Team nets safety, savings by ‘drilling’ process improvement

Published Dec. 17, 2008
By Christy Jaworsky
Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center Transformation Office

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., -- The 548th Propulsion Maintenance Squadron's effort to improve the drilling process for a duct-liner was recognized by Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center Executive Director John Over during a Lean Recognition event recently.

Once time-consuming, risky and costly, the improved, safer and faster process is on course to save the Air Force $47,000 a year.

For seven years, mechanic Jerry Heiskill dealt with the frustration and discomfort of using a hand-held drill to re-drill holes into the augmentor mixing duct liner following welding repair.

"It took two of us to drill each hole," said Mr. Heiskill. "One of us would operate the drill, and the other would hold down the liner, trying to apply constant pressure. When you have to drill as many as eight holes on one liner, it's backbreaking work."

Over time, Mr. Heiskill witnessed some improvements in the process, but even after the 76th Propulsion Maintenance Group purchased a higher powered, self-feeding drill for the shop, it took 30 minutes and up to eight drill bits to drill one hole.

"I would hold the drill against my leg to apply pressure. It was exhausting and left my leg bruised," said Mr. Heiskill.

Mr. Heiskill's supervisor, Greg Tunnell, committed to helping with a solution. Acting as the project leader, Mr. Tunnell, the Augmentor Repair back-shop supervisor, formed a teamto improve the broken process. The team was made up of mechanics, Mr. Heiskill, Roy Batts and Steve Jackson; a planner, Floyd Praytor; an engineer, David Gibson; and a tool-design engineer, Tom Pence.

Over the next 16 months, the team worked together on a solution. Mr. Heiskill came up with the idea of developing a fixture that would hold the self-feeding drill in place and attach to the current apparatus holding the augmentor duct-liner. Using the team's input, Mr. Pence made a drawing of the device, but lack of funding and a long waiting list stalled production of the part until Mr. Tunnell contacted the 76th PMXG Voluntary Protection Program.

"Without this new fixture, the mechanics risked injury from having to apply constant pressure and from the awkward way they had to stand," said Mr. Tunnell. "I brought this to the attention of VPP, and they made sure we had the funding for the part and then sent us to the front of the waiting list. The next thing we knew, research and development delivered the finished product."

When Mr. Heiskill first saw the new fixture in July 2008, he was skeptical, but after using it, he found the device was easy to maneuver, held the drill in place and applied constant pressure.

"I used to hate drilling, but now I just get everything set up and then watch the drill do its magic. The new fixture made it a hands-off process. The first time I tried it, I was smiling from ear to ear," Mr. Heiskill said.

Not only are the mechanics thrilled with the improved process, but it has saved the Air Force time and money. The new process takes 30 seconds per hole, and because the pressure is constant, a single drill-bit can successfully drill eight or nine holes before it must be replaced.

"Through teamwork and innovation, the team leaned out this process. One drill bit now gets the job done, and at $13 a piece, the team will save the Air Force around $47,000 a year. Plus, they decreased the drilling time from 30 minutes to 30 seconds and, most importantly, made the process much safer," Mr. Over said. "When we talk about process improvement, this is what we mean. It's exciting to see them come up with innovative ideas to make their jobs better, faster and safer."