VMEC – Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center

Lean 101 is the first step to learning the fundamental principles of "lean manufacturing." No previous experience is required. Those experienced in Lean can also benefit from this workshop. Attendees will walk away understanding the power of lean manufacturing. 

The course is a mix of classroom and live simulation. Participants begin by simulating the manufacture of circuit boards in a chaotic manufacturing firm. The results of the first simulation provide the basis on which lean principles will be applied. For the remainder of the day, participants revisit the manufacturing environment and employ the lean techniques that are taught in the classroom. Simple financial statements prepared after each simulation show the impact that implementing lean principles has on a company's bottom line.

Participants will walk away understanding 8 key wastes in manufacturing, and in a "train and do" manner, learn how to eliminate these wastes by applying standardized work, workplace organization, visual controls, set-up reduction, batch size reduction, point of use storage, quality at the source, workforce practices, and pull systems. Participants will learn to calculate takt time and balance production lines to produce to customer demand. By the end of the day, participants see that the key to a company's real improvements and their ability to be competitive, strongly correlate to their ability to eliminate non-value added activities. Participants will demonstrate to themselves that they can reduce manufacturing cycle time up to 90%, improve on-time shipments up to 90%, reduce work in process up to 90%, improve quality up to 50%, and reduce floor space up to 75%.

Payment: Please make check payable to "VMEC" and mail to PO Box 12, Randolph Center, VT 05061-0012. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

Despite an increasing need for speed and efficiency, much of the effort expended by product development teams is often unnecessary and potentially wasteful. In many cases, only one or two hours of a team member's work day is spent directly creating value for their customers.

This interactive workshop presents a set of leading-edge, practical tools for slashing waste and increasing speed and efficiency of your company's product development process. The Lean methods described in this course enable dramatic reductions in time-to-market while freeing up valuable resources for additional project work.

Firms that have embraced these practical, waste-eliminating tools have reported up to fifty-percent reduction in launch schedules, significant improvements in gross margin, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

After completing this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Identify non-value-added tasks and wasteful work habits on any development project.
2. Apply twenty-eight lean techniques that provide immediate savings of time and cost.
3. Use a step-by-step method for prioritizing improvement activities.
4. Improve the quality and efficiency of customer / team / management communication.
5. Maximize the utilization of scarce human and capital resources.
6. Support a culture of discipline, value focus, and intolerance of waste.

Workplace information can change quickly and often - production schedules, customer requirements, engineering specifications, operational methods, tooling and fixtures needs, material location, and thousands of other details on which daily life in the enterprise depends. You need a way to rapidly and accurately update and share this information. If not, searching, waiting, and making costly mistakes can turn into a way of life.

The key is the visual factory. A visual factory is a comprehensive waste-reduction strategy that roots out confusion. Made up of hundreds of simple, low-cost visual devices, a visual workplace shares vital information quickly and accurately to the people who need it most - your employees. Visual devices are powerful solutions for working smarter, not harder, and can dramatically improve quality, on-time delivery, lead-time, and employee morale.

Payment: Please make check payable to "VMEC" and mail to PO Box 12, Randolph Center, VT 05061-0012. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

Workplace information can change quickly and often - production schedules, customer requirements, engineering specifications, operational methods, tooling and fixtures needs, material location, and thousands of other details on which daily life in the enterprise depends. You need a way to rapidly and accurately update and share this information. If not, searching, waiting, and making costly mistakes can turn into a way of life.

The key is the visual factory. A visual factory is a comprehensive waste-reduction strategy that roots out confusion. Made up of hundreds of simple, low-cost visual devices, a visual workplace shares vital information quickly and accurately to the people who need it most - your employees. Visual devices are powerful solutions for working smarter, not harder, and can dramatically improve quality, on-time delivery, lead-time, and employee morale.

Payment: Please make check payable to "VMEC" and mail to PO Box 12, Randolph Center, VT 05061-0012. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

Lean 101 is the first step to learning the fundamental principles of "lean manufacturing." No previous experience is required. Those experienced in Lean can also benefit from this workshop. Attendees will walk away understanding the power of lean manufacturing. 

