The A Raymond Network has a leading worldwide position in advanced assembly expertise, for clip fasteners, bonding technology and fluid connection.
One instrument to keep this position in assembly expertise is the continuous improvement of the assembly process at our customers. There are different approaches to get the needs of our customers, like visits, teardowns of products and so called Line Walks.
After several Line Walks in the last 3 years at different customers like Audi, BMW, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Renault and Volkswagen, there has been developed more and more expertise on how to prepare such a Line Walk on both sides, to execute and to document it in a professional way. The customers have been satisfied with the results of such Line Walks and our reputation in the Automotive Industry has been growing.
RayWalks is a method to find cost saving opportunities at the assembly lines of our customers. It has the following targets:
- Establish an international standard for Line Walks
- Ensure a proper preparation end execution of Line Walks
- Install the necessary back-up office to follow the proposals
- Realize a guide for new participants of Line Walks
- Improve the Network Communication & Collaboration
- Create a network of Expertise
- Develop new business
Every Line Walk activity has to be managed like a project.
The Line Walk is a process with different phases and milestones.
Based on the experience of several Line Walks in the last years a checklist has been developed to improve the preparation on the customer and our side. It is essential for the success of a Line Walk, that the Customer Plant Management stands behind the activities and is well informed about the scope and the target of this Line Walk. Also important are the safety regulations, these should be known upfront. The best methods for the documentation are photos, so it is a requirement to have the possibility to take photos. This could be done by the customer or by ourselves with the official permission to do so. It is also obvious that the workers and the works committee are informed and that we have the permission to make interviews with the assembly workers at the line.
The Line Walk is starting with a briefing of the direct participants to get also the latest information’s of the local plant requirements and actual production volumes. It is useful to have a room available for the preparation work during the brake phases of the assembly line.
During the Line Walk the active participants are using an Assembly Record Sheet. After the Line Walk the team has to work out this summary Excel sheet with all proposals.
The success of the Line Walk activities is very much depending on the follow-up of the agreed actions.
A promising way is to prioritize the proposals together with the right team of the customer. A top 10 list is the best way to put the energy on the proposals with the highest potential to be realized. Also for the “quick wins” proposals a list is useful to follow up.
The RayWalks process is now an approved method to find the potential cost savings at the customer.
The value coming out of such an exercise goes up to several Million Euros saving per year for the customer of a high volume product.
Please let us know if we can help you to improve your process at your assembly line. contact.fr@araymond.com
