Corporate Repair Philosophy and Measuring for Continuous Improvement at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
Abstract
Initial zone technology implementation at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in 1986 set the stage for one of the most significant shifts in culture and repair philosophy ever witnessed at a public naval shipyard. Attempting to fundamentally change the way that the shipyard conducted business forced senior and middle management to completely understand the dynamic and interrelated processes that were utilized to perform depot level work. Through the Philadelphia Quality Process (PQP), this understanding was achieved and changes that were necessary to shift from a Ship Work Breakdown Structure (SWBS) to a Product Work Breakdown Structure (PWBS) began. As all quality processes will point out, measurement is the key to obtaining the necessary data to make corporate decisions. As the zone technology model was refined from 1987 through 1991, the understanding of "how we do work" continued to improve. Attacking processes that are sluggish, manual and not responsive enough to support the manufacturing process is the direct result of meaningful measurement focusing management attention. The purpose of this paper is to point out that the emphasis of the shipyard is now on the total "manufacturing process" rather than just "odds and ends" of planning and production.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADP023034
Entities
People
- Lawrence R. Baun
- Robert G. Gorgone