GNB Bugle Vacuum Excellence Defined

June 2009

Inside this issue:

Thinking Lean 1

Lessons Learned 2

Did You Know? 3

Building a Better Vacuum Valve 40 Years of Design Progress

4

Working Under Stress

6

Moscow Vacuum Tech Highlights

6

Meet Russ Hed-man, Plant Manager

7

Steps to a Happier Household

3

Thinking Lean By

Russ Hedman, Plant Manager

Let’s start with Five S’s:

A Five S program focuses on organization, cleanliness and standardization to improve profit-ability, efficiency, service and safety. The princi-ples underlying a Five S program at first appear to be simple, obvious common sense, and they are. Why do we always start with Five S's ? Well in the lean business, it is a measurement in of itself to measure the state of an organization. We start with Sort. If you can get past the sort stage then the first major hurdle has been met. At GNB the sort stage was easy, and we will be moving through the rest of the Five S’s process relatively quickly.

Here is a brief rundown of what Five S is all about: Sort means to sort through everything in each work area–keep only what is necessary. Materi-als, tools, equipment and supplies that are not used frequently should be organized and stored for quick retrieval. Items that are not used should be discarded. Store is step two–arrange and identify every-thing in a work area for the most efficient and effective work flow and return items to their proper place. Shine is for everything, from each individual work area up to your entire facility, sorted (cleaned up) and organized, we need to keep it that way. This means regular cleaning to keep the shop in top shape.

Standardize the good practices developed in the first three steps. Develop a work structure that will support the new practices and make them into habits. As we learn more, we will update and modify the standards to make the process simpler and easier. Sustain is to not backslide into old habits and

cancel out the good efforts that have already been accomplished. This is done by continuing to educate people about maintaining standards. When changes occur, such as the installation of new equipment, in-troduction of new products, and etc., we will over communicate so everyone knows the go forward plans for smooth transitions. Good training is the key here. New lean initiatives will continue to be introduced as continuous im-provement becomes a daily way of life at GNB.

Five S was invented in Japan, and stands for five (5) Japanese words that start with the letter 'S': Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, and Shitsuke. Ta-ble 1 below shows what these individual words mean. An equivalent set of five 'S' words in English have likewise been adopted by many, to preserve the "Five S" acronym in English usage. These are: Sort, Store, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain. Some purists do not agree with these English words - they argue that these words have lost the essence of the original five Japa-nese words.

Seiri Tidiness Throw away all rubbish and unrelated materials in the workplace

Seiton Orderliness Set everything in a proper place for quick retrieval and storage

Seiso Cleanliness Clean the workplace; everyone should be a janitor

Seiketsu Standardization Standardize the way of maintaining cleanliness

Shitsuke Discipline Practice “Five S” daily - make it a way of life

Japanese Term

English Equivalent

Meaning in Japanese

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Page 2 GNB Bugle Vacuum Excellence Defined

Lessons Learned By

Kirk Carter, Director of Supply Chain Management

Lessons Learned: When I think back over the last 10 years, I remember so many interesting and sometimes funny things that have happened to us. Looking back at where we were and how we got to where we are now has provided me with entertainment, insight, and knowledge of things you just don’t learn in school. Sit back and enjoy my list of “Lessons Learned at GNB Corporation.” Lesson #1: Doors are Never Large Enough We are all guilty of taking difficult jobs. During an especially slow period in 1999 we accepted a job from a very reputable com-pany. This was a large vacuum chamber which would keep our shops busy for over 2 months. As we built this chamber we were so happy to stay on schedule and proud of the beauty and splendor of this large chamber as it grew and grew. Once fabri-cation was completed, we decided to test it in the weld shop rather than move it. This was “genius” because moving it was an all day job and moving the test equipment was about an hour. However, if we had decided to move the chamber to our test facility across the street, we may have found out then that the chamber was too large to fit out of the building. Lesson Learned: It’s ok to take challenging jobs during slow periods, just be sure they fit out the door.

