2008 Conference Workshops
Morning Demonstrations, Workshops & Simulations
will be on-going from 8:30 - 11:30 am and vary in duration as noted. Mix and match the sessions you'd like to attend!
Lean Manufacturing — Learning Through Lego Simulation
Ted Theyerl, Project Manager
NWMOC
This 90-minute workshop will be held at 8:30 and 10:00.
Experience the results of Lean Manufacturing principles in this workshop as you apply them to a life-like simulation. Participate in a traditional
manufacturing system and learn how the concepts of Lean Manufacturing can be applied to optimize the process. You will see the dramatic
changes in the way the product flows, resulting in customer demand being met on time, every time.
Technology and Business Incubators— Commercializing Innovation: Part 1
Randy Hulke, Director
Technology and Business Incubator, University of Wisconsin-Stout
Two tour opportunities are available:
8:30 University of Wisconsin-Stout Technology and Business Incubator
10:00 Incubator Graduate Business
Join us to explore a sheltered environment for emerging enterprises! See first-hand the keys to success and business practices through guided
tours of the University of Wisconsin-Stout incubator and that of an incubator graduate’s facility. You will gain knowledge of how new businesses receive affordable facilities, services, professional
support, and have some start up costs deferred until graduation. Learn to compete in the global economy and sustain employment within the region with the support of resources right in your backyard!
Lean Metrics and Performance Measures for Success
Jim Fackleman, Senior Manufacturing Specialist
WMEP
This 90-minute workshop will be held at 8:30
and 10:00.
Companies who are on the lean journey often reach a point where they find that financial reports are not recognizing the successes of the lean activities. In addition, their measurement systems are in conflict with lean activities and even promote the wrong behavior. This hands-on workshop will show you why this phenomenon occurs and will demonstrate how to develop a set of metrics that support company goals, promote lean behavior and provide leading indicators to achieving positive results.
Simulator Experiences: Avoiding the Crash and Burn
George Johnson, Instructor
Jack Running, Fire Training Specialist
Mike Spencer, Instructor
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College
Each simulation will run every 20 minutes.
Experience new and cutting-edge technology in the fields of driving simulation, fire suppression, and confined space. The driving simulator presents life-like situations that you never hope to experience, such as adverse driving conditions and unexpected distractions. Utilizing the burn simulator, you can experience live fire scenarios, confined space situation, and simulated self contained breathing apparatus as seen in business and industry. The fire extinguisher practice will demonstrate the importance of protecting yourself and your facility.
Introduction to Packaging: Why Packaging Counts!
Robert Meisner, Assistant Professor
Jack Vaughan, Lecturer
Brad Reiser, Graduate Student
University of Wisconsin-Stout
This hour-long workshop will be held at 9:00 and 10:00.
This presentation and lab demonstration will open your eyes to the world of packaging and how it affects your products and your business. You will experience a variety of hands-on opportunities as you are exposed to multiple lab settings and their functions.
Practicing Safety Head-On and Hands-On
Steven Senor, Program Coordinator
Chippewa Valley Technical College
Each station will run every 20 minutes.
Get together with a team of peers and rotate through a variety of hands on safety stations including: fire safety, bloodborne pathogens, hand washing and GMPs (good manufacturing practices), emergency preparedness, respiratory protection, disease prevention, find the hazards, fall protection, and using safety and health instruments.
Confined Space Rescue Simulation
Jason R. Goeldner, Instructor
Jim Nelson, Instructor
Nicolet Area Technical College
This 90-minute simulation will be held at 8:30 and 10:00.
Experience the use of personal protective equipment and rescue equipment that is necessary for making rescues from a confined space. See the proper retrieval systems, body harnesses, and life lines for non entry rescue as well as entry rescues, demonstrated through both horizontal and vertical situations. Gain a better understanding of what skills are needed to perform your job safely and what OSHA is looking for to ensure compliance with 1910.146 regulations on confined spaces.
Defying the Gravitational Pull of Change
Kari Dahl, Endowed Chair
People Process Culture , University of Wisconsin-Stout
This hour-long workshop will be held at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30.
Become aware that your behavior in real life under stressful situations can cause a block in creative solution finding. In this workshop you will learn how to act creatively by participating in a variety of mind-expanding exercises. You will be surprised at how different life and work can be. You will take away exercises that you can implement with teams in your organization to enhance creative solution finding.
And I Thought 5S Was Just Cleaning!
Barb Nicol, Sr. Management Engineer
NWMOC
This hour-long workshop will be held at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30.
