The researcher will explain the importance of having a training manager that will track the progression of any sign employee and how their completion of training tasks increases the performance of the engine line. In management, human resources play a large role in providing performance reports to the employee; allowing for feedback on how to improve the incentives reward programs; and most importantly, unit cohesion through moral boosting group functions. The project will show that the greatest tool in management’s toolbox is the people turning the wrenches every day.

Incorporating the Lean Cell process into Repair Stations

Lean Manufacturing Process

Definition: Lean manufacturing is the process of analyzing the flow of information and materials in a manufacturing environment and continuously improving the process to achieve enhanced value for the customer and the enterprise. Lean focuses on the reduction of waste wherever it may be found. (Mazak Corporation, 2012)

In the process of critical thinking is incorporating the Lean Cell process into a Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 145 Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 14) repair station and title 14 CFR 43 and 91 General Aviation Maintenance. Before beginning the lean cell process the facility must meet FAR Part 145.5 certification and operational specific requirements:

No person may operate as a certificated repair station without, or in violation of, a repair station certificate, ratings, or operations specifications issued under this part.

The certificate and operations specifications issued to a certificated repair station must be available on the premises for inspection by the public and the FAA.

(Repair Stations, 14 CFR pt. 145, 2012)

To be able to be classified as a FAR part 145 repair station with a Class 3 rating outlined in FAR 145.59 and limited ratings outlined in FAR 145.61certain criteria must be met to fulfill the certification requirements necessary to operate within the guidelines of FAA standards, Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) regulations, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The application requirements are mandated by FAR 145, Title 14 CFR 145:

An application for a repair station certificate and rating must be made in a format acceptable to the FAA and must include the following:

A repair station manual acceptable to the FAA as required by § 145.207;

A quality control manual acceptable to the FAA as required by § 145.211(c);

A list by type, make, or model, as appropriate, of each article for which the application is made;

An organizational chart of the repair station and the names and titles of managing and supervisory personnel;

A description of the housing and facilities, including the physical address, in accordance with § 145.103;

A list of the maintenance functions, for approval by the FAA, to be performed for the repair station under contract by another person in accordance with § 145.217;

A training program for approval by the FAA in accordance with § 145.163.

The equipment, personnel, technical data, and housing and facilities required for the certificate and rating or for an additional rating must be in place for inspection at the time of certification or rating approval by the FAA. An applicant may meet the equipment requirement of this paragraph if the applicant has a contract acceptable to the FAA with another person to make the equipment available to the applicant at the time of certification and at any time that it is necessary when the relevant work is being performed by the repair station. (Repair Stations, 14 CFR pt. 145, 2012)

In addition to meeting the other applicable requirements for a repair station certificate and rating, an applicant for a repair station certificate and rating located outside the United States must meet the following requirements:

The applicant must show that the repair station certificate and/or rating is necessary for maintaining or altering the following:

U.S.-registered aircraft and articles for use on U.S.-registered aircraft.

Foreign-registered aircraft operated under the provisions of part 121 or part 135, and articles for use on these aircraft.

The applicant must show that the fee prescribed by the FAA has been paid.

An application for an additional rating, amended repair station certificate, or renewal of a repair station certificate must be made in a format acceptable to the FAA. The application must include only that information necessary to substantiate the change or renewal of the certificate. (Repair Stations, 14 CFR pt. 145, 2012)

Housing requirements

According to FAR 145.103 every repair station must have facilities for equipment, materials, and personnel that are consistent with its rating. The facilities must perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, or specialized services for which it is rated. Facilities must include sufficient work space and areas for the proper segregation and protection of materials. Suitable racks, hoists, trays, stands, and other means of segregation for the storage and protection of all materials. Space sufficient to segregate articles and materials stocked for installation from those articles and ventilation, lighting, and control of temperature, humidity, and other climatic conditions sufficient to ensure personnel perform maintenance to the standards required by this part. A certificated repair station may perform maintenance outside of its housing if it provides suitable facilities that are acceptable to the FAA and meet the requirements of § 145.103, so that the work can be done in accordance with the requirements of 14 CFR part 43. (Repair Stations, 14 CFR pt. 145, 2012)

