Suggestions save money for AEDC, earn awards for employees

  • Published
  • By Shawn Jacobs
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. --  At Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), ideas can truly lead to action, as well as rewards for employees and savings for the company. Aerospace Testing Alliance's (ATA) Ideas in Action suggestion program implemented one employee-generated suggestion in March, which should result in an annualized cost savings of at least $7,620.

The savings is expected to be realized by substituting the color drum unit in the Ricoh digital printing and imaging (DPI) devices with less expensive black drums when replacement is required. This unit copies, prints, scans and faxes.

The suggestion was submitted jointly by Computer Network Technician Bryan Jones, and Technical Specialist Kitty Jones in the Information Technology and Systems Department. They have split a cash award for the cost savings/avoidance suggestion.

"Ricoh color drums cost $495 apiece," Bryan Jones said. "A black drum is $114, so you've got more than $300 in savings between each one. All we have to do is change the connector from a color unit onto a black unit, and then the black unit will function as color."

"We have over 90 of these units installed right now," Kitty Jones said. "You multiply your savings by 90 units and it's really big."

According to Bryan Jones, there is no functional difference between a black and color drum. The drum itself carries no toner color, and the connector is the only part of the drum that distinguishes color from black in the Ricoh devices.

"On the c2500 model we estimate changing out 3.75 drums or 80,000 copies, and on the newer model c2800, 2.5 drums or 120,000 copies utilized over a five year refresh rate per device," he said. "The overall savings in utilizing the black drums in all the units is anticipated to be $45,000 dollars. Can you imagine what that amounts to in savings for AEDC over five years?

"Our numbers were skewed on the original cost savings estimate because we were going back to when we had very few units out here, but now that we've got this many units [the savings should be greater]."

"The newer ones that were just installed - we're starting to see those need replacing now," Kitty Jones said. "And that's the only data we can actually capture for the cost savings."

Bryan Jones discovered the idea while completing hands-on training at Robert J. Young by a certified technician for the Ricoh models.

"I went to R.J. Young and they were doing it," he said. "After talking to them, I realized that's something we need to do if we could save that much money by doing it without affecting anything."

A number of employee suggestions are submitted each month, according to Tina Bonner, an administrator in Human Resources who helps coordinate the program. If tangible suggestions result in cost savings or in avoiding expenses, that employee is eligible to receive 10 percent of the first year's annualized savings or avoidance up to a maximum of $3,000.

Approved intangible suggestions, where no cost savings is involved, can result in
employees being awarded from $25 to $100.

"It just gives our employees the opportunity to improve processes, the work environment, safety and quality and to let us know how we can improve our working environment," Bonner said. "By doing so, if the suggestion is approved it also gives them an opportunity to receive monetary awards."

Another suggestion was approved in March but has yet to be implemented.

"In the past, employees could not be awarded until a suggestion had been implemented; however, since the program was revitalized some a year or so ago, employees no longer have to wait for implementation but can be awarded if the idea is approved," Bonner said.

Employees can submit suggestions to the Ideas in Action program through eMatrix or they can turn in hard copies of Form GC-1390 through their departmental point of contact. Bonner said employees are also welcome to contact her regarding suggestion submittal or if they need additional information about the program.