Visteon is undergoing an evolution toward lean production areas. Many of these cells feature extensive input from the hourly workers who build the products. The Engine Induction System (EIS) line for the Ford F-150 at Visteon’s Rawsonville Plant in Ypsilanti, Mich., is one of Visteon’s shining examples of this change.

      The F-150 EIS, also called the Integrated Air/Fuel Module, necessitated a brand-new line for the plant. So, five years ago, planners started from scratch and designed one of the most flexible, efficient and highest quality assembly lines in Visteon. The line is designed with two main concepts at the forefront: supporting the operator and matching the production process to customer requirements. Neither concept is revolutionary at Visteon, but the team was committed to perfecting both concepts, and spreading the transformation to older lines at the plant.

Supporting the operatortc "Supporting the operator"

      Hourly operators were heavily involved in the early stages of planning the new line. One assembly technician was taught the lean principle of standardized work and assembled and disassembled a prototype of the F-150 EIS more than 50 times. He documented each motion to determine the optimum assembly process. From that process, engineers and operators were able to sketch out an operation-by-operation work flow chart.

      Operators also sketched out how the parts should be oriented as they entered and exited each operation. A flow rack supplier worked closely with the production operators, using the sketches to provide all of the part presentation racks. This shortened the development time by eliminating an engineering liaison.

            “We brought in the operators much earlier in the process than we’ve done in the past,” says Jeff Riedel, lean manufacturing manager ...

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