On Wednesday, June 07th, 2023, the members of the Hamburg district association of the VDI working group Value Analysis/ Value Management met to exchange experience at the Hamburg location of the MTM ASSOCIATION e. V. The topic of the joint event was increasing efficiency with MTM – process optimization and capacity planning.
Prof. Dr. Peter Kuhlang, Managing Director of the MTM ASSOCIATION e. V. and the Deutsche MTM-Gesellschaft mbH, opened the evening. He then handed over to the two speakers: Ralf Jaehnke of the Deutsche MTM-Gesellschaft mbH and Frank Bröker, deputy head of the VDI working group and consultant at EBIT Engineers.
Time — the most important control variable
In his presentation, Ralf Jaehnke first gave a brief introduction to MTM, distinguishing between the organization and the method. He then set the following focal points for his presentation:
- Why is time data so important and what can be done with it
- Examples from MTM practice
The key message on the topic of time data was that time is one of the most important control variables in operations along the entire product development cycle. This is why it is so important to have relevant, accurate timing data already in the planning phase of a product or process. So the costs of later changes in the manufacturing process can be kept as low as possible. The MTM method starts at this point. The big advantage over time determination methods that require a work system is that MTM provides the time data already in the planning phase. In addition, the MTM building block systems offer the possibility of mapping different process types, from series production to plant engineering (single-item and small-batch production). Compared to other methods, the MTM method is standardized. As a result, it offers all users a recognized reference basis for evaluating human work.
Better understanding of the subject area thanks to case studies
The participants gained practical experience through the case study “Bolting a generator to an engine using MTM-Easy®“. No in-depth MTM knowledge is required to use MTM-Easy®, the first cloud-based software for time determination. Furthermore, Ralf Jaehnke used this example to show how quickly benchmark times can be calculated with this tool!
Frank Bröker also presented several practical examples and made it clear that changing work processes in companies is also always a process. He comes from the field of value analysis with more than 25 years of experience in product and process optimization.
He gave an example of a current project in Meppen. The starting position was that the production areas burned down completely ast year and therefore a new assembly concept was to be established right away. With the help of MTM-MEK® an evaluation of the individual components from the parts lists was carried out. Thus, the starting point for the new project was set. In the meantime, the project has almost been completed. Savings potentials of up to 50 % are expected.
The next dates for future meetings are already planned
Many constructive discussions took place during the event, during which questions about the MTM method were clarified. Business cards were exchanged for the purpose of potential collaboration and further dates for future meetings of the working group have already been envisaged.