Organisation for efficiency in design activities

Abstract: Tetra Pak is continuously working to increase the efficiency of the whole organisation. There is currently a general demand to improve by 20%. The number is not to be taken literately since efficiency is not defined nor is it specified how it should be measured. At Tetra Top the interpretation is that it is important to focus on efficiency and that it is up to individuals how and when it can be attained. In the Tetra Top engineering design department various projects have been undertaken in order to satisfy this demand. When external consultants have been used, it has not been to the satisfaction of Business System Tetra Top because the suggested solutions have not been viable. The problem is hence to find viable solutions to increase the efficiency in design activities at Tetra Top. After having established what the current situation is, the aim is to suggest, and thoroughly motivate, changes to the organisation that will satisfy both the demand for increased efficiency and the people who are affected by the changes. The current situation will be investigated with a study. This study will show which activities occupy the working day of the mechanical engineers. Follow up interviews will give more in-depth information about the engineers’ own opinion of the problem and its possible solutions. The engineers will also be able to comment on the collected data of the study to ensure that the measured time period was representative of normal working hours. Based on the study and the interviews, theory will be chosen and studied to give credibility to the suggested solutions. The study found that the mechanical engineers have too many tools for too many different tasks. The complexity of the computer aided tools and the variety of the tasks makes it impossible to know them well enough in order to be efficient when working with all of them. This is especially true for tasks that are performed infrequently which include documentation and administration. It is therefore suggested that the mechanical engineers are off-loaded with these tasks and that a Technical Assistant is hired to specialise in these infrequent tasks. It was also found that Tetra Pak has a history of releasing products that are of prototype standard. The costs of replacing products or parts of products at customers’ sites are high and so is the cost due to loss of confidence in the Tetra brand when new products don’t work. It is recommended to proceed in the direction of Robust Design Engineering as well as providing opportunities for adequate testing. Tetra Top is not taking advantage of the paperless system of distributing information even though the equipment for doing so is already present. The reason for this is pure habit and it is recommended that the routines for distributing information both within the company and to suppliers are developed.