"Athlete Komir" completed the first stage of implementation of the concept of Lean Six Sigma

On January 13, 2015 it became known of implementation of Lean Six Sigma in the Komir Opyt Athlete company^[1].

Project Tasks

At the time of implementation of the LSS program the Komir Athlete company held quite the situation of stability in the industry. Common problems inherent to most coal-mining enterprises in the former Soviet Union, namely: the wear and technical obsolenscence of the equipment, declining production, decline in quality of training of specialists, certainly, took place at the enterprise.

In 2011 the CEO Victor Schukin made the decision on implementation of the integrated concept by management of production Lean Six Sigma.

Project Progress

Implementation of the concept of LSS is justified during crisis of the company. The crisis period assuming financial, production and other difficulties stimulates more attentive, detailed approach to problem solving in the company and does more probable positive result of work.

At the beginning of the project took 30 candidates from average engineering structure. In 3 months by the end of training there were 17 people. Specific objectives of work within the LSS program for many candidates had no accurate circuits. It is explained by lack of work experience in the specific direction - a control technique production of LSS - new, both for the company implementer, and for Kazakhstan.

Learning process designated several problems:

• the training trainer had no experience of application of the LSS program in the mining industry,
• the efficiency of a technique seemed improbable.

Process of implementation began and during formation of a business case corridors for implementation of a technique of LSS began to be designated.

The doubtfulness of efficiency of a technique was wrong and the second conclusion drawn by the project manager: it is not necessary to originate from global problems of the enterprise, the extensiveness of a task prevents to outline a clear boundary of the project. In this area of work it is necessary to be guided by such tool as SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Output, Customers). In the company it is called by PIPRZ – the Supplier, Initial parameters, Process, Result, the Customer). A further task which needs to be solved is selection of process in process. This, at first sight, not complex work led us to the third output: mapping of processes requires more time and attention on the subsequent training courses. And, considering specifics of the enterprise, there was no need to go with a stop watch and to measure each process step. All basic processes are traced and register in the software. Therefore and with data problems were not. As for auxiliary processes then work consisted in identification of the steps of process which are not bringing value. As in most cases all auxiliary processes can be considered as production by small batches. At a stage Measurement used the main descriptive statistics – Display Descriptive Statistics and Graphical Summary (Minitab 16 Program). For assessment of a possibility of process – Capability Analysis. The analysis of instrumentation systems in the majority of projects was absent proceeding from specifics of the enterprise.

The next stage - carrying out the project through an analysis stage. During training the set of tools for carrying out the analysis, both static, and graphic was offered. All of them are appropriate in work and most of them used "having weighted" the project. There was the following output: the number of tools for the analysis should be limited, using the most convenient and suitable, it allows to see result of the work more accurately.

The command stopped on application of a limited number of tools for the analysis: Fish bone ("A fish bone" or the fishbone diagram), Pareto, ANOVA, Regression, tests of mean values T-testy, Proportion, boxed diagrams – Boxplot, column diagrams - Bar Chart, temporary diagrams - Time Series Plot.

Ermek Kurmangaleev, the project manager in the Komir Athlete company told of project implementation: "Fish bone. This tool came to us not easily at the seeming its simplicity as it is the command tool, and with a command to work we were not able. At the first stage when we came with this tool to a command, there was an absolute unacceptance – "We here work so many years, we are down on to this problem, and the solution is – it is necessary just to make purchase something there and all. And you here to us draw a fish bone!". The fact that all of us came from production saved us and to some extent knew a process essence. Therefore we outlined the possible reasons resulting in defect in advance and with this procurement went to a command and already with them supplemented the chart Ishikawa (it is one more name of the Fish bone). It is the main tool at a stage of the Analysis and now to us, to Black belt, it is necessary to learn again trained to work "Green belts" in a command and to use this tool not formally, and so that it really covered all potential H-y. One more tool which is present in 99% of our projects it is FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis), we it call ARVO – the analysis of the modes and impacts of failures. We use it or at a stage the Analysis, or at a stage Improvement, or there and there. This tool too command also requires permanent exercise. Now, 3 years later, it is possible to see progress in quality of this tool from the project to to the project. Further, a stage improvement on which we faced a huge task of implementing solutions. This stage occupies a maximum of efforts and time. Here the main role is played by a human factor, in work workers who need to leave from stereotypes of the activity are attracted directly, to move to a new level. And it is fear of responsibility, a concern to make mistakes, simple unwillingness of changes. Even obvious benefit for the worker, simplification of its work can not always overcome this invisible resistance on site. Here it should be noted that circumstance that to any collectings, to punishment measures these workers were not exposed. The careful analysis of each case, identification of weak links brought to one more to an output, important for me: the conversation with the "irresponsible" worker, understanding of its deposit to a chain of our joint activity, understanding of its relevancy by him by it play rather large role and help to achieve desirable result. So sometimes the role of the mentor works more effectively than a role of the head. Often the Green belt the help of the manager of the Black belt in work with a command is necessary for the manager of level. For example, in our company at the level of ZP there are masters, mechanics of section, at the same time the supervising foreman acts as the project owner. Between these links there is a certain barrier impeding effective promotion of the project. Here "shock-absorbing" support which role it is better to give to the supervising Black belt is necessary. Support of the head of the most top level in this case – guarantee of success in work. In our case we relied on support of the CEO. From there is one more output: on the first wave of training it is better to select candidates from among having the leading experience. It is always more difficult for the pioneer, and experience of the head in this case is capable to save a lot of time and efforts, promoting eventually more effective implementation of any techniques. Support of the head of the most top level in this case – guarantee of success in work. In our case we relied on support of the General director. Thus, the stage of improvement requested from us more time, than we assumed. The world practice shows that implementation of the project takes on average 4 months, it took 6-8 months us, in many respects, this results from the fact that we began with "blank sheet", without having any experience of data application of techniques not only in Bogatyr LLP Komir, and in the country in general. The final stage is a stage control. During this stage economic effect after the date of transmission of the project to the owner is traced. Here it is possible "to grind" separate edges, holding corrective actions and trying to obtain the maximum effect of work in general. At this stage, it is worth being recognized that to implement statistical check of process (SPC-Statistical Process Control) to the level of the owner of process to us the low level of computer literacy among linear engineering structure did not work well, affects yet. So far the project manager should monitor achievements within a year and to take corrective actions. In addition to it now we implement audit of completed projects for the purpose of verification of the implemented solutions. In three years we carry out a lot of work on training of workers: more than 80 people passed a LSS project training on different levels – 4 cycles on training of managers of level the Green belt, 3 cycles on training of managers of level the Black belt. In plans - certification on the level of the master of state of emergency and a possibility of training of workers on level the Green belt by own forces for the purpose of improvement of quality of work of all links of our big enterprise. Our experience of application of the lean Six Sigma program shows correctness of hopes for the economic growth of Bogatyr LLP Komir and instills confidence in stability and profitability of our work".

Notes