Vaccuworx Mix-Model Assemble Line

Tyler Hall at Vaccuworx and his team of assemblers have constructed a “mix-model assembly line”!! There are 3 stations to this assembly line, with work equally divided between the 3 assemblers. 

Pegboards provide a consistent home for the tools that are used – exclusively – in that station’s work procedures.

Vinyl cutouts give the station operator a visual cue as to what tools are missing or where a tool being used needs to go.

The assembly line is shaping up more and more every day. Most of the internal components on an RC lifter are installed in Station 2, featured here. Station 2 is the “elbow” of our three station, L-shaped assembly line. When Station 2’s work is completed, the lifter is pushed into Station 3, where that operator installs the rotator, adapter, cradle, and performs the first quality assurance checks.

Station 1 has two compact lifters waiting for the lifter to leave Station 2 to start a sort of product-type line change. Because we run a “mixed family” assembly line, minimizing product-type changes helps us keep the line moving. In this picture, you can see Colton perform the “Shine” part of his 6S routing. Beyond keeping the work area clean, routine cleaning and removal of non-value added items in the work area helps expose defects more quickly.