Learn the power of 5S through hands-on simulation and the sharing of information! You will see the power of this Lean Tool in improving the flow of a process by having a “place for everything and everything in its place”. 5S is a very good place to start your company’s Lean/Continuous Improvement activities because it is one of the foundations upon which Lean is built.
Get Registered to do Business with the Federal Government
Aina Vilumsons, Director
Wisconsin Procurement Institute
This hour-long workshop will be held at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30.
Have you ever considered the Government as a customer? Do you know whether they purchase what your company offers? Join us in the computer lab for a workshop focused on using the internet for government contracting and registration as well as certifications for federal contracting.
Interactive Simulation Training for Lean Line Balancing
David Ding, ASQ Six Sigma Black Belt
Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Stout
This 40-minute workshop will be held at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30.
This workshop will give you the opportunity to improve your lean line balancing skills offline, in a non-threatening environment, where mistakes do not incur the costs of production losses or unfilled orders. You will have a chance to run the simulation like a video game to experience line balancing skills by leading you through a series of scenarios and practice sessions. This session will help you better manage your production line and resources using learned lean line balancing skills.
How to Attract Capital with Effective Business Plans and Presentations: Part 1
Pete Marsnik, President
ClearWater Systems, LLC
These one-on-one workshops will be offered every 15 minutes.
Bring in your business plan or drafts for hands-on critique and guidance. Join us in the afternoon to learn about the key components of business plans, and how to incorporate them into a 15-minute presentation to potential investors. Confidentiality will be respected. Part 2 is offered during the afternoon breakout sessions A time slot.
Manufacturing is not Dead, but it is Nano!
Forrest Schultz , Professor
University of Wisconsin-Stout
This 40-minute workshop will be held at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30.
“All manufacturing by year 2020 will depend on nanotechnology.” Now that this statement is becoming more of a reality, what does this mean for your company? This workshop will present the basics of nanotechnology and demonstrate the instrumentation equipment resources available to regional companies to assist in their transformation toward nanotechnology and nanomanfacturing. You will be able to ask questions about the future of your business and “see” materials and products at the nanoscale. You are invited to bring your own samples!
Leadership One Step at a Time
Dave Vollmer, Trainer/Consultant
Chippewa Valley Technical College
This half-hour workshop will be held at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30.
What does it mean to be the “leader”? Who is really in charge? Come and participate in a very hands-on activity that will cause you to rethink some of your leadership paradigms.
The Supply Chain—Global Economies, Local Effects: Part 1
Scott Hodek, Economist
DWD-Office of Economic Advisors
This workshop will be held every 15 minutes beginning at 8:30.
Receive guidance through a self-evaluation to learn more about your own supply chain and what it means for your business. Join us in the afternoon to focus on issues with the global supply chain, including inputs like labor and finance, and how they affect local economies and businesses.
Improvement Using a Koosh® Ball
Dave Vollmer, Trainer/Consultant
Chippewa Valley Technical College
This half-hour workshop will be held at 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00.
Come and participate in an activity that you can easily duplicate at your organization to help employees see and feel real improvement.
Innovation and Development: Where Do I Begin?
Jerry Johnson, Director/Professor
Engineering and Technology Department
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Michael Cropp, Project Manager
Center for Innovation and Development
University of Wisconsin-Stout
This hour-long workshop will be held at 8:30 and 10:00.
Explore the Center for Innovation and Development at University of Wisconsin-Stout to learn about the process of developing new product ideas and the resources available. Past project examples and their results will be shared.
Cloning Those Technical Gurus and Documentation on the Fly
Tim Tewalt, ElectroMechanical Instructor
Chippewa Valley Technical College
This hour-long workshop will be held at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30.
Ever wish you could record those keystrokes that fixed your machine? Make a recording of all the detailed settings needed for a system? Why not record it in a movie or screenshot? In this computer lab session, you’ll learn how to document your system with video, text and more. If you love to laugh and want to improve communications in resolving problems, this is the session for you.
The Round Table System: Lean-Flow in Action
Lloyd Peterson, Director
Stout Advanced Management Assistance
University of Wisconsin-Stout
This workshop will run continuously throughout the morning.
In partnership with Riverfront, Inc. this demonstration highlights a process that you can use to improve the productivity and quality of a product, especially in assembly and packaging. It demonstrates fast response, high reliability, and minimized costs while employing physically, emotionally, or mentally challenged employees. Bring examples of your product and work with the facilitator to see if your product would benefit using the Round Table System.
Session A - 2:00 - 2:45 p.m.