The course is a mix of classroom and live simulation. Participants begin by simulating the manufacture of circuit boards in a chaotic manufacturing firm. The results of the first simulation provide the basis on which lean principles will be applied. For the remainder of the day, participants revisit the manufacturing environment and employ the lean techniques that are taught in the classroom. Simple financial statements prepared after each simulation show the impact that implementing lean principles has on a company's bottom line.

Participants will walk away understanding 8 key wastes in manufacturing, and in a "train and do" manner, learn how to eliminate these wastes by applying standardized work, workplace organization, visual controls, set-up reduction, batch size reduction, point of use storage, quality at the source, workforce practices, and pull systems. Participants will learn to calculate takt time and balance production lines to produce to customer demand. By the end of the day, participants see that the key to a company's real improvements and their ability to be competitive, strongly correlate to their ability to eliminate non-value added activities. Participants will demonstrate to themselves that they can reduce manufacturing cycle time up to 90%, improve on-time shipments up to 90%, reduce work in process up to 90%, improve quality up to 50%, and reduce floor space up to 75%.

Payment: Please make check payable to "VMEC" and mail to PO Box 12, Randolph Center, VT 05061-0012. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

A Lean Office Overview with Simulation!

"Lean" isn't just for the shop floor, there are also opportunities to improve lead times and efficiencies in office processes. VMEC has introduced this workshop to educate office/administrative staff in Lean.

Lean Office is a full-day workshop that provides an overview of Lean concepts and their application to office and administrative processes through hands-on activities. The participants will be introduced to the various Lean concepts and be given the opportunity to apply them in a simulated office. The participants will be able to measure the impact of their improvement effort.

With use of the simulation, the participants will also gain the experience of actual office improvement activities. Together, the group will identify problems and ideas for improvement. Then, the group will be broken into smaller groups to implement the ideas agreed upon. Strict time expectations will be given for the implementation. The experience will closely relate to an actual office improvement activity.

Green Generalist (Green 101)

Learn the basics of green concepts, key environmental issues facing manufacturers, and the components of sustainability. This full-day workshop combines classroomstyle learning with an interactive“live” simulation. Class participants are given the tools to redesign a fictitious company’s business using Lean and green techniques in order to improve customer and employee satisfaction. Participants will learn how to apply methods of improving their overall environmental sustainability in the workplace and personal situations. The Green 101 is appropriate for the entire workforce and is applicable to all industries.

This workshop was developed by the Purdue University Technical Assistance Program, Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

By applying the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle to the problem solving process, you will learn a simple, teachable, and repeatable method to approach problems. Deployable from the CEO to front line workers, this approach helps you identify the root cause of problems and implement effective, sustainable solutions. Participants team up to work through examples and case studies. Proven problem solving tools and techniques will be introduced as well as the A3 method of tracking and reporting progress. Become more competitive by finding ways to eliminate waste in your processes through continuous improvement. Participants learn how to make problems visible and tackle them head on through structured problem solving.

Presented by Dr. Bill Lareau

The difficulties of making Lean or any other transformation last and become self supporting challenges every organization. The central premise of this workshop is that effective organizational change can only occur when organizations have a deep understanding how people and organizations change.

Topics covered in this workshop include:

-  The basic needs that energize human activity

-  Key principles of group and organization dynamics and how they naturally operate

to destroy cooperation and a single shared vision (if left to their own devices)

-  The seven types of leadership waste

-  Techniques for deploying this strategy:

       • An “effective” Executive Steering Committee structure

     – Work Stream team leaders and their functions

     – Daily status checks

     – Gemba Walks

       • Team Metrics and Ownership System

     – Daily work group meetings

     – Visual metrics display

     – Team 21

     – Kaizen action sheet system

     – Weekly work group CI meeting

       • Standard Work for leaders to deploy these methods

       • Regularly scheduled Kaizen/CI events

A licensed psychologist, Dr. Bill Lareau holds his Ph.D from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC and is a teaching faculty member at the University of Dayton’s Center for Competitive Change. He was previously a faculty member at the University of California, Loyola College and the University of Louisville in the areas of statistics, experimental design and psychology. Dr. Lareau served as an operations executive with ITT and General Dynamics. He worked for several years with Ford Motor Company in process improvement and statistical methods, directed an operations research group, and was a division manager for Vie de France. Bill has served as a consultant for many Fortune 500 companies. In addition to his industry and consulting experience, Dr. Lareau has published more than ten books. Those related to competitiveness and productivity include: Office Kaizen, Millennium Management, Lean Leadership, American Samurai and Dancing With The Dinosaur.