Lesson #2: All Engineers are not Created Equal The year was 2000, and we were working on a project for a new customer. We wanted this project to go swimmingly, and we all hoped to impress the customer with our ability to pro-vide gorgeous work, on-time and to specification. My engineer at the time was standing firm on her decision to use three air cylin-ders as a means of opening and closing a chamber door. Having never seen this method before, I continued down this path with assurances from her that her “calculations” show plenty of force. When everything was hooked up and we tried to open the door, nothing happened. I decided to ask a consultant what he thought about the design. His statement to me was, “Are you crazy, there is no way that will work” Lesson Learned: Even with all the calculations in the world, it’s ok to ask for help. Lesson #3: Mirror Image is Costly Back around 2004, we took a job in which we made 9 very cus-tom valves. We spent gobs of engineering time to make sure they were perfect and got them into production right away. During the production phase the customer asked me to send pictures of the progress. Around the time the valves were just about done I got a call from the customer asking if I had flipped the picture around by mistake. I took another look at the pictures and said no, everything is as the pictures show. The customer then said the worst words I’ve ever heard in this business…. “The valves are built mirror image.”

Lesson Learned: Mirror image is expensive. When checking drawings look for this first. Lesson #4: Dah Means Yes! Over the years we’ve hired interesting people from China, Viet-nam, Russia, Poland, Mexico and many other countries. Some-times there can be language bar-riers that lead to an interesting sign language type of communica-tion. We’ve hired people who don’t speak a sentence of English. I’ve found they just nod their heads yes most of the time. I al-ways wonder how well I am com-municating. One employee was very good at his job, but he couldn’t read or speak English. I think he would just look at a drawing and make the part. He was a craftsman in the true sense of the word. After a while, he got better at English and he even got to a point were he would say, “Perfecto” and “No Problem”. Lesson Learned: Don’t judge a book by its language.

Lesson #5: What is your Flavor of the Month? In 2000, we received orders for chambers used in coating the Multiplexer Lenses on Fiber Optic Lines. We were excited be-cause we finally found a customer who wanted to fill our shop with work that seemed endless. Their energy and pas-sion was contagious and soon all our resources were busy working on 13 chambers. After two months the order was stopped, and we shipped only a few completed chambers along with raw material for ten more sets. Lesson Learned: Today’s Fiber Op-tics Chambers could be tomorrows Solar Panel Coaters, or Don’t count your eggs before they’re hatched.

Lesson #6: Customer is Always Right? In 2001, we took a job that was made completely from cus-tomer supplied drawings. We made everything to their drawings and shipped the goods to them as we waited to hear great news of their happiness upon receipt. The phone call I received was anything but happiness. It seems their mating parts didn’t match up and nothing seemed to be as they wished. So I flew out to go over the drawings with their engineer, wondering where we had gone wrong. When I got there I found out they fired the original engineer and all the drawings had been changed. We never got the new drawings, and I was banished from their building when I asked them why? Lesson Learned: Be very sure you have the correct revision and if there is a way to check the mating parts, do so.

GNB Bugle Vacuum Excellence Defined Page 3

Steps to a Happier Household By

Colleen Sackett, AP/Receptionist

Parents – want to bring your family closer together? Of course you do! That’s why I’ve got some great advice from Reader’s Digest for creating a happier household:

• First: Provide order and stability. Kids need a routine so they feel calm and reassured. A predictable daily schedule, clear rules, and an organized house make both you and your children more relaxed and comfortable. So when crises do occur, kids know there’s a part of life that won’t change. A calm bedtime routine is a good start.

• Next: Hold family meet-ings. That way everyone knows they’ll have a certain time when they can talk about something that’s bothering them, or share good news. It’s also a good time to plan for the week ahead and avoid last minute anxiety over whether they have a ride to a music lesson or new soccer shoes for practice.