A1 RFID: Overview of Principles and Applications
Sam Gould, Technology Specialist
Minnesota Technology, Inc.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is considered by many to be one of the “hottest” technologies in the marketplace. It could be one of the smartest investments your company will make to get a leg up on becoming a preferred supplier. This session is designed to have value to participants who may be new to this technology and want to gain a general, but up-do-date knowledge of RFID. Participants will be provided with hands-on demonstrations of RFID equipment. This session also discusses the right time to adopt RFID and whether it is the right fit for your company.
A2 Technology and Business Incubators— Commercializing Innovation: Part 2
Randy Hulke, Director
Technology and Business Incubator
University of Wisconsin-Stout
How can you get started in a global economy? Join us for this information-packed session where you will learn how new businesses received affordable facilities, services, professional support, and had start up costs deferred until graduation through the incubator/accelerator program. You will gain knowledge of resources available to help you start and grow your business, learn best practices and the keys to success from those that have been there!
A3 Navigating OSHA
Steven Senor, Program Coordinator
Chippewa Valley Technical College
Join us in the computer lab to learn about the latest OSHA requirements and how to use their website as a resource, including researching your company’s history with OSHA inspections.
A4 Manufacturing isn’t Rusting Away!
Brad Nasset, Project Manager
NWMOC
Manufacturing is not rusting away in Wisconsin, but it is changing dramatically. Learn how the entire world is affecting our region and what manufacturers are doing to respond. This session will highlight the tremendous size and influence of manufacturing in Wisconsin and identify some of the changes that are occurring – and actually necessary – for manufacturing to continue to prosper. Manufacturers are utilizing new and innovative strategies that affect how they operate and even how they interact with their suppliers of raw materials and local goods and services. How policy makers measure manufacturing is also changing. Policy makers, suppliers and manufacturers all need to be creative for a successful future. The elements for success are here!
A5 Creating the Organization That Will Put Yours Out of Business
Kari Dahl, Endowed Chair
People Process Culture Center, University of Wisconsin-Stout
Through the examination of your own company, you will discover your company’s case for change. You will design strategies to reach your vision and learn ways of inspiring your staff to move your dream to reality. Come learn to create company values, and a purpose and vision that you can begin implementing the day you return to work.
A6 The Supply Chain – Global Economies, Local Effects: Part 2
Scott Hodek, Economist
DWD-Office of Economic Advisors
This workshop combines the presentation of valuable information with an open question-and-answer session that will focus on issues with the global supply chain, including inputs like labor and finance, and how they affect local economies and business. You will come away with an understanding of how the global supply chain affects businesses and a realization of the risks and rewards inherent in your own current supply chain situation.
A7 How to Attract Capital with Effective Business Plans and Presentations: Part 2
Pete Marsnik, President
ClearWater Systems, LLC
Join us to learn about the key components of business plan development for two purposes: to manage company operations and to raise capital. You will also gain insight on how to incorporate the necessary information effectively for presentation to various audiences. Learn how to create a 15-minute presentation for potential investors (angels, bankers, venture capitalists, etc.).
A8 Manufacturing Training Tool Kit
Mark Borowicz, Lead Client Specialist
Charles Duffert, Project Manager
Weng Liew, Client Specialist
Northcentral Technical College
This session will share innovative manufacturing training ideas. Learn about providing employee skills assessments and focused training using Work Keys, how to work with a manufacturing consortium to leverage training needs of others in your industry sector, how to develop innovative new training topics for your managers and supervisors, and more. Real-life success stories included!
A9 Manufacturing Youth Apprenticeship (YA) – A Pipeline to the Future Workforce
Robin Kroyer-Kubicek
Youth Apprenticeship Curriculum Specialist
Department of Workforce Development
Bob Anderson, Child Labor Law
WI Department of Workforce Development
Ron Polum, Production Supervisor
Pointe Precision
This workshop highlights the recent revisions to the statewide school-to work Manufacturing Youth Apprenticeship program and how it can be implemented at your worksite. Ron Polum of Pointe Precision will share his experiences working with YA students; and Bob Anderson, from the Bureau of Labor Standards, will also be available to answer your questions about how Child Labor Laws impact the hiring of YA students. Learn about a youth workforce recruitment program that can help meet industry pressures of an aging skilled workforce and learn to promote manufacturing as a viable, highly skilled career to youth just starting to make career choices.
A10 Get the Skills… Critical Core Manufacturing Skills!
Sandy Bishop, Customized Training Coordinator
Nicolet Area Technical College
Dan Burns, Trainer/Consultant
Chippewa Valley Technical College
Advanced Manufacturing Solutions – Northwest
Wisconsin Technical College System
Are you concerned about cost and competition pressures and their impact on your bottom line? What about the need for higher individual productivity and efficiency? The growing skills gap in today’s workforce? The Critical Core Manufacturing Skills training program provides the tools that you need to meet the changing demands of the modern manufacturing environment and to build a culture of high performance. Attend this session to learn how you can increase worker productivity, adaptability, and team skills with this powerful new training program, and experience the program first-hand.