The Team

First, members of the engine repair station are selected to be on a team based on experience and expert knowledge of the engine overhaul process consisting of management, engineers, mechanics, logistics, schedulers, and programmers. The team must set a goal so that the ideas presented will provide a road map to success. The goal was to be the first engine line to overhaul an engine in 55 days by increasing cost effectiveness and loss of man hours. The motto was to be "First to 55." Lienneweber, T. (2013, April 9) Personal Interview.

Six Sigma

Now that the goal was set the team collaborated together to come up with ideas on how to correct problems and increase efficiency of the jet engine overhaul process. The team’s concepts wrapped around the idea of using the six sigma process developed by John F. Mitchell of the Motorola Company. The five phases of Six Sigma are:

Recognize the problem

Define the problem

Measure current process

Analyze cause and affect

Design new process based on analysis

Control process and eliminate defects

The Five S process developed by Taiichi Ohno of the Toyota Company used in production methods are:

Sorting (Seiri): Sort through all tools, materials, manuals, and documents in the facility keeping only the items that are essential. Prioritize tools, materials, and documents required and keep each item in organized easy to find places. Discard everything else.

Straightening (Seiton): Arrange tools, parts, manuals, and documents in order of what is used from first to last. Make these items easy to locate.

Sweeping (Seiso): Keep all work areas, tools, and equipment clean, organized, and in each individual designated area when not in use.

Standardizing (Seiketsu): Standardize all work areas according to the task. Every employee will be responsible for knowing the work area outlined with the same tools, parts, manuals, and documents. Even though some processes of manufacturing are different, all areas should be under the same guidelines.

Sustaining (Shitsuke): Maintain the five steps of the process and review standards for any changes and adjust accordingly. Always keep in mind of new, better, and safer ways to improve the process. Remember the process is always changing. Provide issue resolutions to any problems and address each of them accordingly. Make it a goal to constantly improve the process. (Henderson, 2013).

Each team member came up with different ideas on how to organize the shop, maintenance crews, work control documents, parts, warehousing, and tooling without interfering with safety, quality, and production. As each idea is presented, all members of the team will put it to a vote. The team champion, a member of upper management finalizes each decision made by the team .The team champion is the leader of the team but is not the deciding team member. Depending on if the idea will affect safety, quality, or production the team will incorporate the idea into the process. The first thing that was addressed was the shop layout. The work areas needed to be moved into the most ergonomic position to ultimately move the engine from station to station as the motor was disassembled and then assembled. On one side of the isle is the core and accessory gearbox module disassembly areas on the other is the low pressure turbine disassembly area. This is to prevent congestion of the disassembly process and allows the engine to move down the line and all of the parts are funneled into the PLS area. Then out of the PLS area funnel the new parts to the assembly areas. To start the assembly process the fan module will be put into a rolling maintenance stand and assembled, then the accessory gear module is installed. Once the hierarchy is established the completed fan module will roll to the next station between the core and LPT assembly areas, rolling on to the final stages of quick engine change kit and preparation for testing. The beginning of the process was to breakdown the engine overhaul process into 4 gates:

Gate One: Is the induction, disassembly, inspection, and routing process of parts for the engine. All parts will be routed accordingly, classified as serviceable, unserviceable, and condemned.

Gate Two: Is the logistics handling of parts, materials, and hardware.

Gate Three: Is the inspection and assembly process of the engine.

Gate Four: Is testing and final preparation of the engine.

