Here are slides describing the process of applying for AME's Excellence Award. Deadline for Intent to Apply has been extended through February 28, 2018.

1. Applying for the AME Excellence
Award
The lean standard for continuous improvement
Pat Wardwell, Owner
Pt. North Ventures, LLC
Member, AME Excellence Award Leadership Council

2. Agenda
– Overview of AME’s NEW, SIMPLER Excellence
Award Applicant Process and timeline
– Review of Key Applicant Documents
• Plant Profile
• Lean Sensei self assessment tool
• Metrics Supplement
– What to expect if awarded a site visit
– Feedback provided to applicants
– What makes a good applicant submission
– Questions
2

3. Background of the AME Excellence
Award
• A framework to guide
continuous
improvement within
an organization
• A way to recognize the
accomplishments of
companies that are
making good progress
on their journey
3

4. Purpose of Awards
Receive Feedback
Hard
Work
To
Improve
We bring together great people (assessors and award applicants),
doing great things, who are willing to share their knowledge.
4

5. Management System (300pts)
Management System (150pts)
Human & Organizational
Development (150pts)
Safety & Environment (50 pts)
Safety & Environmental Health
Extended Value Stream
Mgmt. (150 pts)
Product Development (75pts)
Supplier Development &
Procurement (75pts)
Quality (50pts)
Scrap/Yield Rates
Customer Rejects
Warranty Claims
Other Measures
Cost (50pts)
Value Added/Associate
Inventory Turns
Other Related Measures
Delivery (50pts)
On-time Shipments
Premium Freight Costs
Other Related Measures
Manufacturing Operations
(200pts)
Waste (Muda)
Unevenness, Fluctuation &
Variation (Mura)
Overburden People or Machines
(Muri)
Business Operations (100 pts)
Waste (Muda)
Unevenness, Fluctuation &
Variation (Mura)
Overburden People or Machines
(Muri)
AME Pathway Toward Excellence
AME Excellence Award Criteria
Key Deployment Processes
Manufacturing &
Business Operations Plant Results
Profitability (50pts)
EBIT
Operating Income
Other Related Measures
Feedback Feedback Feedback
Business Results
Total Points: 1000
5
http://www.ame.org/files/15-ame-2018-awards-guidlines-8.5x11-sept-25.pdf
Use the link below to get the awards brochure which
includes the criteria and intent to apply form

6. Application and
Assessment Process
1. Intent to Apply/Plant Profile Form
2. Submittal of Applicant Required Documents
1. Lean Sensei excel file and Metrics supplement sheet
3. Review of Applicant Documents/Scoring
– Decision on Site Visit
– Feedback report for sites that don’t merit a visit
4. Site Visit to confirm and clarify
– Final Scores
– Feedback Report
5. Notification by Awards Council
6. Awards Celebration held to officially
acknowledge recipients6
Link to general information and documents: http://www.ame.org/excellence-awards

7. General Process/Timeline-
A lot to be done in March – May
by Assessor Teams and Awards
Council!
J F M A M J Ju A S O N D
Submit Intent
to
Apply/Profile
Form
Submit Lean Sensei
file and Metrics
supplement
document
Site Visits
conducted
Award recipients
notified and
feedback reports
sent
Recipients honored at AME
Awards event
Minimum score for recommending site visit: > 750 points
7
Questions can be directed to Jerri Strohmeyer at
jstrohmeyer@ame.org or fax it to 224-387-3370.

8. 8
Links to get the award guidelines
and intent to apply form
http://www.ame.org/files/15-ame-2018-
awards-guidlines-8.5x11-sept-25.pdf
Sent to AME
by February
5, 2018
together
with
application
fee

9. Eligibility
and Non-
Disclosure
9
Introduction to NAICS:
The North American Industry
Classification System
(NAICS) is the standard used
by Federal statistical
agencies in classifying
business establishments for
the purpose of collecting,
analyzing, and publishing
statistical data related to the
U.S. business economy.
The application entity is a single plant in the United States,
Canada or Mexico. Applicants doing "maintenance, repair
and overhaul" in either the private or public sector are
eligible. The plant should have been in operation for a
minimum of three years. Award eligibility must be
delineated as “manufacturing" by the North American
Industry Classification System (NAICS) – (see
http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/). Questions
regarding eligibility should be forwarded to the AME office.
AME members should contact the AME office if they wish to
have one of their international affiliate operations apply.
Final decisions regarding AME Excellence Award recipients
are made by the AME Awards Council.
CONFIDENTIALITY & NON-DISCLOSURE
All members of the AME Awards Council and all AME
assessors have signed confidentiality and nondisclosure
agreements. The AME Excellence Award also has a clear
policy and process to ensure that conflicts of interest are
avoided.

