MAKING THE NUMBERS WORK
It took the team of supply analysts and technicians, production controllers, expediters, engineers, material handlers and members of a remanufacturing bills of material team about a year to fully implement a solution, according to McDermott. “As part of the process, team members researched material descriptions, and standardized NSNs and TW Metals part numbers. Once the new order entry system was implemented, employees were able to cross-reference manufacturers’ part numbers and Tobyhanna’s part numbers with TW Metals part numbers and NSNs,” he said.
Supply Technician Corman noted that Tobyhanna decided to work with DLA Troop Support, Philadelphia, PA, as a
primary supply source for raw metals,
“partially based on DLA’s ability to make purchases to meet the needs of the depot.”
DLA contracted with TW Metals to provide raw metals. Tobyhanna in turn contracted with DLA for TW Metals to use a “just in time” delivery schedule for material, eliminating the need for on-site storage. “Working with TW Metals through DLA provides a standardized process for purchasing raw material where none existed in the past,” Corman explained. Contrast that with the old process in which a purchase necessitated soliciting bids from a variety of local vendors, with no consistent lead times and constant variations in pricing.
TW Metals’ materials are delivered twice a week and sheet metal is banded, eliminat- ing the need for users to count and stack sheets manually.
Te just-in-time contract “requires one full truckload of material to be maintained at the machine, one pallet stored in the warehouse and a scheduled delivery in transit to replenish the warehouse, McDermott explained. “Requisitioning material using this method has resulted in a compressed lead time of 7 to 11 days,” because the constant flow of material reduces the need to stock, store and issue it.
HARNESSING TECHNOLOGY “Basically, we leveraged technology to achieve a new possibility with teamwork and efficiency,” said McDermott.
ONE-STOP TRACKING Charles Corman (left), supply technician, and Charles McDermott, supply systems analyst, verify program requirements. Tobyhanna officials created a spreadsheet to track requests for quotes and orders, lot size, lead delivery time changes and delivery dates, among other factors. Corman and McDermott work in the Production Management Directorate’s Materiel Management Division. (U.S. Army photo)
Employees now use a shared spreadsheet, he said, to track several key elements— requests for quotes and orders; changes to lot size and lead delivery time; DLA long-term, direct-vendor delivery orders; delivery and request dates; and Tobyhan- na’s part number conversions.
“Te spreadsheet is maintained on a shared drive to monitor all raw metal commodity ordering. Several organizations share the responsibility for maintaining the pro- cess and providing accurate information,” McDermott said. Tat effective commu- nication is maintained through meetings with production engineering and systems integration and support personnel, which allows for a more efficient process for the entire purchase request.
McDermott pointed out that personnel can check metal ordering status at the TW Metals website and through the Logistics Modernization Program. Tey can enter information directly into the new sys- tem. “Te new system offers a consistent
118 Army AL&T Magazine January–March 2013
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