Disassembly

In Gate one the kit cart system is most important because of the ability to remove any piece part and hardware and have a designated place for it to go. Before the carts the parts used to be labeled and placed on a shelf that wasn’t organized. By doing this, the engine will have to be segregated into different modules to minimize time restraints during the disassembly process. The process has maximized the potential of each crew member by training them to be proficient on one module, documenting their training records, and then move on to the next module. Now all of this time management must be delegated in the crews Work Control Documents. Each work control document will reflect what module or piece parts it is affecting. All WCD’s are broken down in the order of removal, not deviating from technical manuals.

First the Quick Engine Change kit crew would remove all QEC components to include the starter, starter duct, fan duct adapters, tube bundle, alternator, hydraulic pump, integrated drive generator(s), nose cone, tail pipe assembly, and motor mounts. All of the parts are inspected and tagged appropriately and placed on a kit cart, or preferably known as the QEC cart. All unserviceable/ repairable items will be tagged and shipped out for servicing or remanufacturing and condemned parts are either trashed or placed in the scrap metal bin to be recycled. Now there is a method to this madness, by the QEC crew removing all of these external components, they have isolated all of the individual modules. The second part of the process is to remove the Low Pressure Turbine. The LPT crew is responsible for removing the module and sending the LPT module to the LPT disassembly/assembly area for processing. Like the QEC kit cart there is an LPT kit cart which holds the air/oil separator, the aft sump cover, LPT cooling manifolds, oil supply/return lines, and related hardware. Next is the removal of the core and the accessory gearbox module. These processes can be done simultaneously. These parts are combined with the AGM parts on the AGM/Core kit cart. Finally the only thing left is the fan assembly, again these parts, if serviceable will be tagged and placed on the fan kit cart. Now that the engine is disassembled, each kit cart has a master inventory/order sheet that covers all of the related parts and hardware that are retained on the cart and the parts that need to be ordered through the Parts Logistics System.

Logistics

In Gate two, the Parts Logistics System is responsible for making pickups of the kit carts that were filled with serviceable parts. When the kit carts reach gate 2 each cart is inventoried and all parts needed will be ordered or transferred for the Defense Logistics Agency. Gate 2 only lasts 14 days which is not a lot of time for external vendors to fill orders, so to save time in the parts logistics process a 100% order sheet was created to give DLA more time to receive the parts and to insure they are on time. When the motors are inducted to the repair station, all 100% replacement items are ordered to cover time constraints of the logistics system. This gives time for other vendors to fill orders from PLS. One way this could be avoided is to have a parts warehouse where at least 10 engines worth of parts are stored in the warehouse ahead of time. This allows the parts logistics team to keep a cap on the amount of money expended on shipping and handling of the expensive parts, not to mention wait times which can slow production, offset takt time and prevent the monthly quota from being meet.

Assembly

Gate three is the assembly process with individual crews assembling different modules of the motor. Again the individual crews allows for consistency of training to learn the modules of the engine quicker and through repetition each individual would become subject matter experts of their area. No individual maintainer is locked into their position. The point of creating crews was to establish the most certified and best qualified talent for the job and allowing individuals to move to different areas every 120 days prevents stagnant-complacent work ethics. By creating a progression ladder each individual should become a master technician as they learn each module, manuals, and documentation. The assembly process begins with multiple modules being assembled at the same time to include the fan, accessory gearbox, core, and low pressure turbine modules. Once completed based on each modules takt time, the modules will be installed into the fan module all the way to the QEC kit. Finally when the engine is assembled, the seasoned maintainers will borescope the whole engine for defects and give the engine a sweep for defects twice by a different set of eyes. Finally the engine is prepped for engine run testing.

Test and Preparation

Gate four the engine is routed to the engine test cell where engine run qualified maintainers will prepare the engine with the necessary test cell rigging equipment. Each engine is motored to circulate the engine lubricating system then the engine is started and run at idle for at least 5 minutes to check for any leaks or any other defects before taking the engine to power. This is to prevent any damage. Once the engine is run to power they check all systems to ensure that they are operating properly. If no defects are noted and engine vibrations are within limits then the engine will pass. Then the engine will be routed to final prep to be bagged, sealed, and put on an engine trailer for shipment. Then the certified engine will be routed through the Defense Logistics Agency.

