728 Armament Systems Group

1. BQM-167A Parachute Recovery System Lean Event8-12 Jan 07Joseph Thibault 691 ARSS 728 Armament Systems Group

2. BQM-167A Chute

3. Background • Current LMSI Contract Requirements: 210 SSATs Annually with a max surge of 16 per week • Current Systems: MQM-107 & BQM-34A Capability • Pack 8 -- 10 per week with surge to 16 for both systems • MQM-107 -- 8 hour pack & 16 hour soak time • BQM-34 – 4 hour pack • BQM-167A Parachute System (June 2006) • 1.5 - 2 packs per week max • 45 total consecutive hours from start to finish to pack • Total of 75 – 100 sorties per year at a rate of 1.5 - 2 per week

4. WHY SO LONG? • BQM-167A Chute Designed To Recover worst case configuration (EA pod) • Requires: • Robust Reefing Line System -- Install Reef Line & Cutters & Verify • Vented Main Canopy • Main Canopy Is 5’ Diameter Larger But Must Fit In Same Size Can As MQM-107 • Drogue Chute – Similar Process As Main

5. Lean Event Charter • Sponsors: • Col Netzer – 728 ARSG (Eglin) • Col Winslow – 53d WEG (Tyndall) • Facilitator: Mr. Keith Johnson and Mr. David Arnsdorf, New Vectors • Team Leader: Mr. Joseph Thibault – 691st ARSS Logistics IPT Lead • Scope: Understand the process of packing the parachute system from out of the box until it is in the bag and certified • Team Goals: • Identify current workflow • Reduce time to prepare/pack AFSAT Parachute • Identify efficiencies/minimize workload impact to parachute shop • Results: • Identified current workflow • Evaluated preparations and pack times • Identified efficiencies/waste • Other recommendations and changes to reduce process and flow time

6. Team Participants AETC

7. Team Participants

9. Current State Value Stream

10. Definitions • Flow time • Time it takes from Start to Finish to pack a complete parachute (from Supply) • Touch Time • Workers time actually touching the parachute • Includes two workers, working both the drogue and main parachute (Consecutively and collectively at times throughout the process) • Press and Soak Time • Total time both the drogue and main parachute were being pressed under the pressing ram • Soak Time is the time the parachute is sitting under pressure • Includes the 2 hours overnight soak for the drogue and 12 hours overnight soak for the main

11. Current State Times28 Hours to Pack

12. Shop Processes Spaghetti Diagram

13. Engineering Opportunities

14. Design Improvement Opportunities (1) • Design Engineering Opportunities to eliminated or eased packing difficulties by system design changes • Key constraint is not to impact system form, fit, function, performance or qualification status • Main canopy deployment bag diameter • ¼ inch increase in diameter leads to 5% increase in available volume • Could lead to a significant reduction in soak time • Could impact consistent integration with the aircraft • Build oversize deployment bag and assess value and risk

15. Design Improvement Opportunities (2) • Design improvements / changes noted during review • Main and Drogue Canopies • Reefing cutter pocket changes • Slip on/off protective sleeve in place of fiberglass tape wrapping • Reduce amount of stitching to retain reefing cutter • Consider ring on anvil end of reefing cutter and use clip in place of stitching • Consider Velcro for cutter pocket closure in place of hand stitching • Investigate reusable temp tie to replace maroon cord on main canopy • Drogue Canopy • Install kill line during manufacture • Continuity check and daisy chain lines and as part of manufacturer’s final QA check

16. Design Improvement Opportunities (3) • Design improvements / changes noted during review (cont’d) • Reefing Line assembly / installation • Assess (test) potential for reduction in number of splice stitches • Use Teflon tape wrap only if Teflon grommet is not present • Use common consumables and techniques for installation of drogue and main reefing lines • Drogue Canopy Riser • Identify and use rubber grommets instead of taping Cut Knife • Supply with new equipment, and stock as consumable item • Other consumables / equipment issues • Source de-cored 550 lb Nylon (MIL-C-5040 Type IIa?) • Supply pre-cut 80# tapes for suspension line ties • Provide scissors designed to cut Kevlar • Manufacturer to pack refurbishment kit items in ‘ready to use’ state • Design and supply re-useable temporary ties (use Velcro or a buckle) • Design and supply ‘Extraction Fixture’ for packing press

17. Design Improvement Opportunities (4) • Design improvements / changes noted during review (cont’d) • Main Canopy Deployment bag • Reinstate application of Serial Numbers • Increase size and evenness of stow loops • Drogue Canopy Deployment bag • Reinstate application of Serial Numbers • Increase size and / or number of stow loops • Add hand tacks during manufacture to bag handle • Increase size of loop on canopy compartment closure flap • Increase size of slit in opposite canopy compartment closure flap • Reefing Lines (Main and Drogue) • Make markings bolder and less subjective (avoid color coding)

