CaseStudy:IncorporatingToxicsUse ReductionintoLeanManufacturing andSixSigmaatOphirOptics

1.Overview
OphirOpticsdesignsandproducesafullrangeofhighperformanceInfrared(IR) opticallensesandelements.Itsproductsareusedinelectroopticalsystemsfor military,homelandsecurity,commercialandindustrialapplications,rangingfrom NightVisionequipmenttoindustrialmetalprocessing.OphirOpticshassuccessfully utilizedLeanManufacturingandSixSigmatoolsandmethodologiesforavarietyof projects,includingtoxicsusereduction,attheirmanufacturingfacilitylocatedin NorthAndover,Massachusetts.Asaresultofthiswork,Ophirhasreduceditsuse oftoxicchemicalsandgenerationofhazardouswaste,andincreasedtheenergy efficiencyofitsmanufacturingoperations. Ophir's40,000ft2facilitycanproducelargequantitiesofopticsquicklyandcost effectively.Allmanufacturingisdoneinhouse,usingautomatedmachiningwith precisiondiamondcutting;spherical,asphericalanddiffractiveopticalcomponents; mirrorsandmetallicoptics.Becausethecompanyhasbeenexpandingproduction,it anticipatedbeingfacedwithincreasedmanagementcostsassociatedwith environmentalbyproducts,andplannedproactivemeasurestoaddressthem.

35mmf/1.4athermalizedlens

15300mm,f/4continuous zoomcooled lens

2.ImplementationofLeanManufacturingandSixSigmaatOphirOptics
Ophirstartedtheirjourneytowardsamoresustainableoperationinearly2009whenitconductedinternal trainingandimplementedcontinuousflowinitsmanufacturingareas.Thisprocesswasacceleratedin2010 whenOphirreceivedaworkforcetraininggrantfromtheCommonwealthofMassachusettstoundertake traininginLeanManufacturing,SixSigma,andmanagement methodologiesdesignedtocreateamoreefficientoverall LeanProduction manufacturingprocess.OphirteamedwithanonprofitLean Amethodofeliminatingwaste throughemployeeinvolvement Manufacturingconsultingorganization,GreaterBoston ManufacturingPartnership(GBMP),toprovidethetraining.

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Duringthissametimeperiod,OphircontactedtheMassachusettsOfficeofTechnicalAssistance(OTA)forideas andassistanceinreducingitsgenerationofhazardouswaste.OTAengineersevaluatedtheprocessesthatuse toxicchemicalsandcreatehazardouswaste,andprovidedanumberofsuggestionsforreducingtoxicsuseand hazardouswastegeneration.BasedonOTAsrecommendationsOphirembarkedonaseriesofcontinuous improvementprojects,usingtheSixSigmaprocesswhereappropriate. ThebasicconceptofSixSigmaisthatprocesseshavecharacteristics thatcanbemeasured,analyzed,improvedandcontrolled.TheSix Sigmaapproachisimplementedthroughagroupeffortthat motivatescommitmentfromtheentireorganizationtoachieve sustainedqualityimprovement.

SixSigma
Anapproachtoimprovingthe qualityofproductionbyidentifying andremovingthecausesofdefects (errors)andincreasing standardizationinbusiness processes

OphirusedSixSigmatoolstoimplementasuggestionbyOTAthatit coulddecreasetheuseandemissionsofmineralspirits,atoxicandvolatileorganiccompound(VOC)usedasa coolantintheirdiamondturningmanufacturingprocess.Anticipatinganincreaseinproduction,Ophirwas concernedaboutincreasedcostsassociatedwithcompliancewithairemissionsregulations.Ophirevaluated thetechnicalperformanceofthreealternativecoolantsidentifiedwithOTAsassistance.Ophirinvestigated nonvolatilewaterbasedcoolantsanddeterminedthatsubstitutioncouldprovidehigherqualityresults,but Ophirwouldneedtofullydesignafluidcaptureandsolidsremovalsystemtoimplementthechange.Therefore, asashorttermsolution,Ophirinvestigatedmethodsforincreasingtheefficiencyofitsuseofvolatileorganic compoundsinthediamondcuttingprocess. Aftercloselymonitoringtheuseofmineralspiritsateach machineandmeasuringproductquality,Ophirdeterminedthat evenwithsignificantreductionsintheuseofmineralspiritthere wasnodiminutioninlensfunctioning.Thecarefulidentification ofkeyfactorsandmeasurementandcontrolofoperatingparametersthatisahallmarkoftheSixSigmaprocess broughtaboutevenfurtherreductionsinmineralspiritusageinthemachineswiththelowestuserates.Each cuttingmachineoperatorwastheninstructedtosettheflowcontrolsfordeliveryofmineralspiritstothe cuttingsitewithinatightsetofapplicationparameters. Mineralspiritconsumptionhadincreasedalongwithproductionfrom2008to2009.However,eventhough productionheldsteadyin2010,withtheimplementationofthesechanges,Ophirwasabletoreduceitsmineral spiritconsumptionby3,872pounds(70%).ThetotalestimatedannualsavingsfortheVOCprojectis$15,000. Inaddition,thecarefulmeasurementandevaluationofthediamondturningprocesshasenhancedoverall productionquality,withfeweradjustmentsnecessaryduringproduction.Ophirwillalsosaveontimeandair permittingcostsbyavoidingtheincreaseinemissions. InadditiontotheVOCreductionproject,OphiralsolookedintoOTAsrecommendationthat,asgoodgeneral practice,processesshouldberedesignedtoavoidmixingtogethergermaniumandseleniumwastestreams. ImplementingthissuggestionwasnotdifficultforOphir,andduring2010thefacilityreducedthequantityof hazardouswasteshippedbyabouttwothirds.Whereasduringthefirsthalfoftheyearthecompanywasalarge quantitygeneratorofhazardouswaste(thethresholdisonethousandkilogramspermonth),duringthesecond halfoftheyearOphirwasabletoreclassifyitselfasasmallquantityhazardouswastegenerator,withshipments