Taktzeit (Cycle Time)

Through quantitative reasoning the whole lean cell process can be tracked through the use of a waterfall chart created using Microsoft Excel that shows where the engine is in the process. The waterfall chart is a model of tach time illustrating each stage of the process that focuses on color coding stair stepping down to the finished product. Anything ahead of time will be blue, on time is green, anything delayed is yellow, and anything late is red. The waterfall chart below demonstrates takt time based on the two day concept.

When the process starts the clock is ticking and the engine takt time is moving every two days based on the process. The age old saying stands true "Time is Money." The former flow days for the General Electric engine line was 106 days now reduced to 55 days by analyzing disassembly, logistics, and assembly process techniques created by the lean cell team. The results were amazing to say the least. Using the grammatical equation of Taktzeit which means cycle time in German, is used to define and interpret issues of the engine overhaul process. (Kumar & Kumar, 2012, p. 745)

The equation is illustrated as: T= Ta/Td

T = Takt time (production time every 2 days)

Ta = Time available for net output (production time)

Td = Time demand (production time required per period)

If the equation is broken down into a gross time of an 8 hour shift minus a 45 minute lunch and two 10 minute breaks, 10 minutes for a morning briefing and 10 minutes for foreign object debris (FOD) walks, then the net available time to work equals 480 – (45 + 20 + 10 + 10) = (395 units/ 60 min) equals a net available time to work of 6.6 hours. If the goal is to assemble an engine every two days in a matter of 55 days then T = Ta/Td (55/6.6 = 8.33 units) must be accomplished every day to meet takt time. Each unit represents a piece part or module of the engine. So all of the modules can be assembled at the same time but must meet the allotted units per day to stay on takt time or overtime will be necessary to bring the process back up to takt time. (Zwirko, 2008, p. 16)

Financial Analysis

The past financial and statistical data of the process showed that the cost and time effectiveness to build a GE F108 was approximately 2.7 million dollars with a total of 848 man hours expended to produce one engine. The facility was running three 8 hour shifts with differential pay on the swing and grave shift, but by implementing the lean cell process the F108 engine line reduced to one shift with a 20% cost avoidance of labor, a 50% reduction in flow days, a 30% reduction in work in progress (WIP), an increase of 25% in production output, and a 20% increase in test cell pass rate. So to recap the total of money and time saved is $540,000 in cost avoidance in labor per engine, a total of 53 days to produce an engine, 594 man hours expended, an increase from 10 engine a month to 12.5, and a test cell pass rate of 82% for an overall customer savings of 20% and time delivery. "It’s only a simple math equation." Lienneweber, T. (2013, April 9) Personal Interview.

Safety and Ergonomics Aspects

Leading into the physical world, the problem that the propulsion engine mechanics experience the most was ergonomics problems of having to chase down tooling, maintenance stands, and other equipment. The mechanic would put more stress on their bodies causing an increase in sick leave absences. When the six sigma study was done and all of the information compiled, it was clear that the lean cell team needed to come up with a better way of controlling shop tooling and equipment. The idea was to create individual crews for each module of the engine. This isolated the tooling and equipment to each particular crew and kept the materials centrally located for that particular team. Some equipment and tooling is extremely heavy and can be dangerous, so by minimizing the movement of the tooling has reduced injury rates and fatigue. More items were implemented to aid in ergonomics like rubber mats, ladders, remote crane systems, maintenance stands that surround the modules 360 degrees and parts delivery on site. The reduction in foot work allowed the maintainers to do their job which is turning wrenches not scavenger hunting. All equipment and safety meets Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) standards in accordance with 29 CFR 1910 General Industry Regulations. To ensure safety is monitored, the GE F108 engine line adopted the Volunteer Protection Program (VPP) which empowers the employee to identify hazards or safety issues in the work area. To help prevent incidents or accidents the shop conducts a VPP checklist every day that covers everything from tripping hazards to fire extinguishers. This allows the employee to address the problem right then, file a near miss report, or submit an issue resolution. This form of reporting keeps a history so that the safety program manager can address these items promptly.