Session B - 3:00 - 3:45 p.m.
B1 Provoking Positive Passion for Productivity!
Steve McCombs, Manufacturing Process Consultant
Western Technical College
What will be your biggest obstacle in implementing any of the things you learn at this conference? Resistance to Change! It may come from executives, managers, or all employees in general. In this session you’ll learn how to overcome that obstacle and inspire passion in your workforce. You’ll learn why change can be so difficult, especially in the manufacturing environment and, explore six issues that must be addressed in order to better equip your company to successfully embrace the challenge. Join us for this session that will show you how to apply tools that produce passion, self-motivation and positive influences in your environment, and identify and deal with pockets of resistance. In just 45 minutes, you will learn not only how to Provoke Positive Passion for Productivity but also how to sustain and grow that passion!
B2 Selling Your Products to the Federal Government: The Absolute BEST Use of Your Federal Tax Dollars
Aina Vilumsons, Director
Wisconsin Procurement Institute
The Federal government spends $350 BILLION in procurement of goods and services annually. Currently, Wisconsin ranks 37th among the states in receiving government contracts. This session will enhance your understanding of the requirements of government contracting and the know-how to obtain and successfully fulfill federal, state and local government contracts.
B3 Our Industry…OUR Image! Changing the Misconception
Dan Conroy, Human Resources Director
Nexen Group
Bob Meyer, Director
Stout Technology Transfer Institute
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Manufacturing Works / Gold Collar Careers
Contrary to popular belief, manufacturing is alive and well. Careers in manufacturing are awesome, yet the image of manufacturing is tattered and torn. We struggle to find qualified candidates now, and future demographics will exacerbate this problem. Will there be enough talented and technically educated individuals available for us to hire? Join us as we identify the challenges confronting the manufacturing industry today and the actions that we can take to address and overcome the upcoming workforce shortage. We all have a stake in this dilemma and it is up to us to do something about it!
B4 Fostering Innovation Through Federal Programs
Pat Dillon, Northwest Regional Director
Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network
Get the inside scoop on using two small business federal research programs to fund innovative company-based, high-risk, high-payoff research and development efforts that have strong commercialization potential. More than $2B is available to small businesses to research, develop and commercialize new products and services for domestic and international markets.
B5 DACUM: An Integrated Lean Approach to Training Development
Mark Hendrickson, Manager
Manufacturing and Technology Education Center
Dave Vollmer, Trainer/Consultant
Chippewa Valley Technical College
This workshop session will provide you with an overview and simulate a “DACUM” targeted job analysis. The DACUM, Design A CurricUM, method is used internationally for targeted training development for rapid deployment from job analysis to training. The DACUM Job Analysis approach will help you develop targeted training, communicate training needs with educational institutions, and establish performance baselines for existing job profiles. Examine this process as a management tool that you can use to develop and coordinate effective implementation of training.
B6 Keeping Energy Manageable
Dean Laube, Energy Advisor
Focus on Energy
This two-hour energy management seminar focuses on the necessity of making energy a manageable component of your business in order to stay ahead of rising costs. Get the scoop on energy hot topics and energy management philosophies. You will receive a CD with energy management techniques that will be demonstrated in this session.
B7 Sustainable Decision Making: Is it on Your Radar Yet?
Danny Bee, Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Sustainable decision making has been described as the next Industrial Revolution-level change in the way businesses operate. This workshop will encourage you to reflect on whether your organization is thinking about triple bottom line (economic, environmental, societal) decision making. You will walk away with an appreciation of the impact that sustainable thinking will have on our society and your organization in the very near future.
B8 Capitalizing on Communications – Constraints, Computing and Collaboration
Steven Schlough, Professor
James Smith, Associate Professor
University of Wisconsin-Stout
This workshop will begin by identifying business constraints and matching them to IT solutions. It will continue with a demonstration of collaborative computing tools. You will have access to computers and real-time information. This session will focus on increased productivity, a collaborative work environment, faster communications, enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management.
B9 Creating Lean Behaviors Through Lean Accounting and Measures
Mark Stevens, Partner – Manufacturing Consulting
Jeff Wulf, Senior Manager
Kurt Gresen, Partner
Wipfli LLP
Companies drive the behaviors of their employees by the measurements and reports that are used to inform management about the performance of the company and its employees. To achieve valuable, lean-reflective financials, your company must take its lean commitment beyond the plant floor and change the way financials are tracked. With lean accounting you receive simpler reporting and value-added accounting, practices that better capture and drive your operational performance. You will leave this workshop with a methodology that you can apply in your own company as well as suggested measures that will help your organization capture lean improvements and drive lean behaviors.