• Another path to a happy household: Create rituals. Set-ting aside special times of the day or week to come together as a family gives kids a sense of continuity. Some families observe religious rituals while others make up their own, like pizza and scrabble on Friday nights. Rituals give children things to look forward to.

• Also: Parents should encourage loving feelings in their children. Studies have shown that parents who spend time playing, joking with, and sharing their own thoughts with their kids have children who are more friendly, generous, and loving. So, take time to just hang out together, and insist that children treat others with kindness and respect - especially their siblings. And one more way to encourage a happy family: Schedule par-ent-only time. When you’re upset about bills, or you get angry with your spouse, you create an atmosphere that kids might find upsetting. So, take a long walk without the kids and schedule regular dates to help soothe your worries and re-create the love that brought you together in the first place. When you’re happy, you’ll be a much better parent to your children. * The information above was obtained from the John Tesh web-site www.johntesh.com.

Did You Know? By

Colleen Sackett, AP/Receptionist

Diane George, CAD Designer and Colleen Sackett, AP/Receptionist: both love to sew, craft and spend time with their kids.

Ken Harrison, President: collects antique washboards, has enjoyed gardening since he was old enough to pick up a hoe and enjoys singing—especially in large choirs with intricate harmonies. Tony Venezio, Production Control: served on the worlds deepest diving submersible while serving in the Navy, raced motorcycles, tried riding Brahma Bulls and loves riding his American Iron Horse motorcycle with his wife. Kirk Carter, Supply Chain Manager: after he recovered from a broken neck he turned profes-sional and raced motorcycles up and down the California coast. He had some really great rides, was featured in some articles and was featured on Channel 5 and ESPN. He was lucky to get a "holeshot" (first place start) in a big race and they photographed him doing a big wheelie while going into the first turn and disappearing over the horizon. That was kinda cool for him at the time.

Page 4 GNB Bugle Vacuum Excellence Defined

Building a Better Vacuum Valve 40 Years of Design Progress By Ken Harrison, President

Today there are more than 2 dozen vacuum valve manufacturers and scores of different valves available. There are valves of every price and quality range. At first glance, a vacuum valve seems like a very simple device—a bit of plumbing. Then why do prices vary so greatly, and how can you select the valve that is right for your application? 1. Choose an Experienced Manufacturer. While it may seem simple to choose a valve to close a hole in a vacuum sys-tem, the typical sealing specification for a vacuum valve is a maximum leakage of 1x10-9 cc/sec of helium. In visual terms, this is about a thimble full of he-lium in 30 years. The al-lowable leakage through a vacuum valve is much, much less than most other types of valves. When a valve is required to oper-ate for years and be actu-ated thousands of times reliably, it is important to buy from a company who has many years of vacuum valve manufacturing ex-perience. The price of a valve becomes insignificant if it fails and the vacuum system is not operating.

As an example of what you can not afford to do, I learned of a vacuum system builder who decided to start using a low cost, vacuum valve in their systems. They tested the first valve and it worked fine, so they ordered more. As systems with the new valves began operation, there was an occasional cycle when a valve would not seal. Believing that it was still cheaper to use a low cost valve and deal with an occasional problem, the system manufacturer decided to stock a few extra valves, so when there was a failure, they could simply overnight a new valve under warranty. As time went on, the number of failures increased and the com-pany’s reputation was on the line. Ultimately they did the right thing. They did a recall on all of the low-cost valves and re-placed them with a more expensive valve built by a more experi-enced manufacturer. Lesson learned! The GNB Corporation has been building valves for over 40 years, and our products are successfully operating in the most extreme conditions. Whether it is a pump isolation valve or a valve that seals against the curved wall of a chamber, GNB has the experience to make it right the first time.

