Thanks to people like Dennis Altfillisch who saved the government $2,709,426 through a Value Engineering (VE) suggestion, McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (MCAAP) has exceeded their FY11 continuous improvement goal of $3.47 million. This was accomplished through saving $3.75 million using Lean Six Sigma and $3.175 million using VE.
Altfillisch suggested a way to remove rust from the inside of 5"54 propellant tanks that reduced the reject rate from 80 percent to 20 percent thus avoiding having to buy 35,000 new propellant tanks. This resulted in a cost avoidance of $2,709,426.
Another VE suggestion by Dale Starry and Evan Peters resulted in a three-year savings of $890,614 by locating a recycling agency willing to dispose of aluminum and zinc dust for the cost of shipping. Previously MCAAP had to dispose of this dust as a hazardous waste.
This time Dale Starry teamed up with Leroy Willingham for a three years savings of $143,963 by finding a recycling agency willing to dispose of empty thermal resin drums for the cost of shipping. Previously MCAAP disposed of these drums as hazardous waste.
Saving the government $46,411 is Kenneth McDonald who discovered a way to allow larger sized spent grit that was being collected as waste to remain in the grit blaster for use. This reduced the amount of new grit required to operate the grit blaster.
Other ways MCAAP employees have generated savings is by reducing the number of cell phones, Blackberry's and identifying unnecessary cellular services providing $26,000 in cost avoidance; reducing the number of government owned vehicles resulting in an annual savings of $61,000 and achieving a $2.07 million cost avoidance due to a 38 percent reduction in injury related days away from work as a result of implementing the DOD Voluntary Protection Program.
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