Northland Custom Training & Continuing Education Department and Arctic Cat Inc. have developed a Lean Manufacturing curriculum based on the foundational principles of Continuous Improvement. Arctic Cat Inc. identified a need for employee development to advance the company and their employees through "The Racetrack to Operational Excellence." This $400,000 MJSP Project impacted over 600 employees over the course of the three-year grant period. (2001-2003)
Arctic Cat realized cost savings of nearly 3 million dollars as a result of projects generated through this training initiative.
Arctic Cat Inc. designs, engineers, manufacturers and markets snowmobiles and ATV's under the Arctic Cat brand name, as well as related parts, garments, and accessories.
Racetrack to Operational Excellence Curriculum:
- Racing Toolbox
- Waste Elimination Techniques
- Set-up Time Reduction/Cycle Time Reduction
- Mistake Proofing
- Cycle Time Reduction
- The 5s System
- Employee Safety & Liability Issues
- Production Based Learning Activities
Racing Toolbox
This course will provide the students with an arsenal of tools to use for continuous improvement in any industry: Data Collection Sheets, Flow Charts, Brainstorming, Affinity Diagrams, Run Charts, etc. The students wil work on projects to apply these techniques in a production setting.
Waste Elimination Techniques
This course primarily focuses on the technique of "Learning to See" the different types of wastes found in a manufacturing environment. This course provides insights on the common types of wastes found in manufacturing and provides the class participants an opportunity to apply course content to projects in their working environments. Application or simplification techniques, review of push vs. pull production strategies, and one piece flow using standardized data collection systems.
Set-up Time Reduction/Cycle Time Reduction
This course primarily focuses on the concepts and theories of (SMED) Single Minute Exchange of Dies. Using a hands-on approach students use video tapes of their own production setups to apply the concepts of SMED to implement set-up time reduction improvements.
Mistake Proofing
This course addresses practical insights in the concepts of Poke-Yoke (Mistake Proofing) techniques. The course acquaints the participants with sources of faulty products and processes. Defect detection and standardization of operational procedures and sequences is stressed. These techniques can eliminate waste related to quality defects-rework, scrap, and equipment downtime. This approach supports a company's competitiveness and makes production and assembly work easier.
Cycle Time Reduction
This course addresses practical insights on how to reduce the cycle time of a work process. It is built around five key cycle time reduction strategies that key on the importance of identifying and eliminating timeconsuming process waste, providing the right resources at the right place and time, creating continuous work flow and the importance of crossfunctional work teams.
The 5s System
This course is an overview of a systematic approach to organizational cleanliness, which is the foundational base for quality, safety, productivity and employee involvement in all areas of a company.
Employee Safety & Liability Issues
This unit provides an insightful overview of the growing concern about the increased complexity and magnitude of hazards, accidents and associated costs for manufacturing companies.
Production Based Learning Activities
These units provide participants with the opportunity to apply lean manufacturing techniques in their work areas. A spirit of competition is created among the employees teams through a company awards program.
Contact Information
Kirsten Michalke
Director of Workforce Development
Phone: (218) 683-8647
Director of Workforce Development
Phone: (218) 683-8647
