the old method of producing by hand. We WD: How do you deal with the shortage We took full advantage of Delmac’s A Cygnus Publication have been logging this data for the last of trained, skilled woodworkers and other maximum class size of six people for on- June 2005 six months and have seen a very short skilled workers? site training at their North Carolina facility. payback period as well as an increase in Ruffolo: We’ve launched a full, strategic We also hired an experienced CNC operator/ quality and precision. staffing plan that is focused on the programmer from the outside. He can WD: When your in-house designer has recruitment and retention of high- be given most of the credit for our short completed his designs and they’ve been ly skilled finish carpenters. This cam- learning curve in getting the router run- approved, how are the drawings converted paign includes a broad range of ning efficiently. to CAD? How is a bill of materials created? initiatives such as state and national WD: In terms of the wood shop, what How are G codes for the router created advertising through industry publications, is your biggest challenge and how do you and by which software package? numerous internet sites as well as our address it? Mitchell: All programming is done with own recently enhanced website: www. Mitchell: We took a quantum leap in Genesis Evolution software. Some infor- burgerboat.com. We are working with a manufacturing technology and processes mation is transferred from Microstation wide variety of recruitment employment over the last year. Our biggest challenge CAD software through Autolink. partners, both local and national, with a will be to utilize this technology while still WD: How is quality control handled? specialization in the marine indus- maintaining the high quality standards that What type of joinery system do you use in the try and beyond. Most significantly, we Burger is known for. shop? And, how do you deal with climate/ have established Burger University moisture changes during the year relative as a vehicle to strengthen the to the wood expanding contracting? competency of our existing staff and to Ruffolo: Quality control is the respon- develop the skill set of our new hires on sibility of each employee. It is also an accelerated timetable. This involves monitored by super-visors and manag- partnering with local and state training ers. The joinery varies depending on the partners. Since each woodworking profes- application. It ranges from dowels to sional is both a gifted artist and a techni- biscuits to rabbets to mortise and tenon cian, our goal is to identify talent and to screws to dovetails. We never use nails. then create the training and development The environment of the shop and boat opportunities to support and release the interiors is closely monitored and adjusted potential of that individual. year-round for temperature and humidity. WD: Are the workers in the wood WD: How do you track production to shop cross-trained? How many are trained make sure you’re on schedule? to operate the router? How was training Ruffolo: We have a Scheduling accomplished? Department that monitors production. Mitchell: Cross-training is very impor- The managers update their percentage of tant. We frequently move people to different completion on a weekly basis. areas, not only those within the joiner WD: How many orders do you have in- shop but also the boat carpenters. It is hand and how far out are you scheduled? important for the people in the shop to be Ruffolo: We have seven orders in hand. aware of the challenges on the boat and The next available delivery is 2008. vice versa. Cover Story Burger Boat Beauty 36 Lean, Six Sigma and Productivity 22 Design Drives Manufacturing 52 They’re an ‘Instituition’ 82 Burger Boat added a Busellato Jet The super structures of the yachts machining center to its millwork depart- produced at Burger Boat are made of 5,086 ment. The unit produces complex parts aluminum alloy. for the custom interiors. Reprinted with permission from Wood Digest • June 2005 strong emphasis on detail, quality control organization in order to determine key areas exception of interior pieces that are not Ruffolo: Burger’s executive management and, most recently, CNC manufacturing of opportunity.” affected by the shape of the boat, every item made a decision to look into the value of pur- methodology. With a clear focus on people, product, must conform to the radius to which it is chasing an NC Router to help produce qual- Founded by the German immigrant process and performance, it became evident joined. ity manufactured joinery parts and expedite Brauburger (later to become Burger) family, that the path to World Class was dependent Mitchell and Ruffolo were asked about production. Mike and his team put together Burger Boat has produced more than 500 on successfully incorporating a system of these challenges and other issues that influence