how production engineers can expand their work
In this article, I will talk about "how production engineers can expand their work". If you're looking for a promotion or want to get involved in big project, this is a good place to start. There are two key points. At the very end, I'm going to give you a specific example.
Step 1: Do your job perfectly (don't let your boss interfere with you)
If you are an independent expert, you should be able to get the job done with quality that satisfies everyone in your company, including your customers.
In reality, however, this is not the case in most cases.
This is when you've been in production engineering for 5-10 years, but you haven't become a complete expert and your boss or colleagues are pointing out your work to you.
If you are pointed out by others for the quality of your work, it means that you are not fully professional.
Suppose there is an engineer named Mr. A.
If the boss has to check Mr. A's work in detail, it means that the quality of his work is inadequate.
In addition to taking boss's time and effort, Mr. A. will be wasting his time redoing the work.
If this is the case, they don't want to assign Mr. A to a big project.
You might think that cases like this are more common among young inexperienced employees, but that's not true.
Even young people can do work with high quality.
On the other hand, there are engineers who have been doing this for decades and still produce poor quality work.
So it doesn't matter how long they have been with the company or how old they are.
*Young people may have the expectation that senior employees can get the job done, but unfortunately that is not the case.
Step 2. To see what's going on around you and understand the whole situation.
When you are able to do your own work with high quality, you will have more time to spare. It's simple. your work productivity will increase by eliminating the waste of redoing.
You can reduce unnecessary overtime and put your resources into other tasks.
Also, when you have more time to work, you'll be able to focus on the surrounding situation.
Imagine this. You have an unfinished work to attend to, but if you get a phone call or an email with a trivial task, or you are invited to a meeting, or your boss asks you to do something else, you are overwhelmed. There's no way you can afford to worry about what's going on around you under such circumstances.
When you can afford to pay attention to what's going on around you, you'll be able to predict the near future. The greater the accuracy of this prediction, the easier it will be for you to do your job.
For example, if you know the progress of R&D department's design or delivery date of the purchased parts, it will be easier for production engineers to schedule equipment verification or sample production.
Also, if you have information on the quality status of the purchased parts, you can prepare for the expected risks and countermeasures.
If you know the status of QA department's incoming inspection program and the status of their measurement instruments, you can determine if thye can also check the quality of purchased parts.
In this way, if you know what's going on in other departments, you can take steps in advance to prepare for your future work.
This " prediction" will be useful for jobs that may arise in the future.
With those surrounding circumstances in mind, if you think you have less room in your schedule and need to add resources, you can plan ahead and respond.
(If no action is taken, the disastrous consequences are easy to predict.)
introduction of specific example
Let me give you a specific example. This was when I was working in an overseas factory.
At the time, I had been working as an engineer for nearly 10 years, so I had deep understanding of the company's product specifications, equipment specifications, production processes and quality risks.
Although the volume of work was huge, I was able to complete the hardest work as planned.
Actuality I have never had to worry about my own work sucu as equipment, process design and line installation. (Step 1)
However, the company had a weak organizational structure and everything was going wrong. The problems that bothered us were the following.
- High turnover at the manufacturing site and deterioration of operating rate due to problems with the maturity of new workers ( problem for the manufacturing department and human resources department)
- Defects in the production process due to poor quality of purchased parts ( problem for the purchasing department)
- Provisional recovery in case of equipment failure due to lack of spare parts ( problem for the Maintenance Department)
- Unpaid payment to Japanese suppliers ( problem for the Finance Department)
- Support for employees coming from the head office on business trips (transportation, translation and other general procedures. Originally, this was a job for the General Affairs Department.
Organizationally, it wasn't my job, and I wasn't in a management position, but I needed them to handle their work well in order for me to do my job.
Every time something stopped progressing, I had to talk to the person in charge of that department to resolve the issue. (Step 2)
Thanks to these hardships, I've been able to understand the overall work flow of the company and have developed my management skills.
It's also a great way to promote yourself when you're showing up in many different directions. I didn't do my job with such intentions, but as a result, others will appreciate the effort I put into my work.
When this happens, your work will be even easier to do. (Step 3)
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