January 09 Issue - Employee Monthly Magazine

Goal: Deliver improved business processes, systems, and tools that meet the needs of our emploees, reduce the cost of doing business, and improve the Laboratory's mission performance

Lab improvements equate to millions in cost savings

Dominic Tafoya works on one of the refurbished accelerator cells for DARHT's second-axis accelerator. Photo by LeRoy N. Sanchez

Soon, each time employees at the Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrotest Facility head to the firing point, they will appreciate, first-hand, the effects of Lean Six Sigma. Some of the funds (totaling $840,000) saved through hydrotest execution process improvements are being used for radiation decontamination at the facility, eliminating the need for employees to dress out in personal protective equipment for on-site work.

"Improving their internal processes not only saved money, but the savings are being reinvested in Lab work scope that was unfunded," said Dave Earnhart, Lean Six Sigma manager. "That reinvestment continues to benefit the program and makes it easier for employees to execute their jobs."

Lean Six Sigma efforts yielded many millions in cost savings from improvements at the Laboratory in fiscal year 2008. Major contributors to this savings included financial management, hydrodynamic testing execution, recycling and reuse of government resources, Work for Others agreement processing, sample management and data validation, and procurement.

Another $7 million of potential benefits during 2008 exist in the form of known projects not yet validated by the Chief Financial Officer. And, according to Earnhart, there are millions of dollars in savings resulting from process improvement projects not directed by the Lean Six Sigma Office. A database designed to collect this information is in the works, with the first phase up and running and a second on the way in June.

"Improving our efficiency is imperative. Doing more with less means optimizing our processes, and that's where Lean Six Sigma can help. In the coming year, the focus will be on more complex projects, as well as issues that affect the bulk of the institution," he said, citing as examples the hiring process and the authorities system.

--Mig Owens

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• Big-picture nanoscientist
• Anticipating and meeting user needs
• Laboratory ships last of high-activity drums to WIPP
• My View: Who are the Laboratory Fellows? (S. Peter Gary)
• Kudos
• Notebook
• Our Goals: Lab improvements equate to millions in cost savings
• Spotlight: Thriving on 24/7 science