Production Speed Optimization (50% Increase) 

Overview 

In 2023, our operation needed to deliver significant cost savings. I identified a high‑impact opportunity to increase the speed of a frequently run medical‑grade polyester style without compromising quality, chemistry %, or regulatory compliance. 

Problem

A high‑volume, high‑cost product was running significantly slower than another style with nearly identical characteristics. Because the product was chemistry‑sensitive and medical‑grade, changes were historically avoided.

Goal: Increase speed safely and deliver $100K+ in savings while maintaining all quality and regulatory requirements.

Aproach

1. Opportunity Identification & Technical Hypothesis 

• Learned from a fabric‑formation class that similar fabrics can run with similar specs

• Noticed two polyester styles with nearly identical GSM, width, and shrinkage behavior

• Ran a small, no‑risk test on scrap material to validate feasibility

• Chose this style because it was high‑volume, high‑cost, and in high market demand

2. Structured Trial Plan  

• I designed a two‑phase experimental plan: 

Phase 1 — Exploratory Trials (5 recipes) 

• Created five recipes with different combinations of speed, temperature, and pad pressure

• Operators placed physical flags on the fabric to mark each recipe change

• Tested each section for:

• Shade

• Weight

• Width

• Chemistry % (silver content)

This phase confirmed the product remained stable even at higher speeds.

Phase 2 — Controlled Validation Trials 

• Standardized temperature and pad pressure based on Phase 1 results

• Selected an average temperature using heat‑history analysis (internal fabric temperature during drying)

• Ran a second set of trials where speed was the only variable

• Conducted full lab testing to confirm product integrity

3. Risk Management & Cross‑Functional Alignment 

• Scheduled initial trials during a low‑production weekend to minimize operational risk

• Coordinated with supply chain to ensure no impact on weekly production goals

• Gained supervisor buy‑in by presenting projected savings vs. controlled risk

• Engaged operators directly — they placed flags, monitored checkpoints, and ran the machine with me

• Built trust through transparency and previous successful projects

4. Implementation & Control Plan 

• Validated that increased speed produced no negative impact on quality metrics

• Created a one‑page operator guide with key checkpoints for smooth running

• Updated SOPs and completed a full ISO 13485‑compliant change request

• Established a control chart and assigned ongoing monitoring to the quality facilitator

Results

• Speed increased from 18 → 27 ypm (50% improvement)

• Daily output doubled (12 → 24 sets), effectively adding a full day of production capacity

• $170K annual savings from:

  • Reduced energy use

  • Fewer overtime hours

  • Increased throughput

  • Better workforce allocation

• No impact on scrap, rework, or first‑pass yield

• Recognized by leadership and the medical group

• Invited to present the project multiple times

• Contributed to promotion readiness

Key Skills Demonstrated 

• Experimental trial design 

• Heat‑history and moisture‑profile analysis

• Statistical validation of quality metrics

• Cross‑functional collaboration

• ISO 13485‑compliant documentation and change control

• Operator engagement and change management

• Throughput improvement and cost‑savings analysis