The Company
VIDAR Systems Corporation is based in Herndon, VA, and employs 150. VIDAR is a leading provider of large-format document scanning solutions and x-ray film digitizers. The company manufactures TruScan® large-format scanners and TruInfo^tm software solutions for the CAD engineering, reprographics, and mapping markets. The company also manufactures x-ray film digitizers for a variety of medical and scientific applications, including PACS, teleradiology, and oncology treatment planning.

The Situation
A number of VIDAR staff attended several VPMEP "Principles of Lean Manufacturing 101" workshops and subsequently implemented a lean manufacturing process on its higher volume line of scanners. Recognizing the significant benefits of lean implementation - increased product quality, productivity, and reduced direct labor costs - management wished to convert two medical scanner product lines from batch manufacturing to cell manufacturing using one-piece flow concepts. However, VIDAR lacked sufficient internal resources to meet the aggressive timetables desired.

The Response
VPMEP Project Manager Tom Zbell led VIDAR's manufacturing team through design, build, and conversion to one-piece flow of the Diagnostic Pro^tm and Mammography Pro^tm product lines. The detailed design work included calculation of takt time, production rates, definition of work stations, work distribution, staffing requirements, quality goals, parts, tooling, fixtures, and other physical requirements for the lines. Once design was approved, VIDAR made the physical modifications required for conversion. The project was completed on time and under budget.

The Results
Original production of the two product lines were done in batches of ten, using five employees, and took a total of ten to twelve days to complete the lot. The new lines can produce up to six units per shift with one shift operation, which matches the anticipated customer demand of 120 units per month. Quality issues are discovered during build now, not after shipment to the customer. Productivity has increased 100% and direct labor has been reduced by 20%, floor space by 50% and work-in-process inventory by 40%.

Management's Comment
"We approached lean manufacturing primarily to improve the quality and consistency of our products, which we did, but we also experienced several other benefits as well," said VIDAR's Manufacturing Engineering Manager Carlton Cooper. Cooper recommends that any company interested in improving efficiencies attend VPMEP's Lean 101 workshop at the very least. "That really convinced our management and employees to give lean implementation a try," said Cooper. "We have been very pleased with VPMEP's performance. In fact, we have contracted with them to do three additional projects in our plant."

View Their Site!