Production Preparation Process. Quick Reference and Ghide.

1. 3P TOOL
Eduardo L. Garcia. © 2015. 3P-Production Preparation Process is an advanced lean approach
involving visual thinking, simulation, kaizen for quick Design for Manufacturability. 3P follows a
series of group and individual activities to sketch and model the product and processes. 3P consist
in an intense 3-5days event and a great way to begin the journey of operational excellence.
CONCEPTS OF 3P
3P is about rapidly designing product and production
processes to ensure capability, built-in quality, productivity,
and Flow-Takt-Pull. The Production Preparation Process
minimizes resources needed such as capital, tooling, space,
inventory, and time. Rather than tweaking an existing shop
floor process, we start with a clean sheet of paper.
The 3P process is used to develop a product line specific
production system in the shortest time to satisfy design and
quality requirements, concept to market time goals,
production requirements, and cost requirements.
“80%-90% of operational cost encountered after
construction or design release is directly related
to decisions made during the design phase.”
3P simulates the actual components, product and production
line of a new product during the early stages of the design
process to learn about manufacturing or delivery requirements
before making commitments to a floor plan or process flow.
Without understanding of
3P and how it differs from
traditional approaches to
product and process
design, many 3P projects
may be questioned,
criticized and shortened
before completion.
As we hit plateau with
Continuous Improvement,
we get into cloud of
uncertainty. 3P propels us
to break through this cloud.
This is risky. Less than 10%
will jump into it. But 3P
will take us to new level
where Kaizen will begin
with new perspective. By
doing this we renew our
Kaizen enthusiasm with
new direction and vigor.

2. The goal is meet customer demand with perfect quality and at the
desired cost. From beginning to end, 3P is an exercise in project
management and waste elimination. 3P is a valuable tool because
the cost of eliminating waste in the earliest stages of product
development is less than during the final stages. The tool is useful
and effective when you need to develop a method to meet
customer requirements, plan production capacity for new or
changing demand, transition new products, set a target date for
delivering to market or prove the business-case target cost.
“New competitive view-point: (1) Our competitors
could be anyone. (2) Expectations are often set outside
of our industry. (3) Just coping competitors is a race
to the bottom”
The 3P cross-functional team should include designers, engineers
(i.e., manufacturing, quality and process), operators, operations
experts and anyone else instrumental in bringing the product to
market. Using lean principles, the cross-functional team creates a
mock-up of the product and walks through how the product will
flow through the factory. Mock-ups may be made from
cardboard, plastic foam, wood or any other material that makes
sense. Multiple 3P events are usually required throughout the
design and development phases of a new product.
STEPS OF 3P
1. Determine de Function: What function does our customer
want?
2. Collet Real Data
3. Develop 7 alternatives (7 Ways): Do not jump to Only the
Idea!
4. Examples in Nature.
5. Moonshine area!: Built something with your hands!
6. Evaluate 7 alternatives.
7. Select 3 better alternatives using objective criteria. Grading
1-5 each consideration for the 7 alternatives:
8. Construct model operations: Tray-Storming.
9. Simulate 3 alternatives process.
10. Select 1 best design & process combination
11. Create standard work...
12. Develop equipment concepts: Define, Sketch and
13. Develop implementation plan.
14. Follow Up!
3P must be actively
practiced and promoted.
If 3P efforts do not keep
moving forward, they
will regress. Along with
this regression go the
competitive advantages
and dollars spent on
discovering, creating
and implementing the
process

3. STEPS OF 3P DETAILED
1. Determine de Function: What function does
our customer want?
1. PESTEL, STEEP. Understanding customer
requirements: Empathy-Map, Surveys, etc.
2. Collet Real Data:
1. What simulation data can be collected to qualify how
each model may perform?
2. Go to Gemba: Understanding the current state.
3. Follow the pathways: How our customer use our
product?
3. Develop 7 alternatives (7 Ways): Do not jump
to Only the Idea!
1. Each alternative must be a workable solution
2. Define: What would it take? In order to make the idea
work.
3. Do not evaluate ideas, focus on what might work.
4. Consider process steps, not equipment.
5. Do not rely on old or in-house process. Select what is
best.
4. Examples in Nature.
1. For instance VELCRO. What is in nature just made on
similar way?
2. Investigate how nature performs.
3. Background and conditions of Function: How does
nature interact with environment? Make a sketch!
5. Moonshine: Built something with your
hands!
1. A method of disruptive action that occurs in secrecy,
under and around organizational boundaries and
procedures, producing order-of-magnitude
improvement to any process.
2. A Lean Manufacturing Tool that uses a fast and
inexpensive prototyping to develop and prove a
concept, prior to full implementation. (Similar to
Minimum Viable Product-MVP). Fast and inexpensive
is the only way to “Tray-Storm”
6. Evaluate 7 alternatives.
1. Simulate product functions.
2. Simulate process functions.
3. Create alternative Process-at-a-Glance as Comic.
7. Select 3 better alternatives using objective
criteria: Grading 1-5.
1. Meet Tack Time.
2. One Piece Flow.
3. People Involvement.
4. Hanedashi.
5. Chaku-Chaku.
6. Poka-Yoke.
7. Minimal Capital.
8. 100% Gaging.
9. Value-Added.
10. Changeover
11. Tool Room Maintenance.
12. Tooling Costs.
13. Ergonomics.
14. Simple as possible.
15. Standard Equipment.
16. Process Capability.
17. Known process.
18. Future challenge.
19. Maintenance Free.
20. Technical advantage.
21. Jidoka.
22. Development Time.
23. Customer point of view analysis and
relevance
i. Interest ‘1’ in customer point of view
ii. …
iii. Interest ‘n’ in customer point of view
8. Construct model operations: Tray-
Storming.
1. Ishikawa. Fishbone every piece part and/or
process: Clarify steps and parts of product and
process.
2. Spaghetti Diagram and/or Built a String
Model.
3. Potential problems map: MindMapping by
Brainstorm.
4. Simulation & Modeling: Post-it notes, Lego,
Great Panels, Floor, Tapes.
5. Live-Size Mock Ups
i. Eliminates assumptions from 2D media.
ii. Improves creativity, teaming.
iii. Fast and inexpensive.
iv. Tray-Storming ‘vs’ BrainStorming.
9. Simulate 3 alternatives process.
1. Test inefficiencies across Live-size Mock Ups.
10. Select 1 best design & process
combination
1. Does design meet targets?
11. Create standard work.
12. Develop equipment concepts:
Define, Sketch and Model for:
1. Tools, Gages and Equipment.
i. Lightning Fast.
ii. Material Flows.
iii. Absolute Minimum.
iv. Easy Equipment Changeovers.
v. Easy-to-Move equipment.
vi. Narrow Operator Stations
vii. Manpower Flow.
viii. No Wasted Equipment Time
ix. Small, Swift Flow Lines.
x. Short, vertical Lines.
xi. Pull Production.
xii. Quick Tooling Changeovers.
xiii. Link Machines.
xiv. Multiple Lines and Rectified Flows.
xv. Do it Again!
13. Develop implementation plan.
1. GANT and KPIs
14. Follow Up!