Workplace information can change quickly and often - production schedules, customer requirements, engineering specifications, operational methods, tooling and fixtures needs, material location, and thousands of other details on which daily life in the enterprise depends. You need a way to rapidly and accurately update and share this information. If not, searching, waiting, and making costly mistakes can turn into a way of life.

The key is the visual factory. A visual factory is a comprehensive waste-reduction strategy that roots out confusion. Made up of hundreds of simple, low-cost visual devices, a visual workplace shares vital information quickly and accurately to the people who need it most - your employees. Visual devices are powerful solutions for working smarter, not harder, and can dramatically improve quality, on-time delivery, lead-time, and employee morale.

Payment: Please make check payable to "VMEC" and mail to PO Box 12, Randolph Center, VT 05061-0012. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

Certification is a credential designed by industry for industry. It is a standard against which professional lean manufacturing competencies are measured. Its core driver is the desire to assess a lean practitioner's knowledge, skills and abilities.

This certification is targeted to companies on lean journeys and to lean champions and practitioners charged with facilitating those lean transformations. VMEC supports and encourages SME Lean Certification.

Overview of SME Lean Certification is a special 2 hour session designed to provide you with the essential information you need to know to determine if Lean Certification is right for you or someone else in your company.

This is the first offering in a series of upcoming SME Lean Certification events being offered in Vermont by VMEC. This fall, a Lean Bronze Certification Review Course and a Lean Bronze Certification Exam will be held in the greater Burlington area.

Degrees and/or formal education are not a pre-requisite for certification.

Value Stream Mapping is a hands-on workshop designed to develop the skill of Value Stream Mapping. Using a case study approach, participants develop and use value stream maps as a method to identify waste and plan for process improvement. When applied to ‘front office’ processes, attendees will learn how to identify areas for process improvement that will reduce lead times, improve first time quality of information, and improve service. Examples of front office process realizing significant customer impact include order entry, quoting, new product  definition, engineering order changes and shipping. The Value Stream Mapping process is appropriate for any organization with significant administrative processes: manufacturing, government, health care, higher education, banking and insurance.

Lean 101 is the first step to learning the fundamental principles of "lean manufacturing." No previous experience is required. Those experienced in Lean can also benefit from this workshop. Attendees will walk away understanding the power of lean manufacturing. 

The course is a mix of classroom and live simulation. Participants begin by simulating the manufacture of circuit boards in a chaotic manufacturing firm. The results of the first simulation provide the basis on which lean principles will be applied. For the remainder of the day, participants revisit the manufacturing environment and employ the lean techniques that are taught in the classroom. Simple financial statements prepared after each simulation show the impact that implementing lean principles has on a company's bottom line.

Participants will walk away understanding 8 key wastes in manufacturing, and in a "train and do" manner, learn how to eliminate these wastes by applying standardized work, workplace organization, visual controls, set-up reduction, batch size reduction, point of use storage, quality at the source, workforce practices, and pull systems. Participants will learn to calculate takt time and balance production lines to produce to customer demand. By the end of the day, participants see that the key to a company's real improvements and their ability to be competitive, strongly correlate to their ability to eliminate non-value added activities. Participants will demonstrate to themselves that they can reduce manufacturing cycle time up to 90%, improve on-time shipments up to 90%, reduce work in process up to 90%, improve quality up to 50%, and reduce floor space up to 75%.

Payment: Please make check payable to "VMEC" and mail to PO Box 12, Randolph Center, VT 05061-0012. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

Despite an increasing need for speed and efficiency, much of the effort expended by product development teams is often unnecessary and potentially wasteful. In many cases, only one or two hours of a team member's work day is spent directly creating value for their customers.

This interactive workshop presents a set of leading-edge, practical tools for slashing waste and increasing speed and efficiency of your company's product development process. The Lean methods described in this course enable dramatic reductions in time-to-market while freeing up valuable resources for additional project work.

