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Sandorf & Bassett

•    Point-plotter performance. Point plotters should be able to perform the

entire OCAP process themselves, without having to notify anyone. This independence means the point plotter is empowered and owns the process.

•    Punt terminators. Punt terminators should never or rarely be used.

Using punt terminators almost aiways means lost time and indicates that the PAT still needs a better understanding of the manufacturing process. A maturę OCAP uses punt terminators less than 10% of the time.

•    OCAP usage. The OCAP should be followed for every out-of-control

occurrence. A complex or ineffective OCAP will be difficult to follow and might even be ignored by point plotters. The term “air bali” is used to designate times when an activator has indicated that an OCAP should have been used, but wasn't. The frequency of air balls as a percent of total OCAP activations should decrease over time. PATs are responsible for providing effective, efficient, and simple-to-follow OCAPs.

•    Process predictability. The OCAP helps eliminate special causes,

which enables the process to run morę predictably.

•    Percent of out-of-control runs. The percent of out-of-control runs

should decrease. Naturally, as assignable causes are eliminated, a higher percentage of plotted runs should be in control.

Observed Benefits

At Philips, we have noticed many measurable and nonmeasurable benefits for using OCAPs. One beneficiary is the operatora (point plotters). They feel empowered because they are in charge of their OCAPs and of troubleshooting problems-a job once done by engineering and maintenance personnel. In many companies, operators are seen as just product movers or button pushers and are excluded from troubleshooting activities. At Philips, however, the identification, resolution, and elimination of special causes of variation ultimately rest with the operators, who are eąuipped with the proper tools.

Another beneficiary is the sustaining process engineers, who now spend morę time optimizing processes and introducing new processes because they are no longer firefighting existing ones. It is not unusual for engineers to go from spending 75% of their time sustaining processes to less that 25% within months after an OCAP and control chara are implemented. Similar