10. Application Process: Download and Use the AME
Lean Sensei
A completed sample is included for your review
60 Questions based on the Criteria
10
Link to YouTube webinar on how to use the Lean Sensei tool:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=29&v=L1mKoi-nWTQ
http://www.ame.org/lean-sensei

11. Ratings automatically generate a score
11
Sections and Sub Categories
Possible
Actual
LetterGrade
%
SectionGrade
Muliplier
Possible
Weighted
Points
YourActual
Weighted
Points
Management System 20 16 80 A 7.5 150 120
o Policy Deployment 5 4 A
o Management System Reporting 5 4 A
o Leader Standard Work 5 4 A
o Continuous Improvement 5 4 A
Human and Organizational Development 25 20 80 A 6 150 120
o Respect for Team Members 5 4 A
o Morale 5 4 A
o Problem Solving 5 4 A
o Employee Development 5 4 A
o Rewards and Recognition 5 4 A
Safety and Environmental Health 15 12 80 A 3.3335 50 40
o Safety 5 4 A
o Energy 5 4 A
o Carbon Neutral 5 4 A
Manufacturing Operations 85 68 80 A 2.353 200 160
o Waste Reduction 5 4 A
o On Time Delivery 5 4 A
o Quality 5 4 A
o Raw Materials 5 4 A
o Finished Goods 5 4 A
o Material Handling 5 4 A
o Standard Work 5 4 A
o Pull Systems 5 4 A
o Synchronization 5 4 A
o Level Loading 5 4 A
o Maintenance Programs 5 4 A
o Visual Performance 5 4 A
o Value Streams 5 4 A
o 5S 5 4 A
o Change Over 5 4 A
o Layout for Flow 5 4 A
o Cross Training 5 4 A
Business Operations (in the Office) 55 44 80 A 1.8182 100 80
o Waste Reduction 5 4 A
o Service Levels 5 4 A
o Quality 5 4 A
o Information Synchronization 5 4 A
o Level Loading 5 4 A
o Standard Work 5 4 A
o Visual Performance 5 4 A
o Value Streams 5 4 A
o 5S 5 4 A
o Layout for Flow 5 4 A
o Cross Training 5 4 A
Product Development 15 12 80 A 5 75 60
o Design Internal 5 4 A
o Design External 5 4 A
o Design Tools 5 4 A
Supplier Development and Procurement 15 12 80 A 5 75 60
o Supplier Decisions 5 4 A
o Supplier Improvement 5 4 A
o Pull Based Systems 5 4 A
Quality Focus 20 16 80 A 2.5 50 40
o Scrap 5 4 A
o Customer Loyalty 5 4 A
o Customer Results 5 4 A
o Warranty 5 4 A
Cost 15 12 80 A 3.3335 50 40
o Value Add / Employee 5 4 A
o Inventory Turns 5 4 A
o Capacity Management 5 4 A
Delivery 20 16 80 A 2.5 50 40
o On Time and Complete 5 4 A
o Lead Time 5 4 A
o Premium Freight 5 4 A
o Parts Shortages 5 4 A
Profitability 15 12 80 A 3.3335 50 40
o EBIT 5 4 A
o Operating Income 5 4 A
o Market Share 5 4 A
Totals 300 240 80 A Totals 1000 800
Lean Sensei® Report Card
Weighted per Actual
Audit Points for AME
Award
Do not enter data on
this sheet; it will
autopopulate
Weights
your ratings
to arrive at
an AME
Excellence
Award
application
score

12. • Add evidence to support your scores to the file
http://www.ame.org/lean-sensei-excel-tool
• Download and fill in the Metrics Supplementary Worksheet (will be
available on-line, by the end of August)
• Send the completed Excel file & Metric Supplement to the AME Office
by March 12th
Application process: Supporting Your Scores
12
….During our monthly
Hoshin feedback
meeting, the x-matrix
and lean metrics and
improvement efforts
are reviewed…

13. Application process: Show Your Measured Results
• Download and fill in the Metrics Supplementary Worksheet
• 3 years or more results required
13
Link to get to Metric Supplementary
Worksheet and example:
http://www.ame.org/excellence-awards
Lean Sensei with supporting information and Key
Metrics Supplement due on March 12, 2018!

