Speaker: Mr Mike Davies & Mr Paul Byard.

THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY.

SOUTH WALES REGIONAL NETWORK.

MANUFACTURING AND MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL SECTION.

Invite you to a Lecture and discussion meeting:

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO WORK-STUDY ENGINEERS?

THEIR ROLE IN LEAN MANUFACTURING.

by

MIKE DAVIES. Managing Director FDM UK Ltd. and PAUL BYARD. Chief Executive MAS Wales.

Wednesday 21 May 2008

at

Cardiff University – Trevithick Building.

Lecture commences 6.00pm. Refreshments served from5.30pm.

SYNOPSIS:

In Wales alone in the last 2 years 17,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost. Many UK companies today are looking to transfer their manufacturing operations overseas to "low cost" countries as an easy option for improved profitability rather than looking for improved productivity within their own companies.

There has also been a large increase in the use of Consultants and Agencies offering lean and six sigma principles as a panacea for all manufacturing problem solving but they do not tackle the fundamental issue of first identifying methods & time taken to make and assemble products. 

The speakers believe that this trend should be reversed. Companies should have accurate time measured standards for the work to be able to demonstrate true productivity and as a basis for identifying product cost and planning improvement.  Companies have work measurements that were undertaken 5 - 10 years ago & think these standards still apply today but ignore the fact that designs, manufacturing layout, tooling and process improvements changed over time and that they do not reflect the current conditions. 

Experience has proved that by establishing and maintaining measured standards using correct work measurement techniques a quantum leap in productivity can be achieved leading to increase in productivity and a resultant reduction in unit labour cost. Average productivity improvement of 25% with a payback time of 6 to 8 weeks can be achieved. 

The lecture will look at Work Study Techniques, Line Balancing, SMED -Changeover Reduction, a Case Study and how these can be implemented within Lean Manufacturing.

The Speakers:

MIKE DAVIES is MD of FDM UK Ltd. (formerly John Evans and Associates the Work Study arm of PE International) an Industrial Engineering/ Work Study company based in South Wales.   FDM is a preferred supplier of Work Study support to MAS Wales.  Mike has over 25 years experience in Industrial Engineering and for 4 years worked in the USA on productivity improvement projects mainly with Tier 1 Automotive suppliers.

PAUL BYARD is Chief Executive of MAS Wales, which is jointly funded by the DTI and WAG.   He was formerly General Manager of Hills Industries, Caerphilly and for operations in the Czech Republic and was Technical manager / director of the Consumer Technology Centre based in Vienheim, Germany.   He has a background in tool-making and moved through Design, Production Management to Manufacturing and Technical Directorships.  

Admission is free and visitors are welcome.

To register your place, please contact: