Enhanced Service Level (ESL)
Project State
There are enhancements associated with operations, the market, and quality that suggest a client may want more, e.g., if yield is to be high, testable subassemblies must be defined and a system of production established (jigs, acceptance criteria, etc.). A system must be built that ensures the supply chain is designed, monitored, and maintained. Likewise, quality systems must be established such that continuous improvement rather than operational performance shocks are the norm. The ESL engages in both the design and implementation of these and other vital delivery elements in conjunction with the EM’s partners.
The ESL is for clients who have their eye on sustainable manufacture in volume.
Responsibilities/deliverables
The requirements of ESL are exacting. It is necessary to create an Operations Manual that will be tuned to the requirements of the client in question. In essence, it breaks down into 3 things:
- Optimal design of product – testable subassemblies must be defined and implemented. This requirement is necessary to minimise the impact of operations failure which inevitably occurs even with systems of the highest quality.
- Operations planning – optimal processing routes, supply chain design, capacity planning, logistics, lean systems, etc.
- Quality planning – quality can’t be inspected into a product. It must be designed and built in. This means rigorous quality planning and the use of the best quality techniques, poke-yoke, SPC, etc. Six sigma.
- There is more, but the above is to allow the reader to scope what’s required.
It may be OTT to use the ESL if the product in question is low volume and suits small scale production – have a chat with us if unsure.
ESL involves a fairly major investment in time and money.
Cost
The cost will be based on a monthly charge (starting on date of order and ceasing when the project is complete, or the client chooses to cancel it). The level will be quoted at the inception of the project after basic discovery has been completed. If the work needed exceeds allocation in a given month, the client has the choice of supplementing payment to expedite delivery or delaying delivery and allocating the work to following months.
