In aluminum profile manufacturing, the qualification rate of molds directly impacts extrusion output and product yield. The "Everything Right Team" improvement group at Sanshui Branch Company implemented the Lean Improvement Week method from Three Refinements Management, boosting the qualification rate of mold mounting on Machine #2 （2200 T） from 81% to 87%. This reduced an average of two set of mold reworks per day, generating an estimated annual benefit of RMB 100,000!
1.Precise Positioning: Target Key Pain Points with Clear Goals
(I) Focus on Key Issues:
1.New mold designs often fail to meet order specifications, limiting their usability in production planning.
2.Defects in the mold heating process (e.g.,
collapsing, deformation and incomplete cleaning) affects final polishing quality.
3.Inconsistent repair and modelling quality leads to repeated mold reworks.
(2) Targeted Measures:
1. Refine the operation procedures of each step to ensure mold quality meet the expectation
2. Supervise the quality of molds in each process to achieve expectations before proceeding to the next process.
3. List the reasons for unqualified every day, analyze the reasons, and formulate executable operation requirements.
The Enlightenment of Three Refinements :
Establish the "daily report on mold machine quality", analyze the reasons for unqualified products every day, and ensure that "no problem will be passed to the next process until it is solved".
2. Refined control: whole-process standardization
(I) Key improvements:
1.Standardization of mold heating process:
(1) Formulate the "Mold heating operation specification" and clarify the flushing standard
(2) Improve the quality of post-heating mold and visualize the quality
2.Double quality control of polishing:
(1) Establish the first piece inspection and end-of-batch review system.
(2) Formulate polishing Quality Standard Operation Manual.
3. Machine quality tracking of molds:
Establish the "mold usage tracking table" to realize the whole process traceability.
The Enlightenment of Three Refinements :
From "operating by experience" to "implementing by standard", refined management makes quality fluctuations nowhere to hide.
3. Lean improvement: Continuous Optimization for Tangible Benefits
(1) Improvement highlights
1.Daily standing meeting: The 8-member improvement team synchronizes their progress every day for 15 minutes.
2.5Why analysis: In-depth root cause analysis on surface cracks in hook sections, and the polishing quality of the mold and the process of extrusion are very important.
3.Annual improvement benefits:
Mold-related machine costs were calculated as RMB 300 × 2 sets/day × 28 days × 6 months = RMB 100,800.
The Enlightenment of Three Refinements :
When employees truly understand that "one set of molds =RMB 300 in cost", improvement becomes instinct from task.
In the future, Sanshui Company will deeply embed the essence of "Three Refinements Management" and transform it into a conscious action guideline for all employees. We will strengthen data foundations to support precise decision-making, refine process details to enhance operational efficiency, and further energize every staff member as both an "engine" for continuous improvement and a "sharpshooter" for problem-solving. This will create a powerful upward spiral where "data precision, process refinement, and improvement leanness" reinforce each other. By building this unbreakable quality fortress, we aim to drive the companys continuous enhancement of quality and efficiency, ensuring steady progress and sustained leadership on the journey toward high-quality development.
