4 M’s of Production Management

Profitable Manufacturing is rooted in the 4M’s of Efficiency: Manpower, Methods, Machines, and Materials. Sometimes represented as a fish
diagram, the 4M’s can be used to evaluate each process or problem in manufacturing to determine the root cause of inefficiency.

The Lean Mindset

Lean Manufacturing is a shift away from the traditional model of batch processing. Lean Manufacturing focuses on the process as
a whole of machining a single part. In this way, steps flow continuously allowing for the manufacture of a single part or thousands in rapid
procession. Lean processes hope to achieve a highly-efficient, waste-free operation, managing materials, manpower, and energy precisely.
While eliminating the risk of keeping stock in advance of predicted orders, lean manufacturing is good for the environment, good for your
employees, and good for your bottom line. By cutting costs and freeing resources, lead times are reduced, and both productivity and quality
are improved. By adopting techniques that create incremental improvements in the organization, a significant improvement in efficiency is
seen overall.

1. Manpower » (physical work)/Mind Power (brain work)

Great people make great products. Increase the efficiency of your workforce by following some best-practices in manpower
management.

The Role of Man in Lean Manufacturing

Skilled, Satisfied Workers Increase Efficiency

As far as manufacturing automation has come, we’ll never eliminate the need for skilled workers in the manufacturing
process. In fact, many manufacturers are finding a shortage of highly-skilled workers with enough experience to perform
today’s complex production procedures. In order to overcome this challenge, companies must focus on maintaining the
efficiency of their workforce if they hope to increase productivity. Workers need focused, timely, and frequent training in
an environment where efficiency and productivity is a common goal.

 Qualifications - There are some tasks that anyone can learn to do, but is just anyone going to do those tasks well? Of
course not! Workers with the proper training, experience, and interests will perform better than those who are just
there to get a paycheck. Finding the right workers and making sure they are properly trained and suited to their
assigned position will increase efficiency exponentially.

 Experience - No amount of training can replace a worker with years of experience. It is experience that will help
workers identify and resolve problems, suggest improvements to processes, and maintain superior efficiency. This
means that experienced workers are best placed in positions that have influence on the processes and standards
around them.

 Self-Discipline - Completing tasks on time with a high-level of accuracy takes practice and discipline. Employees must
work as a team towards the common goal of a lean manufacturing process. Without this level of commitment from
each employee, efficiency suffers.

 Institutional Habits - Efficiency in lean manufacturing must be an institutional goal with all members of the team
invested in mutual success. In an environment where all members are focused on a common goal inspires workers
to maintain their level of commitment.

2. Methods » (process)

By combining the latest methods in green manufacturing with time-tested methods from history, you can create a lean, efficient
manufacturing process.

State-of-the-Art Methods Boost Plant Efficiency

Methods used in lean manufacturing must be carefully designed and followed to maximize the efficiency of your operation.
Each step should be carefully designed to meet the specifications of the part.

 Processes - Effective process development requires extensive experience in all methods available across the
spectrum of manufacturing systems. Once a process is in place, careful monitoring of its effectiveness ensures it
always performs to your expectations.
 Error Proofing - If proper testing is done and processes are fully thought through and documented, it is possible to
avoid many common errors in your production process. Careful error proofing can ensure that you have processes in
place to overcome behaviors that cause errors.
  Statistical Process Control (SPC) - Once designed and implemented, processes are variable and must be measured,
monitored, and refined as they begin to deteriorate. Done manually, SPC is a nearly impossible task that involves
gathering and analyzing data often from multiple machines and comparing it to application specifications.
 Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) - Developed by the aerospace industry, FMEA is a powerful tool that will analyze
design, process, and system for any manufacturing application. Using this step-by-step process, you can avoid all
possible failures in your manufacturing systems.

3. Machines » (technology)

Design, installation, and maintenance of durable precise machines reduces waste, saves money, creates more precise products.

The Role of Machines in Lean Manufacturing

Efficient Machines Increase Plant Productivity

Each machine in a manufacturing process must be precisely designed, built, and programmed to perform its function with
precision, reliability, and durability. Machines that are reliable, durable, and efficient create a truly lean manufacturing
process.

 Tooling - You’ve got to have the right tools for the job at hand. Tools need to be reliable, durable, and flexible to
provide the maximum efficiency for each process.

