Hamburger University is Coming to Die-Tech

In 1961, McDonald's founded their now famous Hamburger University in a restaraunt in Elk Grove Village Illinois.  The first students had to complete strictly required courses such as chemistry, marketing, and cooking so that when they graduated, they would be able to create formulas to increase the profit of McDonald's. Many of those with a "McDegree" were able to get jobs in a lab where they could invent new ways to enhance the food in an economical way.  Today the Hamburger University is a 130,000 square foot facility where students learn just about everything they need to know about running a success McDonald's manufacturing operation.  After all, isn't that the real business of McDonald's? 

They are the largest and most efficient manufacturing company of fast edible food like substances in the world.  I say "food like substances" because you, me and everyone else in the world still isn't sure about what it is we are actually eating when we buy a Big Mac.  But that's another post for another blog.

But really, to McDonald's credit, they truly have a remarkably LEAN manufacturing process.  From start to finish, they are the masters of efficiency in the fast food and quick service universe.  Shouldn't that be the goal of any manufacturing company?  To offer customers efficient, fast turnaround on orders.  Granted, a Mickey D's burger may not be a real burger but whatever it is, no matter where you order it in the world, you get the same product in about the same time, every time.

That's the beauty of the systems and processes that McDonald's has put in place and everyone of their employees follows.  Now, what if any other business, regardless of industry could put these same systems and processes into place, tailored to their industry?

Well, that's the goal of Richard W. Dennis, President and CEO of Die-Tech.  Die-Tech is planning and developing their own version of Hamburger University.  While I can't go into details at the moment... as it is still in the works.  The goal is to create a in-house training modules for every department in the company. 

Die-Tech has already had success with this type of training approach in their engineering department.  The typical turnaround in the stamping industry for a die design is usually 2-3 weeks.  Through the systems and training modules that have been put in place, Die-Tech is able to design a die within 1 week!

Through the training modules, Die-Tech was also able to train an individual that had NO previous die or engineering experience to create a die, release it to production and have less than a 3% error rate on their drawings.  This has drastically cut down on rework time for die design to typically under 10 hours.  The beauty of the process is that Die-Tech only needs 1 engineer that really understands the in and outs of the die design process... saving Die-Tech time and money.

The next addition to Die-Tech University will be on the production line.  Each new Stamping Technician will be trained and become familiar with Die-Tech's systems and processes before ever working on the actual production line.  This module will even include a "mock" press where the Stamping Technician trainee will become familiar with all the daily functions of running a stamping press.  The goal is to cut down on waste and inefficiency on the actual production floor. 

So Die-Tech isn't getting into the fast food industry.  However, Die-Tech is always looking to improve and become better at what they do... Stamping Ideas into Reality.  What do you think about Die-Tech University?  Good idea? Bad idea?  Let us know what you think.