Achieving Competitive Excellence

Hamilton Sundstrand is committed to Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE). ACE is the UTC operating system for improving and sustaining quality and productivity throughout all of UTC business units. ACE is customer-focused, process-oriented and data-driven.

The practice of ACE brings together proven continuous improvement tools, empowered employees and leadership. Each of the 12 ACE tools fits into one of the following three classifications:

1. Decision Making

  • Passport process is a phase-gated review process designed to ensure the success of major programs and initiatives.

2. Problem Solving

  • Quality Clinic Process Charts (QCPC) is a tool used to continuously analyze a process for quality improvement opportunities and process inefficiencies.
  • Mistake Proofing is creating methods or devices that prevent errors.
  • Relentless Root Cause Analysis (RRCA) is the rapid and persistent pursuit of the fundamental failure of a process, which when resolved, prevents a recurrence of the problem.
  • Market Feedback Analysis (MFA) is the use of objective market data, customer satisfaction surveys, interviews, routine interactions and communications, product and service quality and reliability data, to give us insight into our customers' perspective and expectations of our performance.

3. Process Improvement and Waste Elimination

  • 5S promotes a visual and efficient workplace as well as a "refreshing" environment to both employees and visitors. A clean and well organized work area provides employees an environment to produce high quality products efficiently in a safe environment.
  • Value Stream Management (VSM) is a group of processes that delivers value to its customers. Effective VSM allows us to identify and eliminate waste throughout the system.
  • Process Management/Process Certification is a disciplined methodology for process improvement and management, aimed at improving quality by driving out variation in manufacturing or business processes.
  • Standard Work is a consistent, agreed upon approach to activities that effectively combines people, materials and machines. It establishes the best activities and work sequence to maximize performance and minimize waste.
  • Production Preparation Process (3P) is a tool that simulates the actual components and production line of a new product throughout its design and development cycle.
  • Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a method of achieving maximum equipment effectiveness through employee involvement.
  • Setup Reduction is a methodology used to increase overall equipment effectiveness by minimizing or eliminating the total time required to change over a machine or process.