It starts with a commitment.
At Duval Precision Grinding, our commitment to lean manufacturing has allowed us to reach a whole new level of excellence. Rather than having a production system focused simply on churning out finished ground products, we have used the principles of lean manufacturing to create a company-wide operating system grounded in the philosophy of continuous improvement.
The Value of Working Lean
By definition, lean manufacturing is a systematic method for eliminating waste and wasteful processes within a manufacturing operation. Lean manufacturing is centered on the idea that production should be focused solely on the tools and processes that add value for the client. The engineers at Duval began studying and practicing the principles of lean manufacturing in 2013. This will be our fourth year in the program and our dedicated staff has participated in twenty-three continuous improvement sessions thus far.
How We Practice Lean Precision Grinding Optimization
By value stream mapping the entire process—from the quoting of an order to its eventual delivery—we have been able to design an organization based on customer service. Mapping the flow through every process has allowed us to evaluate the relationship between each operation to create a “Touch It Once” philosophy that eliminates non-value-added steps and increases efficiency. Over the last four years, Duval has used the guidance of lean manufacturing to:
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Build a lean team - Standardize a tooling and fixture area
- Build new standard work stations for each machine
- Custom-build racks for machine centers
- Develop a new quoting process
- Implement a new ERP system
- Reduce grinding defects
- Increase production efficiency
- Eliminate waste
- Upgrade inspection equipment
- Improve customer satisfaction
Achieve Excellence by Choosing the Precision Grinding Experts
Our primary goal is to give our customers a positive experience that meets their expectations. We believe in the philosophy of continuous improvement because it enables us to continue to meet the challenges that our customers bring to the floor. Each grinding operation taken on by our engineers is unique and requires the utmost attention to detail. We make every improvement to our operation with one goal in mind: to better deliver components that meet your tight tolerance requirements and deadlines.
Do you have a difficult component that needs grinding or finishing services? Call or request a quote today!