Firms that have embraced these practical, waste-eliminating tools have reported up to fifty-percent reduction in launch schedules, significant improvements in gross margin, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

After completing this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Identify non-value-added tasks and wasteful work habits on any development project.
2. Apply twenty-eight lean techniques that provide immediate savings of time and cost.
3. Use a step-by-step method for prioritizing improvement activities.
4. Improve the quality and efficiency of customer / team / management communication.
5. Maximize the utilization of scarce human and capital resources.
6. Support a culture of discipline, value focus, and intolerance of waste.

By applying the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle to the problem solving process, you will learn a simple, teachable, and repeatable method to approach problems. Deployable from the CEO to front line workers, this approach helps you identify the root cause of problems and implement effective, sustainable solutions. Participants team up to work through examples and case studies. Proven problem solving tools and techniques will be introduced as well as the A3 method of tracking and reporting progress. Become more competitive by finding ways to eliminate waste in your processes through continuous improvement. Participants learn how to make problems visible and tackle them head on through structured problem solving.

Lean 101 is the first step to learning the fundamental principles of "lean manufacturing." No previous experience is required. Those experienced in Lean can also benefit from this workshop. Attendees will walk away understanding the power of lean manufacturing. 

The course is a mix of classroom and live simulation. Participants begin by simulating the manufacture of circuit boards in a chaotic manufacturing firm. The results of the first simulation provide the basis on which lean principles will be applied. For the remainder of the day, participants revisit the manufacturing environment and employ the lean techniques that are taught in the classroom. Simple financial statements prepared after each simulation show the impact that implementing lean principles has on a company's bottom line.

Participants will walk away understanding 8 key wastes in manufacturing, and in a "train and do" manner, learn how to eliminate these wastes by applying standardized work, workplace organization, visual controls, set-up reduction, batch size reduction, point of use storage, quality at the source, workforce practices, and pull systems. Participants will learn to calculate takt time and balance production lines to produce to customer demand. By the end of the day, participants see that the key to a company's real improvements and their ability to be competitive, strongly correlate to their ability to eliminate non-value added activities. Participants will demonstrate to themselves that they can reduce manufacturing cycle time up to 90%, improve on-time shipments up to 90%, reduce work in process up to 90%, improve quality up to 50%, and reduce floor space up to 75%.

Payment: Please make check payable to "VMEC" and mail to PO Box 12, Randolph Center, VT 05061-0012. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

Lean 101 is the first step to learning the fundamental principles of "lean manufacturing." No previous experience is required. Those experienced in Lean can also benefit from this workshop. Attendees will walk away understanding the power of lean manufacturing. 

The course is a mix of classroom and live simulation. Participants begin by simulating the manufacture of circuit boards in a chaotic manufacturing firm. The results of the first simulation provide the basis on which lean principles will be applied. For the remainder of the day, participants revisit the manufacturing environment and employ the lean techniques that are taught in the classroom. Simple financial statements prepared after each simulation show the impact that implementing lean principles has on a company's bottom line.

Participants will walk away understanding 8 key wastes in manufacturing, and in a "train and do" manner, learn how to eliminate these wastes by applying standardized work, workplace organization, visual controls, set-up reduction, batch size reduction, point of use storage, quality at the source, workforce practices, and pull systems. Participants will learn to calculate takt time and balance production lines to produce to customer demand. By the end of the day, participants see that the key to a company's real improvements and their ability to be competitive, strongly correlate to their ability to eliminate non-value added activities. Participants will demonstrate to themselves that they can reduce manufacturing cycle time up to 90%, improve on-time shipments up to 90%, reduce work in process up to 90%, improve quality up to 50%, and reduce floor space up to 75%.

Payment: Please make check payable to "VMEC" and mail to PO Box 12, Randolph Center, VT 05061-0012. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

Workplace information can change quickly and often - production schedules, customer requirements, engineering specifications, operational methods, tooling and fixtures needs, material location, and thousands of other details on which daily life in the enterprise depends. You need a way to rapidly and accurately update and share this information. If not, searching, waiting, and making costly mistakes can turn into a way of life.

