Continuous improvement is something we take very seriously at PRO-TECH Design. With this as a focus, we often find time and cost savings that can be passed along to customers. Related to this, let us introduce you to Matt Bailey, our Continuous Improvement Lead, in the St. Paul, MN office.
Matt has worked with STI/PT for seven and a half years. He started when the company was Surgical Technologies, Inc. (STI) and has continued the journey when the company was acquired by PRO-TECH Design two years ago. Matt began his career with a Bachelor of Arts in biology from Coe College and his undergraduate research experience in borosilicate glass instilled a fondness for research and process development.
Matt got his introduction to cleanroom manufacturing and R&D working at an immunotherapeutic startup right out of college. After 4 years he moved to Minnesota to work at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL). He enjoyed his time working in the laboratory but found he missed the opportunity to focus on process improvement.
It was at this time that he went to work as a contingent employee at PRO-TECH. He was hired on as a manufacturing technician to process laboratory samples, support the equipment, and improve the process to produce drug coated stents.
His drive for manufacturing process improvement led him to the engineering team. Initially with a focus on improving the manufacturing assembly and packaging process for all PRO-TECH customers, and now his role has expanded to develop methods to measure and monitor the manufacturing plant performance. He onboards new customers and leads process improvement projects that apply Lean / Continuous Improvement (CI) concepts.
As an example of the value that Matt adds – he recently investigated the receiving inspection process at the Minnesota Pro-Tech Logistics Center (PTLC).
- Problem – Deliveries of incoming components and materials were not being received and inspected in a timely manner. They identified that a portion of these receipts did not have the information available that QA needed to perform receiving inspections. It was not visible what portion of the material was stuck and for what duration. This was creating a logjam in receiving inspection that led to congestion and reduced throughput.
- Solution – Matt worked with the receiving team to identify the root of the problem. They didn’t know where the information required to complete the task should be kept and were unable to identify what was stuck. They categorized the material by its status within the process and introduced visual identifiers so the material could signal to the team the status of each receipt. Once they could see what was stuck and remove those items from the process flow, everything else followed the defined process and flowed through receiving inspection into designated inventory locations.
- Result – Now, they can define the process and identify the material status quickly by sight. The area devoted to receiving inspection was reduced by half while moving receipts through the area at an increased pace.
Matt will be the first to tell you that process improvement projects like this are a collaborative effort. The most satisfying projects start with soliciting ideas from the team who use the process every day. Together, they define the process, and develop what the future state could be. From there, they continue to iterate and measure to find the solutions that make the future state become routine.
One aspect that he appreciates about his job is the variety. One day, he can be working to improve the receiving process, and the next it might be working to onboard and optimize a complex medical device assembly. Whether it is using new tools or time studies he gets to work with a lot of different processes and people in his role. Ultimately, he finds it extremely rewarding, because he is helping our employees define and achieve success. They improve quality, efficiency, and value for customers by improving reliability, efficiency, and reducing waste.
Outside of work, Matt has some interesting hobbies. The one that might be most unique is glassblowing. He taught the Iowa State Gaffer’s Guild introduction class for three years and even took home a blue ribbon in fine arts at the Iowa State Fair. He and his wife fabricated over 100 custom glass swans to give away as wedding favors!
He and his wife also enjoy getting outdoors and have a goal to complete the Hiking Club Trails at all of Minnesota’s State Parks. At last count, it was sixty-eight treks. They enjoy planning and taking trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA). Their exploration pace has slowed down with the addition of their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, who they are excited to bring along especially if it means taking a little more time on each journey.
Thank you, Matt, for making everyone at PRO-TECH Minnesota more efficient and for your humble, collaborative approach. You involve the whole team and share ownership so that each person’s contributions feel valued.