<story><title>“Blue Light” creating capacity for nothing (2007)</title><url>http://theoryofconstraints.blogspot.com/2007/06/toc-stories-2-blue-light-creating.html</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>anenefan</author><text>I know most people are gushing with positives ... but to me this reads like the epitome of a clueless consultant who got lucky because the 30 plus years manager missed the basics ... unless the era of the tale was early 60s or something or some middle of nowhere fabrication that sprang up with little idea of how other similar places work ... um &lt;i&gt;great story&lt;/i&gt; but what really was this based on.&lt;p&gt;In the industry it&amp;#x27;s fairly well known (ok that&amp;#x27;s a weasel phrase even though I&amp;#x27;m sure I&amp;#x27;d be right if I used 99.999999%) in regard to the overall benefits of TAs (Trade Assistants.)  Typically a TA around welders, they&amp;#x27;re grinding and readying the surfaces to be welded and helping position the work.   Though there&amp;#x27;s value in setting up, not just making blue light, welders generally receive a much higher pay packet, since ultimately it&amp;#x27;s their good welding skills that ensures quality welds leave the floor and a long life of the component.&lt;p&gt;What&amp;#x27;s obvious is what would have happened if the blue light was 50 or 60% of the time and the welding machines were at capacity. (Higher capacity welding machines are generally a lot more expensive.)   To the clueless a lot more can be squeezed out ... and that&amp;#x27;s what the hero would have aimed to do, in fact no doubt another 25%.  The experienced plant manager would have then kindly thanked them at that point perhaps realising the consultant was out of their depth.</text></comment>
<story><title>“Blue Light” creating capacity for nothing (2007)</title><url>http://theoryofconstraints.blogspot.com/2007/06/toc-stories-2-blue-light-creating.html</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>giorgosts</author><text>Bullshit story the consultant made up to bolster his point (93% efficiency claim from a foreman wtf).&lt;p&gt;Of course finding some help moving parts around for the welders would be the first thing the foreman would think of, because thats what foremans do all the time in factories.&lt;p&gt;Maybe the welders chose to work this way (i.e. inefficiently) because continuous welding produces fatigue which risks H&amp;amp;S and lowers the quality of the product.&lt;p&gt;So if the story was real, the solution would be extra personnel so the welding is done continuously, by rotating people between welding, moving parts and other jobs.</text></comment>