OphirreducedVOCsby 70%,saving$15,000 annually

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wellbelow1,000kilogramsofhazardouswastepermonth.Associatedtraining,hazardouswastemanagement andreportingrequirementswerealsoreduced. OtherLeanManufacturingandSixSigmaprojectsimplementedatthefacilitythathavemadeOphirsproduction processmoreefficientinclude: CellularLayoutofOphirslens fabricationwhichfacilitatedthe switchfrombatchmanufacturingto continuousflowproduction.This reducedworkinprocessinventory, labor,andoverallleadtimeto producetheproduct. TotalProductiveMaintenance(TPM) inseveraldepartments,including dailychecksofequipmentand visualswhichallowoperatorsto easilyconfirmthatequipmentis withinproperoperatingparameters. 5Smethods(sort,straighten,shine,standardize,andsustain)throughouttheplant.Thisisamethodof organizationthatreduceswastessuchassearchingfortools.Suppliesandtoolsarenowstoredatpointof useandorganizedinastandardizedwaythatfacilitatesoperator/technicianuse. Recognitionprogramstomotivateparticipationbyemployeesincludingbothteamrewardsandindividual employeeawards.Forexample,teamswererecognizedinavarietyofwaysincludingplaques,giftcards, andshirts. Standardizedworkprojects,whichhelpbalancetheproductionflowandeliminatewasteand manufacturingbottlenecks. ScrapreductionprojectsutilizingtheSixSigmaprocessDMAIC(Define,Measure,Analyze,Improve,and Control).

3.ResultsAchieved
TheresultsachievedbyOphirOpticsimplementationofLeanManufacturingandSixSigmaimprovement projectsinclude:

Morethan $1,000,000in efficiency improvements achieved

Morethan$1,000,000inefficiencyimprovementswasachievedfrom implementingLeanManufacturingandSixSigmaprojects.Themajorityof thiswasachievedthroughtheimplementationofcontinuousflowcellsand standardizedwork. Ophiralsoachievedmorethan$100,000inprojectedscrapreductionsfrom SixSigmaprojects.

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Savingsassociatedwithhazardouswastereductionsinexcessof$60,000. Lessfacilityspace(saved1400ft2)andcapitalequipmentrequired,alsobettermanufacturing throughputwithafixedamountofresources. Anoverallreductionof70%inthetimetomanufacturelenselements. Newbusinessopportunitiesgeneratedthroughreducedcostandnewproducts.Ophirwasabletooffer productsatlowercostanddesignednewcoatingsusingtheSixSigmaprocess.

Ophiriscontinuingwithresearchandexperimentationwithwaterbasedcoolantalternatives,withthegoalof completeeliminationofmineralspirits.

4.Summary
OphirhasbeenverysuccessfulinusingLeanManufacturingandSixSigmatechniquestoreducetheiruseof resourcessuchasfacilityspace,productionequipment,andenergy.Inaddition,Ophirsimplementationof continuousimprovementprojectshasbeensuccessfulinreducingOphirshazardouswaste.OphiralsousedSix SigmatopursueOTAsrecommendationtoreduceuseofVOCs(mineralspirits)whileimprovinganalreadywell controlledproductionprocess. Inconclusion,theapplicationofLeanManufacturingandSixSigmastrategiesandtoolshasfacilitatedmany greeninitiatives,includingtoxicsusereductionandresourceconservation,inamannerthatisconsistentwith otherOphirbusinessgoalsincludingquality,cost,anddelivery.

TolearnmoreabouttheproductsofOphirOptics,LLCortodiscusshowyourfacilitymightbeabletoimplement similartechniquestomaximizeyourtoxicsusereductionpotential,contactTimPetter,ProductionManager,at978 6576410orTim.Petter@ophiroptics.com FormoreinformationabouttheToxicsUseReductionInstituteCleanerTechnologyDemonstrationSiteMatching Grants,contactPamEliason,IndustryResearchProgramManger,at9789343142orpam@turi.org,orGreg Morose,ResearchManager,at9789342954orGregory_Morose@uml.edu FormoreinformationabouttheonsiteconfidentialtechnicalassistanceservicesprovidedbyOTA,contactBill McGowan,TechnicalServicesChief,at6176261078orwilliam.mcgowan@state.ma.us

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