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Miles,
the founder of value analysis and
engineering
____________________________________________________________________
Avoid generalities
Get all available costs
Use information from the best source
Blast create and refine
Use real creativity
Identify and overcome roadblocks
Use industry experts to extend specialized knowledge
Get a dollar sign on key tolerances
Utilize vendors available functional products
Utilize and pay for vendors skills and knowledge
Utilize specialty processes
Utilize applicable standards
Use the criterion, would I spend my money this way?
The list in above order was given by Miles in his first edition of the book. The order can be changed to
study the techniques in a sequential process way.
functional products
3. Utilize specialty processes
4.
Utilize
applicable
Information
needed
to
start
5. Avoid
6. Get all available costs
the
activity
standards
and
to
analyze
generalities
8.
Get
dollar
sign
on
key
tolerances
During the value engineering process use creativity and question the existing
solutions
9.
10.Use
Use
real
creativity
the
criterion,
would
I
spend
my
This will motivate you to focus on the issue and come with alternatives
money
this
way?
Use outside expertise also to come with value enhancing suggestions and their development
ready
for
roadblocks
Identify
after
and
you
come
out
overcome
with
solution
roadblocks
information from the best and ultimate source is to be only used for decision making
in value work.
6. Get a dollar sign on key tolerances
Tolerances are required to obtain necessary fit or to allow assembly.
But many times tolerances are specified as standard practice and to give the
impression
of
a
complete
drawing.
Tolerances
have
cost.
For efficient use in value work each tolerance is to subjected to the following
questions.
i)
What
does
it
cost?
ii)
What
function
does
it
provide?
If the cost of tolerance is trifling, it did not be analyzed further. But if it is substantial
in the process cost, it is to be analyzed.
7. Use real creativity
Creativity is generating alternatives. Creative people believe that there are many
ways of doing a thing. Miles made the observation that many creative people believe
there are at least eight ways of doing a thing. They are not satisfied when they find
one
way.
In value analysis, creativity is to be applied as soon as the function desired is
brought out in specifics. The most common obstacle to creative thinking is natural
tendency to let judicial thinking work along. It interferes. What is required is to
suspend judicial thinking and let the ideas flow. Creativity is not associated with only
complex problems. Even simple things can have creative alternatives. Creativity can
be sustained and more alternatives can be generated in a group brainstorming.
8. Identify and overcome roadblocks
A roadblock is a decision that prevents value alternatives. The decisions could be
due to lack of information, acceptance of wrong information and wrong belief on the
part of the decision maker. The value engineers have to recognize the roadblocks,
and provide more correct information with proper timing and presentation so that the
decision maker will use it.
9. Avoid generalities
Many times general statements are used to stop value alternatives from proceeding
further.
Examples
given
by
Miles
include:
* It's not practical to build dies for drop forging when quantities are less than 25,000
per
order.
* It's not practical to build molds for casting in quantities of less than 5,000.
But a value engineer needs to make inquiries. Parts vary in complexity and material
may make a difference. There will be advancements in diemaking and as well as in
diemaking machines. Instead stopping with general statements, value engineer
needs to make specific inquiries.
10. Get all available costs
Cost data are produced in companies to support financial statements and tax
statements. Hence a value engineer has to get all available costs and assess their
utility for his decision making purpose. When costs are utilized for decision making
they have to make economic sense. An example was given by Miles, wherein
inappropriate cost allocations and decision report higher cost figures for an item.
11. Use industry experts to extend specialized knowledge
The quality of answers to value problems is dependent upon the depth of penetration
of the subject matter brought to bear on the problem. It has to be noted that
knowledge, techniques and processes are continually being developed in each
technology and that only the specialists know of those which have become practical
with the last year or two. Value engineers have to bring these experts into their value
projects and try and get best answers to the attainment of functions desired.
12. Utilize and pay for vendors skills and knowledge
There are suppliers with skills to develop special products at low prices. They
continuously upgrade their skills and are looking out for opportunities applying their
technology. Users benefit by contacting them and posing their function fulfillment
problems. These suppliers spend time and come out with solutions. Whenever they
come up with good value solutions, they need to be rewarded with orders. There
have to fair relations between suppliers and company.
13. Use the criterion, would I spend my money this way?
Miles documents that an average person evaluates his personal expenditures in the
following
steps.
A
limited
amount
is
allocated
for
the
purpose.
Effort is done to secure maximum use function and appearance function from the
expenditure. For this, he generates number of alternatives or considers number of
alternatives. He will make a comparison of relative use values, esteem values and
cost
to
make
a
decision.
Design engineers, manufacturing engineers, purchasing personnel and management
have to follow similar procedure for organizational decision making also.
Barnes__________________________________________
Chapter 2 Definition and Scope of Motion and Time
Study
Motion Study or Work Methods Design (Barnes equates Motion Study to Work methods design)
1. Developing the Preferred Method. Developing the Preferred Method.
2. Standardizing the Operation - Written Standard Practice
3. Determining the Time Standard - Work Measurement
4. Training the Operator
3 Patterns in which Motion and Time Study is used
Examples one is an electronic thermometer. The thermometer has a probe onto which a disposable
probe is placed and inserted under the patient's tongue. In the 15 to 25 second, the digital reading will
come. As a disposable probe is used, there is no possibility of infection spreading to other patients
and also the thermometer need not be sterilized. There is no danger of patients biting the
thermometer also.
Second example is related to special polypropelene foam material developed by Dupont.
Creative thinking by individuals and groups to be employed.
4. Evaluation of Alternatives
Role of Engineering Economics in Evaluation of Alternatives
In certain types of problems, evaluation would center around the total capital that would be invested in
each of the several proposed methods, expected life of the equipment, scrap value and annual
operating cost. From these economic or cost figures, the rate of return on the investment per year is
calculated. Direct labour required for each of the proposals need to be worked out. Predetermined
motion time systems could be used for this purpose. But to visualize the motions to be made by the
operators, mock-ups of jigs and fixture may have to be made. Some companies have special
laboratories and workshops for such projects.
5. Recommendation for Action
An ongoing manufacturing process provides opportunities to improve and redesign operator methods,
to eliminate manual tasks, and make the job easier for the worker. New equipment and tools make
existing facilities obsolete and provide cost reduction opportuties. New and better materials are
developed or become available providing scope for changes in product parts design.
Example given - Elizabeth Arden Inc. lipstick manufacturing process
In the zeroth year or the starting of the study, the units produced per labor hour was 76. By end of 7
years, the productivity increased and the unit produced per labor hour was 179.