Eric Gilbert, Alan Bryan, Jeremy Carpenter, Chris Kauffman, Darwin Shank and Jay McCarty (Chambersburg, PA)

Always take time to find the root cause. Along the way you might discover other ways to make the process safer, simpler and more productive for everyone.

It started with a simple investigation of kinked boom plates. Chains were getting caught on the racks underneath the boom plates, and different storage slot widths created challenges in getting plate clamps onto the parts. But when a team from Chambersburg set out to solve the problem, their solution went beyond fixing these issues to improve safety, quality and productivity for the entire plant.

The team, which included Eric Gilbert, Alan Bryan, Jeremy Carpenter, Chris Kauffman, Darwin Shank and Jay McCarty, gathered internal Voice of the Customer feedback from all stakeholders and brainstormed how to create a solution that would meet everyone’s needs. Next, they created a prototype to test and validate their design. The result: a new storage/kitting rack with ergonomics and safety considerations that made it easier and safer for employees to pick parts and lift equipment. An added bonus: no more kinked boom plates.

Lesson Learned: Always take time to find the root cause. Along the way you might discover other ways to make the process safer, simpler and more productive for everyone.