The key is the visual factory. A visual factory is a comprehensive waste-reduction strategy that roots out confusion. Made up of hundreds of simple, low-cost visual devices, a visual workplace shares vital information quickly and accurately to the people who need it most - your employees. Visual devices are powerful solutions for working smarter, not harder, and can dramatically improve quality, on-time delivery, lead-time, and employee morale.

Payment: Please make check payable to "VMEC" and mail to PO Box 12, Randolph Center, VT 05061-0012. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

Lean 101 is the first step to learning the fundamental principles of "lean manufacturing." No previous experience is required. Those experienced in Lean can also benefit from this workshop. Attendees will walk away understanding the power of lean manufacturing. 

The course is a mix of classroom and live simulation. Participants begin by simulating the manufacture of circuit boards in a chaotic manufacturing firm. The results of the first simulation provide the basis on which lean principles will be applied. For the remainder of the day, participants revisit the manufacturing environment and employ the lean techniques that are taught in the classroom. Simple financial statements prepared after each simulation show the impact that implementing lean principles has on a company's bottom line.

Participants will walk away understanding 8 key wastes in manufacturing, and in a "train and do" manner, learn how to eliminate these wastes by applying standardized work, workplace organization, visual controls, set-up reduction, batch size reduction, point of use storage, quality at the source, workforce practices, and pull systems. Participants will learn to calculate takt time and balance production lines to produce to customer demand. By the end of the day, participants see that the key to a company's real improvements and their ability to be competitive, strongly correlate to their ability to eliminate non-value added activities. Participants will demonstrate to themselves that they can reduce manufacturing cycle time up to 90%, improve on-time shipments up to 90%, reduce work in process up to 90%, improve quality up to 50%, and reduce floor space up to 75%.

Payment: Please make check payable to "VMEC" and mail to PO Box 12, Randolph Center, VT 05061-0012. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

Value Stream Mapping is a hands-on workshop designed to develop the skill of Value Stream Mapping. Using a case study approach, participants develop and use value stream maps as a method to identify waste and plan for process improvement. When applied to ‘front office’ processes, attendees will learn how to identify areas for process improvement that will reduce lead times, improve first time quality of information, and improve service. Examples of front office process realizing significant customer impact include order entry, quoting, new product  definition, engineering order changes and shipping. The Value Stream Mapping process is appropriate for any organization with significant administrative processes: manufacturing, government, health care, higher education, banking and insurance.

In your office, can you find whatever you need in less than 30 seconds? Can anyone walk in and find what they need in less than 30 seconds? The aim of Office 5S is to remove what is not needed, place the necessary items at the point of use and create a clean, visual and high performance workspace.

In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to:

- Improve access to tools, supplies and information on paper and in electronic formats

- More effectively use resources

- Get by without the “irreplaceable” employee

- Improve workplace safety by eliminating clutter and physical obstacles

- Identify ergonomic solutions to make workstations more comfortable and productive

While an organized workspace is no doubt appealing to the eye, the value of implementing 5S in the office extends beyond simply creating an orderly appearance. The process of Sorting (organizing), Setting in Order (ordering), Shining (inspecting & cleaning), Standardizing (practicing), and Sustaining (creating discipline) your office functions will generate more value added output per worker. Improvements in productivity, safety, and quality will go right to the bottom line.

This full day course offers you the opportunity to learn the process to maximize the productivity of your equipment, for its entire life. Total Productive Maintenance fosters an environment where improve-ment efforts in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and Creativity are encouraged, through the participation of all employees. Participants will learn about Overall Equipment Effectiveness and its connection with capacity, how to find and eliminate the 6 major equipment related wastes, also how to eliminate the causes of 75% of equipment breakdowns. By the close of the workshop participants will have learned the principles and goals of TPM, how TPM supports lean manufacturing and how to implement TPM on the factory floor.

Payment: VMEC will invoice you after the workshop. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

Lean 101 is the first step to learning the fundamental principles of "lean manufacturing." No previous experience is required. Those experienced in Lean can also benefit from this workshop. Attendees will walk away understanding the power of lean manufacturing. 

