Continuous Improvement

At Basin Precision Machining (BPM), quality is designed into the process with disciplined 5S, standardized work, and flow aligned to takt time. The result is stable cycles, fewer defects, and dependable deliveries across prototype, PPAP, and full-rate production.

Continuously improving, continuously adapting to a world of change

Like the global economy, the manufacturing landscape is never static. International trade agreements shift supply chains, economic conditions drive cost pressures and technology continues to evolve at a relentless pace. Machine shops cannot afford to remain fixed in their ways—they must continuously improve and adapt to stay competitive and meet the needs of OEMs and Tier 1 manufacturers.

Our dedication to the “5S methodology” (sort, set in order, shine, standardize, sustain) keeps our shop lean, flexible, and responsive. By embedding these principles into daily operations, we eliminate waste, enforce consistent workplace practices and maintain a disciplined foundation that allows us to pivot quickly as customer requirements grow and evolve. We also keep our workers safe and at their best.

Thanks to our culture of continuous improvement and lean manufacturing, we provide our customers with the highest standards of quality and keep pace with the changing demands of today’s global market.

What 5S looks like in a modern shop

5S is more than tidiness; it’s the daily discipline that stabilizes processes and reveals problems early. The five pillars of the 5S methodology are: Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain.

What 5S looks like in a modern shop

5S is more than tidiness; it’s the daily discipline that stabilizes processes and reveals problems early. The five pillars of the 5S methodology are: Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain.

5S is more than tidiness; it’s the daily discipline that stabilizes processes and reveals problems early. The five pillars of the 5S methodology are: Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain.

When we sort through everything in our shop, we remove nonessential tools, fixtures and materials from cells. Red-tagging and disposition routines keep benches, carts, and crib locations limited to what the job actually requires, which cuts down search time, prevents mix-ups and improves safety.

Everything should have a defined “home”. Tool shadow boards, labeled gauge drawers, point-of-use consumables, and first-in-first-out (FIFO) lanes for incoming stock and work in progress are examples of tactics that we use to order the madness that can be found in a busy machine shop. Visual cues like floor markings are key; they provide clear instruction that transcends written language and makes any abnormality obvious instantly.

Keeping things clean serves many purposes. Routine wipe-downs, chip-load checks and coolant condition audits double as inspection steps that catch wear or drift before they become quality escapes. Dirt and grime can also clog up machinery and hide potential safety issues. When everything is kept clean, you know exactly what you’re working with.

We codify best practices and standard work into clear visuals like setup sheets, torque specs, probe routines, offsets, gauge R&R references, and changeover checklists so the “right way” is the easy way on every shift. Checklists and standard procedures also ensure nothing is forgotten or skipped—there’s a reason airline pilots stick to checklists before flight, and it’s no different in our shop.

Perhaps the toughest step in the 5S cycle… To sustain is to carry forth all the hard work of the previous four steps indefinitely. Just as our mothers told us when we were young, we put things back after we use them and clean up after ourselves. This way, 5S is accomplished little by little every day instead of in the form of a major, time-consuming project.

Partnership with MoffittXL

To accelerate results, we work with MoffittXL, a team of lean-management consultants with a reputation for building continuous-improvement systems that optimize operations and scale performance. Their frameworks help us reduce waste, enforce consistent workplace practices, and “run to demand” through takt-time alignment so capacity and customer need stay in sync.

MoffittXL’s playbook emphasizes one-piece flow, pull systems, visual controls, and 5S—core building blocks that create accountability on the floor and measurable gains in throughput and quality.

Working to takt time for reliable delivery

Takt time (available production time divided by customer demand) sets the rhythm for each cell. We design capacity, staffing, and buffer strategy around that “heartbeat” to enable one-piece flow. This curbs overproduction, stabilizes queues, and helps us promise realistic, repeatable lead times.

With MoffittXL’s guidance, we align routings and resource plans to takt, implement point-of-use kanban, and reduce changeover pain (SMED) so smaller batches still make business sense. This lowers WIP and increases on-time performance.

What does this mean for you?

  • First-time quality: Stable setups, controlled tooling, and in-process inspection embedded in standard work reduce variation and rework.

  • Shorter, steadier lead times: Flow to takt and pull signals keeps queues under control—even as mix and demand shift.

  • Fewer surprises: Visual management and layered audits surface issues fast so corrective action can be taken before it affects you.

  • Launch with confidence: Robust 5S and standardized methods translate cleanly from prototypes to PPAP to volume.

  • Lower total cost: Waste exits the system—fewer expedites, less scrap, less inventory, and maximized spindle utilization.

Whether you’re an OEM ramping a new platform or a Tier 1 supplier consolidating your vendor base, Basin Precision Machining offers the rigor of 5S, the cadence of takt-time flow, and the momentum of continuous improvement—backed by MoffittXL’s proven systems. Let’s put that to work on your parts and your timelines.

Your local, world-class machine shop

Jefferson facility

211 Collins Road
Jefferson, Wisconsin 53549

(920) 674 6003

Edmonton facility

3115 – 93 Street NW
Edmonton, AB, Canada T6N 1L7

(780) 440 4220

Contact Us

Questions about our products or services? We are here to help.

Fill out the form below to contact our team by email. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Contact Us

Questions about our products or services? We are here to help.

Fill out the form below to contact our team by email. We will get back to you as soon as possible.