Plont lllanagement Installation, follow-up, and utilization of information are factors in production control method efficiency by Walter von Pechmann
matter of record that poor design of methods of production control is not the main reason for their failure or partial ineffectiveness. Nevertheless, the practice of replacing one method of production control by another as soon as trouble arises is widespread throughout the chemical industry. There are several reasons for this. It is most convenient t o attribute the ineffectiveness of a method t o its original design, since it places the responsibility for the failure on management instead of on line supervision, which might have to answer for poor installation, insufficient follow-up, or inadequate utilization of information Teceived from records. Management frequently accepts too willingly the accusation of poor method design, because i t underestimates the importance of establishing good techniques, of properly supervising the adherence to established practices, and of taking corrective action based on conclusions properly drawn from production control records. This managerial weakness can easily be detected when manuals describing methods of production control entail few or no specific instructions on carrying out the method. The absence of specific instructions cannot be excused by claiming that the execution of methods of production control is the responsibility of line management, because method design, installat8ion,follow-up, and utilization of records are so closely related that segregation of these factors is impractical. For this reason, a person establishing methods of production control should always have the responsibility for working out all details and for properly executing the method until he can prove to the satisfaction of management and line supervision that it is effective. Attempts have been made to show the main causes of failure in production control. However, conclusions derived from these investigations are usually not reliable because the investigator can always prove his personal
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theory by putting more or less emphasis on the iiduencing factors. Furthermore, a basic managerial weakness rather than faulty execution of any single part of the program may be the main reason for the failure of a control system. I n this case, if the effect of managerial weakness on the factors involved is not taken into account, it may be erroneously assumed that only one factor needs adjustment. Thus, corrective measures would not attack the problem a t its source, but would merely allay the effects of faulty management in one spot, leaving the problem, as a whole, unsolved. Table 1. Factors Affecting Production Control Efficiency in Four Chemical Plants Principal Cause of Ineffectiveness Poor design Poor installation Insufficient follow-uD Insufficient utili&tion of information obtained
Frequency, % Plant C D Av. 7 5 9 17 19 201/z 56 52 37‘19
A B 4 2 0 14 32 17 25 65
23
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20
24
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33
Table I shows the result of a n investigation made by the writer into the principal causes of ineffiriency in methods of production control a t four chemical plants. Details of this analysis might be the subject of discussion; however, these general conclusions can safely be drawn: Insufficient follow-up and insufficient utilization of information received are the major causes for the failure of production control methods. Poor installation ranks second. With the exception of plant B, which seems inefficient in all its attempts a t production control, poor design of methods is only a minor cause of failure.
It has been the writer’s experience that poor design of control systems is most prevalent in chemical plants which have to assign this task to line supervision because no industrial engineering facilities are available. Line
personnel, although efficient in the execution of methods, are not necessarily qualified to design them. I n fact, leaving the design of control methods to those who have to execute them is unsound because department and not plant-wide requirements are usually considered. Furthermore, it is practically impossible t o establish a uniform system of production control when methods are designed in individual departments. Unless management establishes the need for control and the extent to which phases of operations have to be monitored , the system will not fulfill its purpose or will be extended beyond economical limits. Every experienced management engineer knows that controls are often established by line supervision simply to avoid repetition of mistakes which once happened but which would probably not occur again in years. The writer recalls several instances where production control tests had been made for many years to avoid iepetition of a certain error, although the possibility of recurrence was practically nil. He also frequently finds in chemical plants that checks are made despite the fact that the need for monitoring that phase of the process no longer exists because of technical improvements or identical controls maintained in other parts of the plant. Methods of production control should be designed in such a manner that the need for them is obvious at all times and so that the degree of control increases or decreases. according to need. This is not always simple to do. Techniques which can be employed to achieve this Fill be discussed in a future article. Effective operation of control systems i s based on intelligent installation
I n regard to the reasons why poor installations can make methods of production control inoperative, it is a fact that many people assume that general instructions are sufficient to
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Plant Management get a system started. Some production executives consider too detailed instructions a n insult t o the intelligence of their foremen. This way of thinking invariably invites trouble because individual interpretations, likes, and dislikes make uniform installation impossible. Furthermore, unless production executives give responsible personnel the tools to work with, the new syst’em may never operate in accordance with management’s wishes. The writer personally goes even further than that. He believes that the degree of convenience with which a, method can be executed is almost invariably related to its effectiveness. Consequently, he pays special attention to technical details involving the installation of a new production control system by making suggestions and questioning employees as to details of work performance connected with making tests or recording information. It is sometimes unbelievable hon failure to provide apparently insignificant tools can reduce the effectiveness of a new system. KO space provided for placing the sample after it has been taken, no provision for a pencil sharpener, or running out of forms have more than once caused the collapse (without apparent reason) of a new method of production control. It may be said that such minor details should be taken care of by lower supervision. It is the writer’s experience, however, that lower supervision generally fails t o provide for these minor needs and that executives must take the trouble a t the initial phase of the inst’allation to look into such matters. This applies also to establishing a certain routine which operators can easily follow and which does not interrupt the logical sequence of job performance. Instructions such as “whenever there is time,” “two times each hour,” or “whenever necessary,” invite trouble and make supervising difficult. Intelligent installation of methods of production control requires a setup whereby deviations from established practices are either impossible or easily detectable. An example of the latter is the display of records in such a manner that they can be overseen at a glance, so that a neglected entry can be noted without having to thumb through a number of papers. Insufficient follow-up of new methods of production control-although a major cause of failure-is simple to
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remedy. However, the tendencj- of employees not to adhere to establisl~eti practices is greatest a t the initial phaw of installation and will prevail u n t i l the employees are convinced thatr management insists on proper execrrtion. It is for this reason that est’rn. effort expended toward supervision at the start is more economical t h m pcriodic inspections at regular interwis. The miter once made a study oi‘ the relat,ionship of follow-up to sffectiveness of new methods of production control and found that at least five times more supervision is needed during the initial phase than n-heir t’ho system has become routine. ‘I’hc investigation also revealed the importance of re-establishing minor points which had been neglected. The belief that perfection can only be achieved with time often results in deterioration of a new system brcause failure to insist on perfect execution is taken by employees as an admittance by management’ tlial strict adherence t o all requirement,s is actually not necessary. Invariably, employees then begin to judge what is needed and efficiency further drclines. They quickly learn that thc system will operate (though far frorii peak efficiency) even if established standards are not followed in all respects, and they erroneously conclude that such deviations from instructions are sanctioned by management. Yew systems of production control should make reasonable demands on employees and these requirements should be met in every detail. It is for this reason that the writer is unable t o excuse insufficient follow-up of a ne\\ method of production control by pointing to the need for giving employees time or by claiming that minor deviations do not matter as long as the goal is achieved. I n regard to insufficient utilization of information obtained, management should always insist’ that line supervision supplies a periodic analysis of the information received from p i v duction control records, thus avoiding the maintenance of records d i i c h sen-c no worth-while purpose. Correspondence concerning this oolunin w i l i h e forwarded promptly i f addressed t o the a u t h o r , % Editor, IXDUSTRIALA N D E N R I K E E R I S G CHEXISTRY, Ll55---16th St., IT.%-., Washington 6. D. C .
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