The course is a mix of classroom and live simulation. Participants begin by simulating the manufacture of circuit boards in a chaotic manufacturing firm. The results of the first simulation provide the basis on which lean principles will be applied. For the remainder of the day, participants revisit the manufacturing environment and employ the lean techniques that are taught in the classroom. Simple financial statements prepared after each simulation show the impact that implementing lean principles has on a company's bottom line.

Participants will walk away understanding 8 key wastes in manufacturing, and in a "train and do" manner, learn how to eliminate these wastes by applying standardized work, workplace organization, visual controls, set-up reduction, batch size reduction, point of use storage, quality at the source, workforce practices, and pull systems. Participants will learn to calculate takt time and balance production lines to produce to customer demand. By the end of the day, participants see that the key to a company's real improvements and their ability to be competitive, strongly correlate to their ability to eliminate non-value added activities. Participants will demonstrate to themselves that they can reduce manufacturing cycle time up to 90%, improve on-time shipments up to 90%, reduce work in process up to 90%, improve quality up to 50%, and reduce floor space up to 75%.

Payment: Please make check payable to "VMEC" and mail to PO Box 12, Randolph Center, VT 05061-0012. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

Workplace information can change quickly and often - production schedules, customer requirements, engineering specifications, operational methods, tooling and fixtures needs, material location, and thousands of other details on which daily life in the enterprise depends. You need a way to rapidly and accurately update and share this information. If not, searching, waiting, and making costly mistakes can turn into a way of life.

The key is the visual factory. A visual factory is a comprehensive waste-reduction strategy that roots out confusion. Made up of hundreds of simple, low-cost visual devices, a visual workplace shares vital information quickly and accurately to the people who need it most - your employees. Visual devices are powerful solutions for working smarter, not harder, and can dramatically improve quality, on-time delivery, lead-time, and employee morale.

Payment: Please make check payable to "VMEC" and mail to PO Box 12, Randolph Center, VT 05061-0012. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

SME Lean Certification is an internationally recognized certification process developed by SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers) and AME (Association for Manufacturing Excellence) along with the Shingo Prize committee. VMEC has been trained and authorized to provide review courses and administer the required SME Certification exam.

This certification is targeted to companies on lean journeys, and to lean champions, practitioners and consultants charged with facilitating those lean transformations. VMEC supports and encourages SME Lean Certification.

Degrees and/or formal education are not a pre-requisite for certification.

Overview of Review Course
The review course is an effective program for preparing candidates for the Bronze-level exam. During the focused, two-day(11/5 & 11/6) review process, VMEC Lean Facilitator, Paul Demers, will guide the group through review topics covered in the exam. Review activities will include:

• A Review of the Body of Knowledge
• Practice Exercises
• Sample Test Questions
• Review of Recommended Reading Materials
• Discussion about Lean Certification Portfolio and Mentoring Requirements

The collaborative, group format of the program allows participants to share ideas and solidify their knowledge about Lean concepts.

Optional: VMEC is administering a Lean Bronze Certification Exam on November 7, 2009. Registration information is listed in the workshop section of www.vmec.org

Visit www.sme.org/leancert for more information on the Lean Certification process.

This certification is targeted to companies on lean journeys, and to lean champions, practitioners and consultants charged with facilitating those lean transformations. VMEC supports and encourages SME Lean Certification.

Degrees and/or formal education are not a pre-requisite for certification.

Exam Information:
The exam is a 3-hour, open-book exam that is administered via paper and pencil. Study materials for the exam must be purchased in advance and brought with you to the exam site.

A Lean Certification Application must be completed prior to taking the exam.

Visit www.sme.org/leancert for more information on the Lean Certification process.

In this interactive, one-day workshop, participants will learn a systematic, low-cost, shop-floor proven method to improve setups dramatically. This seminar will teach the benefits of setup reduction and instruct how to implement a setup reduction project, from selecting the focus to applying the methodology and measuring the results. Attendees will learn how to apply specific tools and techniques through real-world examples, and videos and exercises will be used to reinforce the training.

The approach is simple and universal. It is based on the concept of Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED), the single most important foundation for Just-In-Time production. This methodology has reduced setup and turnaround time in all types of manufacturing, assembly, and even service industries. Participants are encouraged to bring videotapes of their own setups for use as problem solving exercises.