Session C - 4:00 - 4:45 p.m.
C1 Quick Changeover
Jerry Day, Project Manager
NWMOC
The ability to rapidly change from one product to another is often a key to success for many companies. As customer lead times are continually being shortened and product mixes become more complex, the ability to change over rapidly and easily becomes a competitive advantage. Fortunately, powerful, quick-change techniques exist that can be applied to any type of operation from metal to wood, from food to plastic, etc. Join us to learn the basics of quick changeover and how you can apply it at your company!
C2 Apprenticeship: Growing Your Skilled Workforce
Myra Stachowicz, Apprenticeship Training Representative
Panel Participants
Wisconsin Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards
Hear from our panel of experts to gain an understanding of apprenticeship in Wisconsin and how it remains a viable training tool that will enhance your bottom line. You will gain an understanding of apprenticeship as one step in lifelong learning, which enhances a worker’s productivity in a time when industry changes rapidly. Information from varying perspectives will be offered including the formal educational component, a former apprentice, and apprenticeship employers.
C3 We Did the Tools, Now What? – Developing a Culture for Improvement
Dave Vollmer, Trainer/Consultant
Chippewa Valley Technical College
Many tools are available to organizations for improvement. The list includes basic quality tools for data collection and display, root cause analysis, six sigma, all the tools in the “House of Lean”, and many others. But, all the tools in the world won’t help if the organization’s culture doesn’t support change. In this session, we will discuss some of the common pitfalls and develop strategies to sustain improvements.
C4 Understanding Customer Loyalty
Dick Lamers, President
D. Lamers and Associates LLC
This interactive workshop will provide you with the tools you need to understand what customers value in today’s market. You will also learn how to improve communication and trust with your employees in addition to a simple process that will show immediate results with both internal and external customers.
C5 Enhancing Competitive Advantage through Effective Risk Control (Safety, Health and Environmental Protection)
Elbert Sorrell, Ed. D. CSP, Professor/Director
Risk Control Center, University of Wisconsin-Stout
Many corporate leaders might indicate that Risk Control/Safety Health and Environmental (SHE) is one of their core business values; however, reality suggests that often times this is not the case! When risk control is not an integral core business value, competitive advantage can be compromised. This presentation will highlight the benefits of linking risk control to an organization’s business goals and provide strategies to accomplish these objectives.
C6 Keeping Energy Manageable (continued from SESSION B6)
Dean Laube, Energy Advisor
Focus on Energy
Join us for the second half of this two-hour energy management seminar, focusing on the necessity of making energy a manageable component of your business in order to stay ahead of rising costs. Get the scoop on energy hot topics and energy management philosophies. You will receive a CD with energy management techniques that will be demonstrated in this session. (You must attend Part 1 of this seminar during the SESSION B timeslot.)
C7 NanoRite – An Example of Partnership at Work!
Hans Mikelson, Instructor
Chippewa Valley Technical College
Forrest Schultz, Chair, Department of Chemistry
Nano Science Coordinator
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Doug Dunham, Associate Professor
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Nanotechnology is about to change the face of manufacturing and numerous applications. Attend this session and find out how this unique partnership can help jump-start applied research and development for your organization. Hear a professional panel of the Chippewa Valley Technical College, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and University of Wisconsin-Stout explain the exciting role that the NanoRite Innovation Center partnership will play in growing companies interested in advanced machining and nanotechnology. Learn how to put this partnership to work for you!
C8 The Master of Science in Manufacturing Engineering Program
Danny Bee, Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Are you interested in gaining knowledge about a new career advancement program? University of Wisconsin-Stout started the new Master of Science in Manufacturing Engineering program in Fall 2006. The program is available entirely online and is designed for practicing engineers who are interested in advancing their manufacturing skills. This workshop will be an informational session that describes the program curriculum, and participants will have an opportunity to ask questions about it.
C9 Identity Theft and Information Security – The Impact on Employees and Business
Kevin McDaniels, Certified Identity Theft
Risk Management Specialist
Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.
Gain a clear understanding of the new risks, liabilities, and obligations associated with the current information security laws. Leave with a road map of how best to create an affirmative defense in the event any lawsuits or regulatory efforts result from an information security breach. Employees and company clients who find themselves victims of Identity Theft can expose companies to potential fines, fees, lawsuits and other financial losses that can materially affect continuing operations. We’ll introduce you to risk management strategies and tools that are at the forefront of the battle against identity fraud.