Kaitlyn Drew

My First Co-op Experience

About Kaitlyn
From Coppell, Texas
Studies at Texas A&M
Major: Chemical Engineering Graduation: Class of 2015

Activities
Texas A&M Cupcake Club Yoga

Co-op Learning Experience Usage Trap Silent Auction

Usage Trap

Purpose:
Used to identify possible problems in the MV process that create unfavorable usage on Al, Cu, and plastics.

Scope: (Focus areas)

1. Actual usage problems 2. Counter inaccuracy 3. Entering in scrap incorrectly

Overall Results from Usage Trap

Usage Trap Variance to Standard
4.00% 3.05% 2.00% 0.50% 0.65%

0.00%
-0.28% -2.00% Variance (%) -0.59%

HFA Standard
-1.31% -1.34%
-0.84%

-1.62%

-4.00%

Aluminum -3.60%

Insulated Comp.
Copper

-6.00% -6.01% -8.00%

Jacketing Mat.

-10.00%

-9.56%

-12.00% 1250 Run 1000 Run Type of Cable 750 Run

Counter Inaccuracy
The counter inaccuracy on each machine differs.
Ex: Calibration on #23 is -0.23% and calibration on #63 is +0.3% Using tear down data, found that #23 counter says 8325 feet --actually closer to being 8285 feet!

Findings from CV Line

At the payoff of CV, generally about 2-5 feet that are cut off before the crimp that arent ever accounted for in HFA
No measuring tools are being used Considerable difference between how much helpers cut off and how much operators upstairs are recording in DAS and HFA

Findings from Serve Line

No one scraps the insulated cable at the serve line because they never have before and do not know to do it.
Operators and helpers think scrapping in the system does not matter when the scrap bins are weighed often. Oftentimes operators and helpers throw the cable and copper into the scrap boxes and dont check if it went into the right box.

Findings from Jacket Line

Workers save all scrap until the end of manufacturing orders. A vast amount of scrap is not entered into the system. New tieing, method causes foam to get caught in extruder, serve wires to break, and also gets caught in #54 accumulator.

Scrap Accountability

Scrap at CV's
Not Reported 32% Reported 68%

Scrap at Serve
Not Reported 100%

Scrap at Jacketing
Not Reported 37% Reported 63%

% Scrap Missing in the System

3.00%

2.63%
2.50%

2.53%

2.06%
% Scrap Missing 2.00% 1.90% Aluminum: 1.50% Insulated Comp.: Copper: 0.81% 0.78% 0.63% 0.50% 0.47% 0.41% 0.31% 0.07% 0.03% 0.00% 1250 Run 1000 Run Type of Cable 750 Run Jacketing Mat.:

1.00%

Silent Auction
General Cable did a Silent Auction of over 100 items that were sold to benefit the Boys and Girls Club in Marshall, Texas.

Overall, the Auction raised $911 and General Cable matched the amount up to $2,000!
The Boys and Girls Club came out on July 31st to receive the money and the following picture is to be posted in the local Marshall Newspaper this month.

Proposed Next Steps

Start following 500 4/0 and 1/0 reels for usage. Create a form between helpers and operators for scrap at the CV line. Organize a Kaizen between supervisors, engineers and operators at which line about who should be responsible for entering in each piece of scrap. Organize a Kaizen between operators and QA lab about how many feet at each line should be scrapped in order to get good samples.

Organize a Kaizen between accounting and engineers on how to eliminate errors with scrap reports run by accounting.
Paint the floor during 5S work with measurements needed to cut samples in order to reduce human error with scrap. Track counter inaccuracy and a Kaizen to change tolerances or get laser footage counters.

What I Have Taken from this Experience

Learned how the Plant operates as a whole.
Safe practices for working in a plant. How to research inside of a manufacturing facility. How to organize and be in charge of an event held for the company. An exposure to Lean and Six Sigma concepts, specifically 5S.

Thank you for this opportunity to Co-op with General Cable