3M Post-Learning Journey
At 3M, we first had a series of presentations by various engineers and scientists at the facilities. The first presentation provided a brief introduction about 3M globally and in Singapore as an Asia-Pacific manufacturing super-hub and the various accolades 3M has received. It also provided an overview of the industries 3M is involved in: Consumer and Office, Display and Graphics, Electronic Communication, Safety and Security, Healthcare as well as Industry and Transport as well as the core technologies that enable 3M to quickly produce products.
What was more interesting, however, was the introduction to 3M "innovation culture" that came forth through its values and practices. 6 components of 3M's values were highlighted:
1) Honesty and Integrity
2) Satisfying of customers in innovation of products as well as value
3) Attractive returns to investors
4) Respect for social and physical environment
5) Valuing and developing employees' diverse talents
6) Earning the admiration of others for 3M
All these values were highlighted in the second presentation about innovation in 3M, which focused on 6 points:
1) Research as the process of transforming money to knowledge, innovation as the process of transforming knowledge to money/value
2) Innovation is essential not just for the scientists/engineers, but also the rank and file of the company, which necessitates the implementation of mechanisms to allow ideas to evolve into action
3) Collaboration of minds/ Discussion to facilitate idea generation
4) Focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses of individuals
5) Observation of needs/ challenges of society to develop a product
6) Formulating an image and translating it into a product => Sometimes the product is driven by consumer needs, sometimes the innovation comes first, the application later.
The last presentation was an introduction to Flexible Circuit Operations within 3M Singapore, outlining the 16-17 steps involved in production, as well as the ways in which the industry has adapted to challenges such as declining demand, new requirements and the lack of supply.
This was then followed a viewing of certain plants and laboratories within the facility behind glass walls, which catered to different industries within the factory. This included the Control Room to control the conditions in the factory, Waste Water Chemical Facilities to ensure the environment is protected, clean rooms of different classes (e,g. Class 100, 1000), as well as various analytical and predictive engineering laboratories. Along the way were product displays of various items that 3M makes, such as medical diagnostic tools and passport security mechanisms. One thing that was interesting was the Kaizen room (the Japanese word for improvement), situated in the "prime estate" near the industrial floor to allow workers to take time off and focus their efforts into proposing improvements/innovations to the various industrial processes.
Overall, the visit was an eye-opening experience as I was exposed to the wide range of products that 3M made as well as had a look at the various facilities in the factory. The introduction to 3M values and innovation would be extremely useful and left us with some questions to think about (which are covered in other tabs). As some other students also mentioned, however, it would have been better to be get to see more of the factory and actually enter the facilities (perhaps even suit us up in the "bunny suits"?). The talks could also be repositioned, such that the factory tour occurred in the middle of the talks rather than at the end of the visit, so as to put what was said in the first and third talk into context.
What was more interesting, however, was the introduction to 3M "innovation culture" that came forth through its values and practices. 6 components of 3M's values were highlighted:
1) Honesty and Integrity
2) Satisfying of customers in innovation of products as well as value
3) Attractive returns to investors
4) Respect for social and physical environment
5) Valuing and developing employees' diverse talents
6) Earning the admiration of others for 3M
All these values were highlighted in the second presentation about innovation in 3M, which focused on 6 points:
1) Research as the process of transforming money to knowledge, innovation as the process of transforming knowledge to money/value
2) Innovation is essential not just for the scientists/engineers, but also the rank and file of the company, which necessitates the implementation of mechanisms to allow ideas to evolve into action
3) Collaboration of minds/ Discussion to facilitate idea generation
4) Focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses of individuals
5) Observation of needs/ challenges of society to develop a product
6) Formulating an image and translating it into a product => Sometimes the product is driven by consumer needs, sometimes the innovation comes first, the application later.
The last presentation was an introduction to Flexible Circuit Operations within 3M Singapore, outlining the 16-17 steps involved in production, as well as the ways in which the industry has adapted to challenges such as declining demand, new requirements and the lack of supply.
This was then followed a viewing of certain plants and laboratories within the facility behind glass walls, which catered to different industries within the factory. This included the Control Room to control the conditions in the factory, Waste Water Chemical Facilities to ensure the environment is protected, clean rooms of different classes (e,g. Class 100, 1000), as well as various analytical and predictive engineering laboratories. Along the way were product displays of various items that 3M makes, such as medical diagnostic tools and passport security mechanisms. One thing that was interesting was the Kaizen room (the Japanese word for improvement), situated in the "prime estate" near the industrial floor to allow workers to take time off and focus their efforts into proposing improvements/innovations to the various industrial processes.
Overall, the visit was an eye-opening experience as I was exposed to the wide range of products that 3M made as well as had a look at the various facilities in the factory. The introduction to 3M values and innovation would be extremely useful and left us with some questions to think about (which are covered in other tabs). As some other students also mentioned, however, it would have been better to be get to see more of the factory and actually enter the facilities (perhaps even suit us up in the "bunny suits"?). The talks could also be repositioned, such that the factory tour occurred in the middle of the talks rather than at the end of the visit, so as to put what was said in the first and third talk into context.