Historical Manufacturing

Thanks to Henry Ford’s automobile assembly line the idea of manufacturing changed forever. When World War II started, the production of aircraft and engines were slim, but with the help of automotive manufacturers, the plants were transformed into aircraft producing machines and with the experience and knowledge of die makers, machinists, and fabricators. From 1939 to 1944 the principle models were the Wright models R-1820, R-2600, and R-3350, Pratt and Whitney models R-1830, R-2000, and R-2800, Allison model V-1710, and Rolls-Royce model V-1650. All together the production lines combined only produced 4,016 engines, but with the streamlining of the manufacturing process that the auto industry introduced, the engine assembly lines progressed delivering a grand total of 232,179 engines to the war fighter. Now reflecting on manufacturing today the safety guidelines were probably not as strict as they are now but, the regulations were put into place for a reason. It is for certain that in the 40’s manufacturers were moving metal.

Industrial Growth

The lean cell process through creative thinking has demonstrated the skills necessary to promote lifelong growth especially in the aviation industry of manufacturing. Through the focus of grammatical equations, computer literacy, and historical documentation the lean cell process it introduced a whole new aspect of creating and managing new ideas for the future of aviation manufacturing and with creative thinking like the lean cell process with a collaboration of great ideas like six sigma and the five S’s can strive for new goals and achieve them through talented individuals.

Aviation legislation and law. The student will engage and discuss to present an understanding and application of basic concepts in National and International Legislation and Law as they pertain to the aviation/aerospace industry.

The project will define the aviation industry laws and federal regulations that must be met in order to be within compliance of any operating 14 CFR 145 engine overhaul shop. The researcher will use the federal, state, and local aviation legislation and laws in demonstration of the effects of FAA regulations, labor management relations, and other company relevant involvement. This will involve the lean cell process and how it will positively and negatively affect the production of the F108 jet engine. The project will be encompassing the Code of Federal Regulations, as applicable. The researcher will demonstrate concepts of how laws and legislation can influence the national and international jet engine overhaul production.

Aviation safety. The researcher will compare and discuss in written and spoken formats an understanding and application of basic concepts in aviation safety as they pertain to the aviation/aerospace industry.

Common ground in the aviation industry is always safety first. The researcher will discuss how the lean cell process and the Volunteer Protection Program (VPP) go hand in hand. The combination allows the mechanic to produce a safe, quality product in a short period of time by minimizing the risk of endangering personnel, equipment, and final product through the six steps of Operational Risk Management. Breaking down the engine into individual processes helps to minimize the threatening exposure to hazards in the workplace. VPP empowers employees to help make changes to existing work environment and increase the shops ability to succeed with the lean cell process.

Aviation management and operations. The researcher will present and illustrate an understanding and application of management activities as they apply to aviation/aerospace operations.

The researcher will present and illustrate how to strategically manage a jet engine production line with time management, logistics, training, human resources, and production techniques. The whole lean cell process will change the way the engines are shuffled through the overhaul process. Managing local manufacturing of parts and contracts of outside vendors that produce aerospace parts will be key to keeping a warehouse stocked with new and remanufactured engine parts with the ability to create a ceiling of assets on hand to be to maintain the monthly production goal and managing a budget to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse of the company’s resources. The researcher will explain the importance of having a training manager that will track the progression of any sign employee and how their completion of training tasks increases the performance of the engine line. In management, human resources play a large role in providing performance reports to the employee; allowing for feedback on how to improve the incentives reward programs; and most importantly, unit cohesion through moral boosting group functions. The project will show that the greatest tool in management’s toolbox is the people turning the wrenches every day.

Summary