CRANE, Ind. - Crane Army Ammunition Activity certified two employees for successful Green Belt Lean Six Sigma projects this month.

CAAA Mechanical Engineering Technician Josh Shipman and Ammunition Inspector Teresa Lee each completed their projects improving the efficiency of how the activity does business.

Shipman's project was designed to increase the efficiencies of the deep draw canister manufacturing process for Pyrotechnics. He said the project examined canister variation and quality related issues relative to the deep draw press tooling.

According to Shipman, "The project was a fantastic success. The canister inside diameter and wall thickness variation was reduced by 62.5 percent. The process improvement increased the sigma quality level from a three sigma quality level to a six sigma quality level. This project equated to a projected cost savings of $22,890.10 and cost of avoidance of $16,667 for FY09."

In Lee's project, her team worked to improve the execution of material movements between Depot Operations and Manufacturing Engineering. Lee, who is assigned to Depot Operations, worked in conjunction with Manufacturing Engineering to develop the means necessary to provide current, up-to-date schedules that satisfy production needs without the redirecting of field crews to meet these needs.

Lee explained that her project was a success and said, "The reoccurring schedule changes were reduced by 62.5 percent. The Type II cost-avoidance savings is $47,452.50. The process improved from a 3.8 sigma quality level to a 6.0 plus sigma quality level."

The two projects represent Crane Army's commitment to improve operations through continuous improvement and Lean Six Sigma.

CAAA was established in Oct. 1977 and is a tenant of the Navy Region Midwest, Naval Support Activity Crane. The Army activity maintains ordnance professionals and infrastructure to receive, store, ship, produce, renovate and demilitarize conventional ammunition, missiles and related components.