Engagement Result
Organization: U.S. Air Force
Major Command: Air Materiel Command
Numbered Force: Ogden Air Logistics Center
Unit: 309th Commodities Maintenance Group
Project: Convert Brake Component MRO from Batch and Queue to Cellular Flow
Size: Over 23,500 civilian, miltary, and contractors
Location: Hill Air Force Base – Ogden, UT
Expertise: Cultural Assessment, Continuous Process Improvement, & Project Delivery Management
Assignment: Hill Air Force Base is an Air Force Materiel Command (AMC) base located in northern Utah. Hill is home to many operational and support missions, with the Ogden Air Logistics Center (OO-ALC) serving as the host organization. OO-ALC provides MRO support of Multiple Weapons Systems and their Commodity Items.
MainStream GS was engaged by the OO-ALC’s 309th Commodities Maintenance Group (CMXG) to conduct a cultural assessment and provide continuous process improvement (CPI) and project delivery management services to convert brake component MRO from traditional Batch & Queue to Cellular Flow in an effort reduce brake component lead time. The current brake components MRO process was too lengthy resulting in downed aircraft, awaiting parts, and required too much inventory.
Actions: MainStream GS conducted a cultural assessment of CMXG’s willingness to change and their team effectiveness. The assessment laid the foundation for Steering Team training during which MainStream GS trained leadership, functional support personnel, and the workforce in Lean principles and tools.
After the Steering Team training was conducted a project was chartered and a cross functional team of personnel was assembled to support the transformation process and project delivery. Our team of CPI experts facilitated the implementation team in a DMAIC process of defining the problem, measuring the current state, analyzing the opportunities for improved flow and waste elimination, implementing the new MRO process, and creating Standard Work to control the new process. This project was a holistic transformation that implemented CPI tools such as 5S, Visual Controls, Plan to Actuals, QCDS Management, Focused Product Teams, Rapid Response Teams, Kitting Support, and One Piece Flow Cellular Operations, as well as elements of program and project management.
Results: The positive impact on the culture of CMXG received recognition from senior levels of the Command and laid the foundation for Lean transformation throughout the OO/ALC. Brake component MRO flow days (the measure of MRO throughput times) were reduce by 74% from 46 to 12 days. Work-in-process inventory was reduced by 57%, floor space by 71%, and parts travel by 50%. Total savings to OO/ALC that were a direct result of this engagement were estimated by the OO/ALC’s internal financial managers to be $11 million annually.