Lean & cost, Medical devices, Switzerland

Quality and delivery dates under control

Cost, time and quality are antagonists – but only once all three are already optimised. Here, quality problems arose from time pressure, and time pressure from missing production planning. WOLF broke the vicious circle.

Client: Medical device manufacturer
Industry: Medical devices
Location: Switzerland
Duration: 12 months
Services: Interim management, Ramp-up management

Project brief

Starting point: Quality problems, excessive production costs, capacity bottlenecks
Methods: Strategic management, KAIZEN, 5S, value stream analysis
Stakeholders: Owner, management and all employees
Result: Scrap ≤ 1 %, 95 % on-time delivery, 7 % cost reduction

Measurable. Traceable.

≤1%
scrap rate: 95%
deliveries on time: 7%
reduction in production costs

R&R restored. Repeatability and reproducibility of the processes back at a high level – in machine technology as well as chemical formulation.

From the starting point to the result.

Challenge

Recurring quality problems cost orders, the lack of profitability prevented investment, and without production planning the team was under constant time pressure. Sales won orders – and lost them again.

Quality problems with regulated medical devices
No PPS, no reliable production planning
Capacity bottlenecks and cost pressure

Approach

Ask “why” six times: the chain of causes led from scrap via time pressure to the missing operations management. A professionally run PPS, KAIZEN, 5S and value stream analyses created time and capacity.

Root cause analysis based on lean six sigma
Introduction of a managed PPS
Resolution of technical and chemical formulation problems

Result

Scrap reduced to a maximum of 1 %, 95 % of delivery dates met, production costs cut by 7 %. Sales no longer lost orders – revenue grew and new capital for investment was created.

Scrap ≤ 1 %
95 % on-time delivery
7 % cost reduction

The path to the result.

12 months

Month 0–2
Root cause analysis
Cause-and-effect chain from scrap to organisation.
Month 2–5
PPS & planning
Production planning and control introduced and managed.
Month 5–10
KAIZEN & 5S
Value stream analyses and improvements in all areas.
Month 10–12
Stabilisation
Quality and delivery KPIs sustainably anchored.

Month 0–2
Root cause analysis
Cause-and-effect chain from scrap to organisation.
Month 2–5
PPS & planning
Production planning and control introduced and managed.
Month 5–10
KAIZEN & 5S
Value stream analyses and improvements in all areas.
Month 10–12
Stabilisation
Quality and delivery KPIs sustainably anchored.

“The technical problems with chemical formulations as well as machine-related issues were solved. Repeatability and reproducibility are back at a high level.”

Head of Quality & Compliance Management, Medical device manufacturer, Switzerland

Guides

The magic triangle: how to break the vicious circle of cost, time and quality

Cost, time and quality are seen as opponents. That only holds once all three are optimised. Before that, there is usually a root cause that can be fixed.

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