Payment: Please make check payable to "VMEC" and mail to PO Box 12, Randolph Center, VT 05061-0012. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

Lean 101 is the first step to learning the fundamental principles of "lean manufacturing." No previous experience is required. Those experienced in Lean can also benefit from this workshop. Attendees will walk away understanding the power of lean manufacturing. 

The course is a mix of classroom and live simulation. Participants begin by simulating the manufacture of circuit boards in a chaotic manufacturing firm. The results of the first simulation provide the basis on which lean principles will be applied. For the remainder of the day, participants revisit the manufacturing environment and employ the lean techniques that are taught in the classroom. Simple financial statements prepared after each simulation show the impact that implementing lean principles has on a company's bottom line.

Participants will walk away understanding 8 key wastes in manufacturing, and in a "train and do" manner, learn how to eliminate these wastes by applying standardized work, workplace organization, visual controls, set-up reduction, batch size reduction, point of use storage, quality at the source, workforce practices, and pull systems. Participants will learn to calculate takt time and balance production lines to produce to customer demand. By the end of the day, participants see that the key to a company's real improvements and their ability to be competitive, strongly correlate to their ability to eliminate non-value added activities. Participants will demonstrate to themselves that they can reduce manufacturing cycle time up to 90%, improve on-time shipments up to 90%, reduce work in process up to 90%, improve quality up to 50%, and reduce floor space up to 75%.

Payment: Please make check payable to "VMEC" and mail to PO Box 12, Randolph Center, VT 05061-0012. To pay by credit card (VISA or MC only), call 802-728-1432.

By applying the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle to the problem solving process, you will learn a simple, teachable, and repeatable method to approach problems. Deployable from the CEO to front line workers, this approach helps you identify the root cause of problems and implement effective, sustainable solutions. Participants team up to work through examples and case studies. Proven problem solving tools and techniques will be introduced as well as the A3 method of tracking and reporting progress. Become more competitive by finding ways to eliminate waste in your processes through continuous improvement. Participants learn how to make problems visible and tackle them head on through structured problem solving.

The Vermont Safety and Health Council will be holding a General Industry OSHA-30 Class December 7-10, 2009, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm each day at the Asa Bloomer State Office Building in Rutland (88 Merchants Row; parking entrance on West Street).

Topic list: Overview of OSHA & Recordkeeping; Toxic & Hazardous Substances; PPE & Safety & Health Programs; Confined Spaces; Walking & Working Surfaces & Material Handling; Machine Guarding, Lockout/Tagout & Portable Power Tools, Exit Routes, Emergency Action Plans; Fire Protection, Electrical & Welding, Cutting & Brazing; Flammable & Combination Liquids; Occupational Health & Environmental Controls & Special Topic of Behavior Based Safety

How to Register: Call or e-mail Rob Towle, Rutland Area Safety Group (chapter of VSHC), 802-775-3906 or rtowle@reynoldsandson.com. All payments made to VT Safety & Health Council, P.O. Box 9495, South Burlington, VT 05407.  

For More Information:  Call or e-mail Pauline Singley, President, VSHC, 802-352-4427 or paulinesingley@myfairpoint.net

More Information can be found at www.vshc.org (events calendar)

Vermont Council for Quality's 5th Annual Fall Quality Conference will be held December 7 & 8, 2009 at the Sheraton Burlington Conference Center.

December 7th will feature Vermont's Approach to Health Care Reform. Keynote Presenter Congressman Peter Welch has been invited along with presentations from the Vermont Health Care Reform Commission, Vermont Information Technology Leaders (VITL), Vermont Blueprint for Health, Poudre Valley Health System, and many more...

The Journey to Performance Excellence on December 8th will feature a keynote presentation from Poudre Valley Health System - a 2008 Baldrige National Quality Award Recipient. George Hayes, CEO and President of Medical Center of the Rockies (PVHS' affiliate hospital) will present on their Baldrige Journey to Performance Excellence.

Other highlights of the conference will feature Vermont Leaders as they share their best practices and lessons learned on their Baldrige journey. Additional presentations will include quality professionals highlighting resources available to help you improve your performance.