3P TOOL Eduardo L. Garcia. © 2015. 3P-Production Preparation Process is an advanced lean approach involving visual thinking, simulation, kaizen for quick Design for Manufacturability. 3P follows a series of group and individual activities to sketch and model the product and processes. 3P consist in an intense 3-5days event and a great way to begin the journey of operational excellence.

CONCEPTS OF 3P

3P is about rapidly designing product and production

processes to ensure capability, built-in quality, productivity,

and Flow-Takt-Pull. The Production Preparation Process

minimizes resources needed such as capital, tooling, space,

inventory, and time. Rather than tweaking an existing shop

floor process, we start with a clean sheet of paper.

The 3P process is used to develop a product line specific

production system in the shortest time to satisfy design and

quality requirements, concept to market time goals,

production requirements, and cost requirements.

“80%-90% of operational cost encountered after

construction or design release is directly related

to decisions made during the design phase.”

3P simulates the actual components, product and production

line of a new product during the early stages of the design

process to learn about manufacturing or delivery requirements

before making commitments to a floor plan or process flow.

Without understanding of

3P and how it differs from

traditional approaches to

product and process

design, many 3P projects

may be questioned,

criticized and shortened

before completion.

As we hit plateau with

Continuous Improvement,

we get into cloud of

uncertainty. 3P propels us

to break through this cloud.

This is risky. Less than 10%

will jump into it. But 3P

will take us to new level

where Kaizen will begin

with new perspective. By

doing this we renew our

Kaizen enthusiasm with

new direction and vigor.

The goal is meet customer demand with perfect quality and at the

desired cost. From beginning to end, 3P is an exercise in project

management and waste elimination. 3P is a valuable tool because

the cost of eliminating waste in the earliest stages of product

development is less than during the final stages. The tool is useful

and effective when you need to develop a method to meet

customer requirements, plan production capacity for new or

changing demand, transition new products, set a target date for

delivering to market or prove the business-case target cost.

“New competitive view-point: (1) Our competitors

could be anyone. (2) Expectations are often set outside

of our industry. (3) Just coping competitors is a race

to the bottom”

The 3P cross-functional team should include designers, engineers

(i.e., manufacturing, quality and process), operators, operations

experts and anyone else instrumental in bringing the product to

market. Using lean principles, the cross-functional team creates a

mock-up of the product and walks through how the product will

flow through the factory. Mock-ups may be made from

cardboard, plastic foam, wood or any other material that makes

sense. Multiple 3P events are usually required throughout the

design and development phases of a new product.

STEPS OF 3P

1. Determine de Function: What function does our customer

want?

2. Collet Real Data

3. Develop 7 alternatives (7 Ways): Do not jump to Only the

Idea!

4. Examples in Nature.

5. Moonshine area!: Built something with your hands!

6. Evaluate 7 alternatives.

7. Select 3 better alternatives using objective criteria. Grading

1-5 each consideration for the 7 alternatives:

8. Construct model operations: Tray-Storming.

9. Simulate 3 alternatives process.

10. Select 1 best design & process combination

11. Create standard work...

12. Develop equipment concepts: Define, Sketch and

13. Develop implementation plan.

14. Follow Up!

3P must be actively

practiced and promoted.

If 3P efforts do not keep

moving forward, they

will regress. Along with

this regression go the

competitive advantages

and dollars spent on

discovering, creating

and implementing the

process

STEPS OF 3P DETAILED

1. Determine de Function: What function does our customer want? 1. PESTEL, STEEP. Understanding customer

requirements: Empathy-Map, Surveys, etc.

2. Collet Real Data: 1. What simulation data can be collected to qualify how

each model may perform? 2. Go to Gemba: Understanding the current state. 3. Follow the pathways: How our customer use our

product?

3. Develop 7 alternatives (7 Ways): Do not jump to Only the Idea! 1. Each alternative must be a workable solution 2. Define: What would it take? In order to make the idea

work. 3. Do not evaluate ideas, focus on what might work. 4. Consider process steps, not equipment. 5. Do not rely on old or in-house process. Select what is

best.

4. Examples in Nature. 1. For instance VELCRO. What is in nature just made on

similar way? 2. Investigate how nature performs. 3. Background and conditions of Function: How does

nature interact with environment? Make a sketch!

5. Moonshine: Built something with your hands! 1. A method of disruptive action that occurs in secrecy,

under and around organizational boundaries and procedures, producing order-of-magnitude improvement to any process.

2. A Lean Manufacturing Tool that uses a fast and inexpensive prototyping to develop and prove a concept, prior to full implementation. (Similar to Minimum Viable Product-MVP). Fast and inexpensive is the only way to “Tray-Storm”

6. Evaluate 7 alternatives. 1. Simulate product functions. 2. Simulate process functions. 3. Create alternative Process-at-a-Glance as Comic.

7. Select 3 better alternatives using objective criteria: Grading 1-5. 1. Meet Tack Time. 2. One Piece Flow. 3. People Involvement. 4. Hanedashi. 5. Chaku-Chaku. 6. Poka-Yoke. 7. Minimal Capital. 8. 100% Gaging. 9. Value-Added. 10. Changeover 11. Tool Room Maintenance. 12. Tooling Costs. 13. Ergonomics. 14. Simple as possible. 15. Standard Equipment.

16. Process Capability. 17. Known process. 18. Future challenge. 19. Maintenance Free. 20. Technical advantage. 21. Jidoka. 22. Development Time. 23. Customer point of view analysis and

relevance i. Interest ‘1’ in customer point of view ii. … iii. Interest ‘n’ in customer point of view

8. Construct model operations: Tray-Storming. 1. Ishikawa. Fishbone every piece part and/or

process: Clarify steps and parts of product and process.

2. Spaghetti Diagram and/or Built a String Model.

3. Potential problems map: MindMapping by Brainstorm.

4. Simulation & Modeling: Post-it notes, Lego, Great Panels, Floor, Tapes.

5. Live-Size Mock Ups i. Eliminates assumptions from 2D media. ii. Improves creativity, teaming. iii. Fast and inexpensive. iv. Tray-Storming ‘vs’ BrainStorming.

9. Simulate 3 alternatives process. 1. Test inefficiencies across Live-size Mock Ups.

10. Select 1 best design & process combination 1. Does design meet targets?

11. Create standard work.

12. Develop equipment concepts: Define, Sketch and Model for:

1. Tools, Gages and Equipment. i. Lightning Fast. ii. Material Flows. iii. Absolute Minimum. iv. Easy Equipment Changeovers. v. Easy-to-Move equipment. vi. Narrow Operator Stations vii. Manpower Flow. viii. No Wasted Equipment Time ix. Small, Swift Flow Lines. x. Short, vertical Lines. xi. Pull Production. xii. Quick Tooling Changeovers. xiii. Link Machines. xiv. Multiple Lines and Rectified Flows. xv. Do it Again!

13. Develop implementation plan. 1. GANT and KPIs

14. Follow Up!