Consultant claims Lean, Six Sigma work better under the rules of “Factory Physics”

Initiatives like Lean and Six Sigma have proven their ability to boost manufacturing efficiency and product quality—when applied properly. Proper application is at the core of a theory called Factory Physics, which claims to help companies tailor their own lean and Six Sigma programs. The theory emerged from research spearheaded by Dr. Mark Spearman, founder of the Bryan, Texas-based management consulting firm also named Factory Physics.

Dr. Spearman started his research after noticing significant gaps between lean manufacturing and Six Sigma programs, and widely marketed IT solutions such as advanced planning and manufacturing execution systems. He began advocating a more practical, comprehensive, and scientific approach to optimizing manufacturing processes.

After helping several large companies apply his theory—and coauthoring a book outlining its principles—Dr. Spearman launched the consulting firm in 2001.

“Clients would call us in to provide a fix for a problem—and then call us back to provide more fixes for more problems,” Dr. Spearman recalls. “Sometimes they would have been better off learning how to use the concepts and tools we developed to fix their problems themselves.”

Originally done on spreadsheets, the combination of rigorous analysis and Factory Physics' science-based approach to issues such as machine job queues has proved powerful.

At precision motion control device manufacturer Moog, East Aurora, N.Y., Factory Physics is credited with transforming a delivery-performance record that was on average 17 days late to one that had could deliver 10 days ahead of schedule. Moog also slashed 12 days worth of work-in-process (WIP) inventory down to a three-day supply.

“Factory Physics is an analytical view of things that sits very well with how we work,” says Moog Operations Manager George Cameron.

Factory Physics also offers Web-based diagnostic tools that probe production problems caused by factors as diverse as poor utilization, excess queue length, batch sizes, capacity shortfalls, and excess demand. The tools also track high levels of WIP and long delivery times back to their root causes. Planning and execution tools then refine new pull-based scheduling rules to eliminate or work around these issues.

Working with any IT system, the planning and execution tools enable “dynamic” control via policy parameters that are passed to scheduling systems, instead of constructing detailed schedules themselves. Investments in existing planning and scheduling systems are protected, leveraged, and augmented by the rules of Factory Physics.