a specification which would guide us through boats and yachts since 18-year-old Henry integrated processes and management. The quality, on-time delivery and manufacturing our equipment selection process. The first step Yachts get CNC treatment Burger started his own company after serving organizational structure would have to com- efficiencies. in researching a router started at the Grand as an apprentice in Milwaukee. While starting prise the best leaders and work force to Wood Digest: How do you deal with Rapids Machinery Show in the fall of 2003. Burger Boat customers demand attention to detail for out building small craft for professionals, complement Burger’s ‘can do’ culture. the curvature issue when making interi- From there Mike narrowed the scope to four their custom interiors Henry soon gained a reputation in the area The product of a 45-day in-depth assess- or — or exterior for that matter — com- possible vendors. We visited with the intent to for his quality and attention to detail. ment of the company was the formulation of ponents and fixtures? meet each vendor’s sales, software, training By Steve Ehle It didn’t take long for the Burgers to enjoy these six teams: Mitchell: We use a digitizer, called Proliner, and factory representatives. We analyzed each similar success in building large sailboats and 1) Operational Business Planning manufactured by Prodim International. This team based on their ability to understand our refitting large ships, an activity still carried on Organizational Structure Development unit will record data which must be trans- current needs as well as their ability to service Burger Boat Company 2) today in the Burger yard in Manitowoc, about 3) Role/Responsibility Development ferred to a PC. We can then open the measur- and handle our growth moving forward. We Location: 80 miles north of Milwaukee on Lake Michigan. 4) Communication Matrix Development ing data directly or as a DXF format. Drawings determined that a combination bed, nesting on Manitowoc, Wis. Originally building only wooden ships, the 5) Manufacturing Schedule Planning are developed using our CAD software which A Butfering widebelt sander prepares exotic wood one side and pods on the other, was the machine Established: company evolved to where it turned out all 6) Future State Process Planning can then be transferred through Auto-Link, species for finishing in Burger Boat’s millwork shop. necessary for Burger’s highly cus- 1863 types of vessels, including yachts. “Six months into the Burger Business a post software. Parts can then be machined tomized product. We chose the Products/services: Today, the company, run by President System program journey, early results clearly using the Genesis software on the Busellato Busellato Jet 5 WF XXL dual router/pod $15 to $25 million yachts; boat David Ross and Vice President Jim Ruffolo, suggest that the program was a success,” router. It’s important that the person gathering machining center, based on the following refitting is one of the most recognized and sought- Ross explains. “Cross functional communi- the digitized date is the same person convert- discoveries: We found the distributor, Delmac Market area: after brands in the competitive yacht-build- cation has markedly improved planning and ing it for machining. As there is no record of Machinery Group, to be technically superior; Worldwide ing industry. Known for its design excellence minimized errors. Plus, manufacturing time some of the critical information, the operator we found their software interface to be most Facility size: 101,000 sq. ft. (7,500 sq. ft. in the — particularly its exotic wood-tinged interi- has been reduced in key areas.” needs to know certain things such as where he closely aligned with our needs; Busellato millwork shop) on 7-1/2 acres ors — and production expertise, Burger Boat One of those key areas is the started and what direction and offsets of the was willing to build a custom machine that Employees: produces yachts ranging from 125 feet to 165 two-level millwork shop, where probe that were used. matched our specific needs, and lastly, but 330; woodworkers feet with a price range of $15 to $25 million. most of the exquisite wood interior WD: You recently added a Busellato Jet with great importance, we felt extremely (15 in joiner shop and 35 Currently, the company is building two features are fashioned out of such species as CNC router and machining center. What were comfortable with the people at Delmac. As on the boats) identical 127-foot tri-deck motor yachts for makoré, mahogany, American cherry, English you using prior to this to produce complex we all know, a piece of equipment is only Volume: a young Russian industrialist “with a global brown oak, other exotics — sometimes parts? as good as the people who operate and Two to three yachts business and leisure interests,” as the compa- complemented with rosewood burl accents.