Wheel and tire shop role model for AFSO21

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Stephen Delgado
  • 56th Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  How many times have you been to a wheel and tire shop, whether civilian or military, and found it hard to get around because the place is crammed with stacks of wheels and tires taller than you? Also, the floor is littered with tools. You wonder; how does this shop function? 

Now imagine a wheel and tire shop that is the antithesis of the one above. It is spacious with clean and shiny floors, and everything is easy to access and find. Does such a place exist? 

Take a trip to the 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron wheel and tire shop, and you will find such a place. This shop is a role model of what a wheel and tire shop can be not by magic, but by applying AFSO21 principles, with Lean being the main focus. 

"A vital part of the wheel and tire shop are the forward supply points, which are now centrally located," Staff Sgt. Joseph Salazar, NCO in charge, 56th EMS wheel and tire shop said. This new setup saves us manpower, time and money." 

Not only that, 12 people would deliver wheels to the shop requiring eight vehicles. Now, personnel from this shop pick up the wheels, which only requires two people and one vehicle, he said. 

A really special feature of the post AFSO21 shop is that each type of wheel has its own work station. 

"We have three different types of wheels--the block 50, block 30 and nose wheels," Sergeant Salazar said. "There is a separate work station for each wheel with the tools needed at each station. The old way had the tools at one station, which often made us wait for the necessary tools. Again, the new setup saves time, manpower and money."
The breakdown station has really improved. "All wheels are broken down at this station, saving us a lot of skipping around the shop," he said. "Everything is orderly, which saves time and money." 

With the myriad of improvements already accomplished, there are still more upgrades in the works. 

"We have new cabinets ordered for the wheel stations, which will provide storage for the bearings and tools," Sergeant Salazar said. Everything will be self contained." 

One of the nice aspects of the newly arranged shop is the ordering system. 

"We used to order tires in bulk," Sergeant Salazar said. "Now we order 20 tires instead of 60 freeing up the supply of tires for other bases. The shop is roomier and has a lot more space." 

Even the air-up cage, the station where the air is put in the tires, is more conveniently located, he said. 

And, when there are a large number of new tires installed, that creates the dilemma of what to do with the old tires. Michelin buys the used tires and turns them into recycled material for playground surfaces, Sergeant Salazar said. 

Before Lean, the wheel and tire shop had a crew of 25 people working in two rooms. Presently, the shop runs with five people working in one room. 

Luke has pioneered these AFSO21 Lean principles. The wheel and tire shop has been so successful in implementing Lean, that it has drawn the attention of some distinguished visitors. 

Dr. Ronald Ritter, special assistant for Air Force Smart Operations to the Secretary of the Air Force and Deputy Director of the Air Force Smart Operations office and Maj. Gen. Arthur Morrill III, vice director, Defense Logistics Agency have visited the wheel and tire shop. 

"Dr. Ritter and General Morrill had a lot of praise for the numerous improvements we have made to this shop," Sergeant Salazar said. 

Not only that, the wheel and tire shop was showcased at the Defense Department's Continuous Process Improvement Symposium May 13, Sergeant Salazar said.
"We represented the Air Force, which gave us the opportunity to showcase what we have accomplished," he said.