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Continuously improving, 'AFSC Way' is tool for shop's success

  • Published
  • By Greg L. Davis
  • 72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs
TINKER AFB, Okla. -- --  When mechanics working at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex need a tool, they know where to go. The 76th Maintenance Support Group Complex Tool Program, commonly referred to as the tool crib, is their one-stop shop.


The OC-ALC is the largest maintenance organization at Tinker Air Force Base and one of the largest in the Air Force. This means there's thousands of tool kits used by the 76th MXSG as they keep aircraft and components maintained, overhauled and repaired. The tool crib is essential to ensuring the 24-hours maintenance operations here run smoothly.
Kassie Concetta Meziere, OC-ALC complex tool manager and 76th MXSG tool manager, said the tool crib supports all of the complex wide tools.
"It's very important our customers are happy and they get their tools on time," she said. "It's essential to the effectiveness of the mission."


Located within the bowels of Bldg. 9001 at post T44, the section is fully caged-in for security reasons and includes 13 office cubicles, four laser etching stations, a laser foam-cutting workstation and tool storage boxes stacked high and low. Overall, the section is about the size of a modern-day parts store -- without the parts. They have tools, and lots of them.
The current leadership is proactively seeking to improve the way they do business while meeting or exceeding their own internal metrics as well as customer expectations.
"We are very customer oriented and right now are working through several process improvements and actually mapping all of our processes here," Ms. Meziere said. "We are paying very close attention to any issues that come up."


While the section hands out tools to customers who need replacements, the majority of their business is done fulfilling orders for entire tool kits. When a mechanic is hired on, they are issued an entire set of tools they can work from on the floor. Depending on the work they do, they may need a standard box of tools which contains about 10 drawers of wrenches, screwdrivers, etc. Other mechanics need specialty tools.
It's a complex process to build a box of tools, but the tool crib tries to complete them within 30 days of request. This means tools are pulled from bench stock or ordered through the supply system or alternate source supplier. Once the tools are on hand they are methodically laid out so a custom foam insert can be made for each drawer to keep the tools protected and in a standard location. 


Officials have determined the once-common practice of sending out incomplete tool kits or allowing items to remain on back-order for extended periods hurt their ability to adequately meet the needs of their customers and are now determined to do something about it.
"This is an area that has tons of opportunities for improvement," said Rick Martin, 76th MXSG production support branch chief.
He explained they are doing things differently when it comes to tool purchases and delivery of those tools to the end-user by working within their own ordering system as well as strategically ordering from suppliers. When you order as many tools as they do, placing massive bulk orders with suppliers is like shooting yourself in the foot. It cleans out all existing supplies while hurting future availability across the supply chain. This, in-turn, exacerbates back-order problems. So, now they place smaller, weekly orders which suppliers can deliver.


Sharla Matchen, 76th MXSG production controller, said the group has set up new gates and has its "work in progress" under control.
"We are issuing two kits a day and once we bump up our personnel we hope to put out four kits a day," she said.
Ms. Matchen says they're targeted to produce 480 kits a year. They've changed their purchase processes and have established relationships with alternate suppliers "to eliminate waiting on backorders and better serve the customer."


Four work stations within the tool crib have laser etchers which etch identifying information directly on to the tool being issued. In most cases this is information which shows which tool box it came from for daily tool accountability, for tracing in case it is lost, stolen or involved in an accident or incident. 
Once tools are received in to the tool crib they are carefully inventoried and tracked through the production process.
"Everything is inventoried. It has a virtual tool crib and all the bins are in that so we know exactly where everything is at," Ms. Meziere said. "When they go out, each tool will have an identifier etched on each tool."


In 2015 the tool crib completed 154,499 transactions. So far this year they have completed 54,465 transactions. There are currently 4,779 tool kits issued on the base.
Another way the tool crib is working to better meet customer needs is by delivering orders directly to customers during "milk runs," daily runs by a van which deliver replacement tools or entire tool kits directly to the customer's work station. The milk runs currently have 147 stops they make during the day, but usually average 100 stops. Many of these stops are the delivery of replacement tools for broken or worn-out tools the mechanic has placed an order for less than 24 hours before.


Tool crib customers readily acknowledge the importance and impact of the tool crib on their jobs and point to the milk run process specifically as a production multiplier. Mike Dyer, 551st Commodities Maintenance Squadron KC-135 boom shop first line supervisor, is responsible for 33 mechanics. "The milk run, it saves a bunch of time," he said. "Years ago you'd have a guy go get a tool replaced and he'd be gone for a couple hours. This way we keep them right there in the shop. The more they're in the shop the more I'm getting done. It makes life easier and more productive."   


Ms. Meziere said feedback from customers is welcomed. "We want to keep our customers happy," she said. "Our goal is to keep becoming more effective. We want to take a broken program and make it effective and not only do we want it to be effective, we want all the other complexes to look at us and say, 'Hey, we can take some tips from them.'" 
Mechanics who need tools should begin the process by contacting their group tool manager. The personnel of the tool crib stand ready to fulfill orders in a timely, professional manner. 


"I love it," said Ms. Matchen, the production controller who plans orders, schedules turn-ins and generally works to resolve issues that arise. "It's great to be out there working with all the people to run the processes of the kits. It's a happier place to be. I absolutely love it."