Quality and Continuous Improvement
Hydra-Electric strives to exceed our customers’ requirements for Quality of Products and On-Time Delivery. We believe that only in this way can we develop long term business relationships with our customers that work to our mutual benefit.
In order to achieve these levels of quality, beginning from the design stage and on through every step of the production cycle, our employees build quality into our products at every stage. This is accomplished through training, procedural documentation, commitment to excellence in quality and with the mindset of how can “we” improve our products.
Hydra-Electric’s committed to Continuous Improvement of On-Time Delivery and Quality of Product is accomplished through a strict regimen of Lean Manufacturing and Six-Sigma methodology with our efforts focused at:
- Improving On-Time Delivery
- Improving Quality of Product
- Increasing Inventory Turns
- Optimizing our Facility’s Efficiencies
These ongoing targets are pursued by improving our first pass yields, reducing scrap and rework, which we accomplish by reducing variations in manufacturing (repeatability and reproducibility) along with reducing or eliminating the seven types of waste known as “Muda” knowing that all wastes are non-value added:
- Transportation – unnecessary handling of goods
- Inventory – material in any stage awaiting further processing
- Motion – unnecessary motion of people, which increases Takt Time
- Waiting – wasted time
- Over Processing – all unnecessary processing to include personnel’s time and equipment
- Overproduction – encompasses all of the other wastes. Waste of time, cost of extra materials and cost of storage and preservation
- Defects – waste of time (rework) and money (scrap)
Our processes in manufacturing are documented with value stream maps and time value maps to illustrate and expose areas of opportunities for improvement, which can then be addressed via Kaizen events and 6S projects. Future value stream maps will also include the front office area to identify further opportunities for improvement. Our Kaizen events are championed by our upper management and are performed by all levels of personnel from department managers to machine operators. Everyone gets the opportunity to contribute.
Quality Policy
- Pursue perfection through continual improvement of our products and services.
- Obtain a personal commitment from every employee to understand and consistently meet or exceed the requirements of our customers.
- Train, develop and promote the concept of continual improvement to the greatest extent possible so that every product or service is delivered defect-free and on time.
Quality Certifications