18. Design Improvement Opportunities (5) • Soak times • Investigate the potential of reducing soak time based upon measurable parameters (30 minutes,1 hr, 2 hr and 12 hour soak times) • TO change to allow riggers options to soak as require, as long as pressure is not exceeded • Pressure can not substitute for Time • Collate data on ‘packing difficulty’ (subjective) as a function of perceived key measurable parameters: • Parachute weight • Temperature • Humidity • Track significant sample by parachute and deployment bag serial numbers • WEG to track the baseline over time

19. Future State Value Stream

20. Action Plan53d WEG • Create a pan with foam cutouts for tools to allow easy movement from locked cabinet to cart • Procure needed specialty tools: - T- Handles, Hemostats, Packing Fids, Bodkins, Sewing Palms, Line Hooks, etc. • Put sewing machine on wheels • Review manning options to meet current requirements • Third person for folding main canopy, to pre-assemble leash and as a support/repair person • Second shift • Track status of parachutes being packed • Land/Water recovery and issue by Supply • Track flow times and press and soak time to establish baselines Possibility of one to one and a half hours (1 to 1.5) savings in process time

21. Action Plan691st ARSS • Engineering Study via the AFSAT contract: • Look at all options to improve efficiencies and eliminate waste during the packing of the parachute • Look at all of the recommendations documented during this Lean Event • Status: 691st plans to task the contractor to provide recommendations and cost estimate; will review and make cost effective changes, as appropriate • Establish procedures to allow fast response to technical questions from packers to engineers • Status: Via on-site CEi CLS representative Possibility of up to seven (7) hours savings in process time and four (4) hours of Touch Time

22. Impacts • Current LMSI Contract Requirements: 210 SSATs Annually with a max surge of 16 per week • How many Riggers do we need? • 53d WEG review total workload with LMSI • Takes two people, two days and one over night soak to pack one chute • Should be able to pack 2.5 chutes per week • 80 hours (2 people x 40 hours) • Use 80 hours per week to produce 2.5 chutes as a guide until specific data can be collected and validated • Variables • BQM-167A Parachute Packing Options • 117 Chutes Annually • 3760 hours (2 people x *1880 hours) • 176 Chutes Annually • 5640 hours (3 people x 1880 hours) • 210 Chutes Annually • 6720 hours (3.57 people x 1880 hours) * 1880 hours is the normal standard used to document one man-year of effort

23. Summary • Overall Future State Estimated Reductions • Flow time: 2 hrs 20 min (8%) to up to 8 hrs 20 min (30%) • Touch Time: 4 hrs and 20 min (15%) • Press and Soak Time: 49 minutes (3%) to up to 6 hrs 40 min (24%) • Flow Times: Current and Future State 28 Hours Jan 2007 20 Hours Future State

24. Questions?

25. BACKUP

26. Lessons Learned • Use the SMEs to analyze and improve each step • Benefited from Irvin design and production personnel as team members • Stay out of the way of the workers when observing • Limit team sidebars – stay focused • Synergy – brainstorm methods of reduction • Allot enough time to do the event (45 hour process) • Technical expertise in process and design for materials is needed • Break into 2 groups to analyze drogue and main chute simultaneously • Record times on brown paper when timed at press

27. Reefing Line & Cutter Box Stitch reefing line splice Reefing Line Cutter

28. Leash Assembly Leash Assembly 125’ Long

29. WEG Safety Concern

30. BQM-167A Chute

31. Current/Future State TimesExpected Improvement Current State Times – 28 Hours and 1 Minute Future State Times – 25 Hours and 45 Minutes • Expected improvements represents a reduction of 2 hours of overnight soak times and 4 hours 20 minutes reduction In touch labor; reducing Flow Time by 2 hours and 16 minutes

32. Current/Future State TimesBest Case Improvement Current State Times – 28 Hours and 1 Minute Future State Times – 19 Hours and 40 Minutes • Best Case represents a reduction in 7 hours of overnight soak times and 4 hours 20 minutes reduction In touch labor; reducing Flow Time by 8 hours and 21 minutes

33. Variables to Packing Times • Variables • BQM-167A only, no other work load considered • Best case time of 28 hours for packing a parachute • Will take longer to pack a parachute from land or water recovery • Does not consider finding damage and repairs • Touch time is 17 hours; other times the parachute is being Pressed and Soaked (top two sub bullets will off set this time) • Does not consider normal set up, clean up, inventory, phones, e-mail, meetings, etc. • Hours observed were documented while workers were under a stop watch and they took very few breaks, hardly answered the phone and no other interruptions • Establish Metrics to track times • Validate times after changes are made and learning curve completed