 | |
| | | | | |
"Mercury Racing opens Horsepower Highway"12/08/2004
 | Mercury Racing, adivision of Mercury Marine, recently introduced Horsepower Highway,a four-cycle manufacturing process developed to improve efficiencyof the company's sterndrive engine manufacturing capabilities andto enhance plant capacity and product quality.
The center islocated at Mercury Racing's world headquarters in Fond du Lac,Wis., and resulted from the company's first Green Belt Project. Theprocess conforms to Mercury Marine's company-wide Lean Six Sigmainitiative, and is modeled after Racing's 2.5 EFI outboard andIntegrated Transom System (ITS) processing centers.
"This Lean SixSigma project allows the creativity and craftsmanship of MercuryRacing associates to be focused on delivering superior quality toour customers," said Patrick C. Mackey, president of MercuryMarine.
A crossfunctional team from Mercury Racing identified the nonvalue-addedactivities associated with long-block assembly, then created acenter specifically designed to accommodate the process.
"The less timewe spend chasing parts, the more time we can spend building thoseparts into horsepower," said Mercury Racing President FredKiekhaefer.
Team leader DougWalters added that trimming the fat in manufacturing processesallows Mercury Racing to concentrate on high-tech and innovativeprojects.
"By eliminatingnonvalue-added activities we can place more attention on corecompetencies and better meet customer demand," saidWalters.
HorsepowerHighway successfully blends man and machine, providing thetechnician complete control of engine production. The five-stationcenter features a continuous build process in which techniciansmove engines along a rail system from one stage of the build to thenext. Each station is equipped with the tools, parts and equipmentnecessary for each stage of the build.
Cylinder blocksand cylinder heads are prepped in separate areas before beingdelivered to the center. A piston-assembly feeder line providespiston, ring and connecting rod assemblies measured, honed, filedand deburred - a must to meet Mercury Racing's strict enginespecifications. Completed piston/rod assemblies are then deliveredto the point of installation via a gravity-feed rollersystem.
In the past,technicians worked on engines at independent work benches, usingcarts to retrieve necessary parts from the stock room. HorsepowerHighway has reduced the time required to build engine long blocksby 2.5 hours thanks to a 2000-foot reduction in traveldistance.
The centermaintains Mercury Racing technician's pride of ownership. Eachengine continues to be handcrafted from the bare cylinder block,with one technician building the complete engine from start tofinish.
The center, with$60,000 of material investment, is estimated to produce $130,000 -$200,000 in annual savings. It was designed, developed andfabricated within Mercury Racing. Team members instrumental in theproject were Doug Walters, Lawrence Ginnow, Pat Cartwright, JerryPolzean, Tom Dudzinski, Jim Bartels, Russ Kuklinski and JimSchlichting.
"The value ofworking together is demonstrated when a group of people takesmultiple ideas and collectively funnels them into the idea thatcontributes the most value," said Walters.
Expectations ofMercury Racing in the eyes of dealers, boat builders and consumersare continually on the rise. Mercury Racing produces anever-expanding portfolio of products to satisfy a growing demandfor high-performance boats in recreational andcommercial/government markets.
That increase indemand has challenged Racing's plant capacity, resulting in a needfor more efficient manufacturing of engines.
"Theseimprovements are essential as Mercury Racing looks into the future,positioning itself for future growth," said Russ Kuklinski, MercuryRacing's director of manufacturing. Horsepower Highway has savedthe company a minimum of 800-1,000 square feet of precious realestate. The engine configuration and size that can be produced atthe center is almost limitless.
HorsepowerHighway also provides a safer environment for engine technicians.Ergonomic air balance tools reduce worker stress by lifting enginecomponents to workers at a comfortable height and position ratherthan maneuvering components manually. Improved lighting andrubber-cushioned mats also reduce worker stress.
Engine buildquality has improved because, with parts within easy reach, workerscan focus on building engines rather than stopping and starting toretrieve parts. Potential damage to parts and components has alsobeen reduced through less handling. The stock room loads HorsepowerHighway from the rear, eliminating the congestion of forklifts andpeople pulling carts to and from the center.
The nextscheduled improvements include moving the accessories build areacloser to the center, and updating the marinization area, wherefuel and electrical systems are installed.
Two additionalLean Six Sigma project are currently under way at MercuryRacing.
|
| | | |