14. Where to get all the information
and documents you might need
• http://www.ame.org/excellence-awards
• To apply for the AME Excellence Award, please
download the following and review the examples
provided for assistance:
– 2018 Lean Sensei Application
– Lean Sensei Application Example
– 2018 Metric Supplement Worksheet
– Metric Supplement Worksheet Example
– Alternative Word Doc Format to Submit
Achievement Report
14

15. What happens once you submit
the LEAN SENSEI and Metrics
Supplement documents?
• Reviewed by team of Examiners
• Scored individually and then consensus is
reached on scores and the team also
recommends whether or not to support a site
visit

16. Feedback
From applicant documents
Site Visit Awarded
Get ready for site visit!
No Site Visit
Receive report, view the
feedback and continue
your journey. When will
you next apply?

17. Site Visit and Related Fees
• Site Visit Team
– Small plant (generally less than 300 people) assessment
team will generally consist of three assessors
– Medium-sized plants will require a team of four to five
– Large plants will require a team of six to seven assessors.
• PLANT ASSESSMENT FEE
– The plant assessment site visit fee will vary depending
upon the size and scope of the plant. Applicants will be
notified of the fee prior to the plant assessment site visit.
– This fee will generally run between $4,500 and $10,500.
17

18. Prior to the Site Visit
• Team Leader contacts
Site Contact to establish
dates
• Discuss basic flow of
the site visit and
provide requirements
for meeting space
• Confirm logistics of visit
Team Leader will confer
with Site and Assessment
Team to answer any
questions and ensure
that they understand
expectations of visit.

19. What is the team looking for?
• Confirm self-assessed scores and what was submitted,
see with their own eyes what is happening
• Verify, clarify as needed points which may not have
been clear in submitted documents
• Determine degree continuous improvement is
practiced in all areas of the business.
– Appropriate use of lean thinking, methods and tools
• Understand breadth and depth of culture and effective
implementation of philosophies, systems and tools
• Confirm results since application received

20. Basic Site Visit Expectations
• Quick 30 min. kick off meeting with Leadership
• Facility Tour – process flow in reverse order and show us what
you want to in those areas.
• Most of balance of Day 1 & and early on Day 2
– “Go and See” deeper divers, attend meetings, scheduled visits
– Meet with leaders and associates in areas
– Site liaisons needed to move assessors to/from meeting rooms/visits
• Lunch Day 1 – with Leadership team, if desired.
• If have off shift activity – will make plans to see it
• Score late morning and afternoon of Day 2. Working lunch for
assessors only
• Quick 30 min Close out meeting end of day 2

21. Post Site Visit
• Complete comprehensive
feedback report and make Award
recommendation
• Submit to Award Leadership
Council

22. What Feedback is Provided to Applicants?
– A detailed, scored report
• Specific feedback, organized according to the criteria outline
– Concrete examples wherever possible, including
pictures as appropriate
– Guidance to achieve next levels of improvement
22

23. What makes a good submission package?
• Clear and Concise
– Supporting information flows logically, according
to order of the criteria
– Spelling and Grammar checked
– Strong examples as evidence (no laundry lists)
• Photos and/or graphs are relevant to the
section requirements, and are appropriately
sized, titled and captioned
– Include goal and trend lines where applicable
– Indicates direction of improvement (e.g. Good)
– Explain any exceptions23

24. What makes a good submission?
• Overall scores, evidence provided and data
submitted give a sense of current state and
how the journey has unfolded for the site
• Demonstrates breadth and depth of
improvement efforts
– Appropriate attention to each of the 3M’s (Muda,
Mura, and Muri) in Mfg and Bus. Operations
section
– Examples from non-production areas
– Examples of how Leaders are personally involved
• Plant Profile included in Lean Sensei24

25. For More Information/Questions
• AME Excellence Award –
http://www.ame.org/excellence-
awards
• Award Council Leader
– Michael Bremer 630-235-4210
michael@cumberlandchicago.
com
• Jerri Strohmeyer (AME Office)
224-232-5980
jstrohmeyer@ame.org
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26. Thank you and we look forward to
receiving your application!
Questions?
26
Important Dates!
• Intent to Apply:
2/5/18
• Required Applicant
Documents
Submitted: 3/12/18
• Site Visits
Conducted: June –
Mid July
• Award Notification:
8/10/18
• Feedback Reports
Sent: 8/10/18
Pat Wardwell: tompat_01730@yahoo.com 781-789-0153