 Work Holding - Workholding systems ensure tools are held more concentrically and accurately in the holder for greater
precision and increased tool life. The result is a better finish, less processing, and increased cost efficiency. For a
complete line of workholding solutions including air cool, liquid cool, and storage systems, contact a machine tooling
expert.

 Application -Application engineering is critical to maintaining a lean manufacturing system. The best applications
incorporate careful measurement and research with detailed knowledge of the full range of available technology to
design an efficient manufacturing application. At 4ME, lean manufacturing application engineers develop and
implement, and manage applications that incorporate every aspect of the machining process including:

 Time Studies
 Process Design
 Tooling Selection
 Application Programming
 Program Installation
 Process Training
 Application Support
 Lean Manufacturing
 Maintenance

4. Materials » (Includes Raw Material, Consumables and Information.)

Careful material selection and monitoring lead to significant increase in efficiency over your entire process.

The Role of Materials in Lean Manufacturing

Cut Costs & Increase Efficiency

In the 4M’s of efficiency, materials play an important role in the 4M’s of efficiency, often providing a multitude of benefits
including:

 Leaner material costs

Not to overstate the obvious, but good materials make good products. Proper selection of your materials from base material to tooling, to
metalworking fluids, will improve the quality of the work piece.

 Quality - Sound material choices make effective products. You will prevent defective work pieces, improve
performance of the final product by selecting materials with the proper strength, weight, and endurance. Carbonfiber
composites and other commonly used hard-to-machine materials are in high-demand because of their strength and
 flexibility. New technologies, like Cryogenic Machining, make even hard-to-machine materials accessible for nearly
any process
 Cleanliness - Eliminating Waste = Eliminating Expense. Between wasted raw materials, worn-out tooling, and coating
parts in contaminated, oily coolant, traditional metalworking methods are far from efficient. By leveraging state-of-the-
art materials like cryogenic cooling and efficient manufacturing systems, you can prevent contamination of work pieces
and reduce the use of consumables like specialty cutting tools.
 Performance - Superior tooling leads to better precision. Lean Manufacturing cannot be achieved with inferior tooling.
The quality, availability, flexibility of your tool assets relates directly to how adaptive your business can be. By taking
control of your tooling supply, you’ll gain precise control of your materials and work pieces.
 Environmental-Efficiency - Increase the efficiency of your manufacturing operation by maintaining a clean and healthy
environment both outside and inside your organization. Environmentally friendly materials are characterized by:

 Reduced Waste
 Less Scrap Material
 Decreased Contamination
 Time Savings
 Energy Efficiency
 Increased Health & Safety

 Technological breakthroughs like cryogenic machining cool the cutting surface of a tool to -321F and then evaporating
into harmless safe, breathable, non-greenhouse, non-flammable gas. This green manufacturing method produces
little to no waste while increasing processing speed and tool life. Work pieces are clean and sterile without extensive
coolant management systems.

Summary:

Manpower - Without manpower you are unable to get your work done. Untrained man can cause damage to goods. When examining the
Methods you now have in place what is the ideal number of people it will take to perform these methods and what positions should they
be in? How will the personnel be trained and measured for performance! What is the “cycle time” of each part of the Method!

Method - Wrong method of doing the jobs can be expensive because you may not be able to attain the results. The Manager will determine
the most efficient way for each portion of the process to be done to eliminate damage to the product and to eliminate areas where time and
manpower are be wasted. Controlling waste is the key to efficient and profitable production.

Machine - If your machine of inferior quality it may take a longer process to get the work done and therefore time equals to money. Break
down of machinery is down time and that cause is higher. You need to pay your manpower and pay for repairs and materials maybe
perishable. When examining your facilities, vehicles, and tools, do you have everything you need to ensure the safety of the employees
while maximizing the efficiency and productivity of the department? Do all employees have access to the same tools and equipment if
needed? Do the tools enable them to perform tasks independently? Are they trained on how to maintain the machinery and tools?

Materials - Quality of material - use the material of different quantity or quality can affect the end results causing a loss.

Do you have the materials needed to perform all parts of production and are they conveniently located to minimize waste? Example: all material
needed to clean and package are always available and are placed to minimize effort. Does the layout of the production department minimize
wasted movement?