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Case Study J.W Speaker

Autor:   •  July 2, 2017  •  Case Study  •  2,074 Words (9 Pages)  •  395 Views

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Case Study J.W Speaker


﻿________________ Table of Contents



Problem Description

Discussion and Analysis


Lens and Housing

Scrap Bezel and Mounting Disc



J.W. Speaker is a Manufacturing company that focuses on creating high performance vehicular lightning technologies for high end customers, such as Harley Davison. They create a specific light “Bully” light for Harley Davidson. Since the start of production of the light, it has had a large scrap rate with a Scrap rate of 20% and a total scrap cost of $73,145.72. Data was collected and analyzed of the specific items that make up the light as well as the location in which they were scrapped. The highest scrapped items were shown to be the outer les and the housing in the mold department, as well as the bezel and mounting disc in the assembly are. After examining the possible causes for the scrapped data it was concluded that the lens and housing were being damaged when they were leaving the facility for Coating. It was shown as well, that the torque of the driver was stripping the screw into the bezel, making scrap both the bezel and mounting disc. It was shown that the screw had two functions, hold parts join parts together and hold parts together on the light. To tackle the housing and lens problem it was proposed to perform a 100% quality inspection before the items went to ACI for coating and after the items where back from coating. It was shown that ACI had different quality standard than J.W. Speakers. It was suggested as well that the screw required form the design was replaced for a more appropriate screw that would be able to hold the parts together as well as to keep them in place on the light.


J.W. Speaker is a Manufacturing Company located in Germantown, Wisconsin, founded in 1935 by John W. Speaker. They focus on creating high performance vehicular lighting solution specializing in LED & other emerging lighting technologies, for several high-end customers in agriculture, construction, on road commercial, material handling, mining, motorcycle, recreation, and aviation markets, such as Harley Davidson, Jeep, and John Deer etc.

The company started producing; tires repair equipment and kits, radiator fronts, car mirror and automotive lighting. On 1940, they created the "heatab" which was a miniature portable stove, as well as a can opener, "P38" which were widely used by the U.S. Military during World War II. On 1960, the company focused to Original equipment manufacturer vehicular lightning. They originally focused on lighting for lawn, garden, golf, and turf tractors. Since then J.W. Speaker has focuses in LED & other emerging lighting technologies.

Problem Description

J.W. Speaker manufactures a light for Harley Davison called "Bully" light. Since the part has been built up to March 2013, J.W. Speakers was returned 203 parts from the customer, out of 10,869 parts built. The light consists of housing, lens, bezel, and a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) as the main components.

The parts where returned with the following complaints:

* Scratches on Housing

* Dents on Housing

* Failed electrical parts

* Scratches on the bezel

The process to develop the material for the “Bully light” goes as it is shown in the flow chart below. The order is received, then the molding area of J.W. Speaker creates the housing, lens and bezels, then the lens and housing go outside of the facility to ACI (Advanced coating Inc.) for coating. After the coating is done, the lens and housing are returned to J.W. Speaker for assembly, and after the light is assembled it is sent to the customer in this case, Harley Davidson.

Figure 1. Process-chart

Discussion and Analysis

In order to analyze and determine where in the process the items for the parts s where being damage, the total scrapped data was extracted from 6/3/2013, when the part was started to be made, to 3/31/2015. Due to the large amount of data, a not defined sample size and a very sporadic quantity of scrapped items, in order to have a more accurate portrait on how much the total cost of the scrap material it was decided by the team to look at the total cost of scrap by month as well as the percentage of scrap by month and compare it to the total profit of the completed light.

It was shown that 20% of production was considered scrapped, with a total cost of $73145.72, as it is shown on the tables below, with high production, there was a high percentage of scrapped items. On February 2014 the scrapped cost was $8,000 when the scrap percentage was not as high and the completed dollar amount was about $35,000, meaning that even though there was not a high amount of scrapped items, the specific scrapped items where items with a very high cost. You can see as well, that there is a similar trend between the three graphs. When there is a high production value there is a high percentage of scrap, meaning that there is a problem on the process, that hasn’t been addressed.


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