At Bus Climate Control (BCC), we recently had the opportunity to collaborate with a talented team of engineering students from Penn State University on an exciting strategic project aimed at improving materials management on our condenser line. This collaboration was part of a capstone project for the students, who presented their work at Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center on April 29, 2025, during the biannual Engineering Learning Factory project showcase.
The core objective of this project was to increase efficiency at BCC by implementing the Plan for Every Part (PFEP) system, a lean manufacturing approach focused on streamlining material handling. The project’s goal was to improve part tracking, create a supermarket setup, and implement takt-based replenishment cycles to optimize the flow of materials and reduce waste.
Using functional decomposition, the team broke down the project into key tasks such as material replenishment, supermarket design, and line-side presentation. The solutions were prototyped through two stages, Alpha and Beta, with feedback from BCC staff incorporated to refine their approach. The result was a comprehensive implementation plan, including detailed supermarket layouts, line-side replenishment schedules, and an ROI-backed strategy for execution.
The students’ recommendations addressed several critical areas:
Supermarket Setup: The team relocated the supermarket to the materials hub for better scalability, even though it increased the distance from the line. This adjustment improved the overall material storage and retrieval process.
Line-Side Presentation: Customized racking systems were introduced to optimize line-side material presentation, reducing clutter, and ensuring high-use parts were more easily accessible.
Replenishment Cycles: A kanban-based system with scheduled water spider routes was implemented to improve material replenishment, ensuring that the right materials were restocked in a timely manner.
These improvements led to significant reductions in downtime, with 1,074 minutes saved annually on the condenser line alone. Inventory waste was reduced by 20%, and material handling efficiency was vastly improved.
Lee King, Jim George, and Sabria Kroh from BCC attended the event as judges, further demonstrating BCC's commitment to fostering industry-academic partnerships and supporting the next generation of engineers. This event highlighted the innovative solutions developed by Penn State students and showcased their contribution to both academic and industry advancement.
BCC is excited about the positive outcomes of this project and the lasting impact it will have on our manufacturing processes. Moving forward, we are committed to continuing our relationship with Penn State and are eager to sponsor additional capstone projects in the future. This partnership provides valuable opportunities for students to apply their skills to real-world challenges while also driving meaningful improvements at BCC.
Read more about the Learning Factory’s showcase here: Penn State’s Article on the Spring Showcase