Squint Lean Manufacturing Agent for Process Optimization
Step 1: Create a Time Study from Process Videos
Provide the agent with one or more videos of the manufacturing process. It will automatically generate a complete time study in minutes.
Step 2: Attach Supporting Line Documentation
Attach all relevant artifacts for the line, such as work instructions, spec sheets, downtime logs, and the bill of materials (BOM), so the agent can incorporate them into its analysis.
Step 3: Configure Constraints and Process Knowledge
Tell the agent what you already know about the process and constraints—for example, equipment that cannot be moved, the internal naming for parts, spending caps, or specific tests and checks that must remain in place. The analysis results will be built around these conditions.
Step 4: Start or Extend a Variance Analysis
Start a new variance analysis or add the new study results to an existing variance analysis, depending on whether you are creating a fresh review or expanding prior work.
Step 5: Protect Operator Privacy (Optional)
If needed, enable face blurring so operators’ faces are obscured before you generate the analysis from the uploaded videos.
Step 6: Review the Automated Work Breakdown and Timeline
Let the agent break each video into discrete elements of work and plot them onto a continuous, gapless timeline. Each work element is timestamped, labeled as value-added or non-value-added, and any waste is tagged by category for lean analysis.
Step 7: Examine Ranked Improvement Opportunities
Review the analysis output, which ranks issues and opportunities by the amount of time they consume. Each finding includes a timestamp and a recommendation, all aligned with the constraints and rules you set earlier.
Step 8: Analyze Cycles Across Long and Multiple Videos
Use the agent to detect and analyze every cycle, even within long recordings and across multiple videos. Build a unified time study that spans different days, shifts, and operators for a comprehensive view of process performance.
Step 9: Compare Cycles and Work Elements
Compare cycles and individual work elements side by side to understand the median, average, and outlier performance. Use these comparisons to identify instability and variation in the process.
Step 10: Model the Line and Identify Bottlenecks
Combine multiple time studies so Squint can model the entire line. Review the Yamazumi chart, which stacks each station’s workload against takt time, making the bottleneck station immediately visible. Below the chart, inspect station-level metrics such as cycle time, balance efficiency, and every issue the agent flagged, including safety-related concerns.