2. Always Buy from a Technical Expert. From the out-side, many vacuum valves look alike. Even the data sheet specifi-cations may look similar. However, what may seem like a simple vacuum valve application may not be so simple. Every sealing application is different. Some of the factors that must be consid-ered are:

a. Materials b. Number of cycles c. Frequency of cycles d. Temperature exposures e. Direction of operation f. Sealing directions g. Differential pressures while opening h. Cleanliness requirements i. Contamination in the environment j. Ease of adjustability k. Ease of maintenance l. Rigidity with load on flanges m. Speed of operation n. Emergency shut down sequencing o. Electrical voltages/connections p. Size and shape q. Documentation r. Electromagnetic interference s. Required certifications t. Special features such as 3-position and throttling Even a good valve will fail in the wrong application, and what may appear to be a subtle difference may be the difference be-tween success and embarrassment. Choosing a valve from a catalog or website is a risky proposition. The sound decision is to rely on a technical expert to answer the questions and help navigate the many choices, so that you neither overpay nor re-ceive underperformance.

52 Inch Gate Valves

Round Valve for Con-taminated Environments

Page 5 GNB Bugle Vacuum Excellence Defined

Building a Better Vacuum Valve 40 Years of Design Progress By Ken Harrison, President

GNB partners only with sales reps that are highly technical and have vacuum system experience. Many GNB employees through-out the organization, including sales, are degreed engineers; and GNB has trained technical staff who are only a phone call away. GNB can provide free design consultation to ensure the success of your next project. 3. Buy from an Innovator. Some of the valves that GNB built decades ago are still in service today. Since these valves are so ro-bust why is innovation necessary? Forty years ago, the price of steel, stainless steel and alumi-num were significantly less so optimizing the material usage was not as critical as it is today. Engineering processes were also very different. Today, 3-dimensional modeling, computer finite element analysis, and computer aided manufacturing are nor-mal. When it comes to manufacturing, Computer Numerical Con-trolled (CNC) machining, waterjet cutting, and pulsed dual-shield welding are the state of the art.

While the old designs were solid, the new designs offer superior reliability and are more affordable. Some valve manufac-turers copy another’s design and manufac-turing technologies while others lead the way with R&D and innovation. The more a company innovates, the broader its range of experience is, and the broader its ex-perience, the better able it is to provide a great product at an affordable price. From its inception 40+ years ago, GNB has been a product innova-tor, continually working to simplify designs and provide the best value for the money. This innovation continues today. Within the last year we have applied for 3 patents, but the innovation does not stop there. It is taking place in all parts of our organization includ-ing Quality, Manufacturing, Customer Relationship Management, and Supply Chain Development. We believe innovation is a key to providing the best valve for our clients.

Pendulum Valve

Angle Valve

Slit Valves for coating

Page 6 GNB Bugle Vacuum Excellence Defined

Working Under Stress By

Diane George, CAD Designer

As corporations downsize personnel due to the current eco-nomic situation you may find yourself working under stress to meet deadlines. As found on the John Tesh, (a six-time Emmy winning radio and television host and Grammy nominated musi-cian) Web site, having fun can be good for your health. “Here’s how to enjoy yourself and reduce anxiety, [de-stress], and boost your heart health. This comes from Woman’s World magazine.

• Stop the stress by taking the long way home. Re-searchers at Ohio State University found that seeing nature calms stressed-out nerves. Even seeing it from a car stuck in traffic reduces tension and boosts your energy. If you don’t have a scenic route home, don’t despair! Listen to soft, soothing mu-sic instead.

• If you had a bad day, boost your mood with video-games. An engrossing game of Scrabble or Tetris prevents your brain from replaying whatever’s bothering you. It also makes it harder for your long-term memory to store traumatic informa-tion.

• So, what fun activity boosts your heart health? Watching sitcoms! Laughing at comedies speeds up your heart rate.

• Then, want to help keep your arteries clear? Send happy emails, or update your Facebook page. A study at Arizona State University found that sending affectionate mes-

sages to friends and family just three times a week can cut your cholesterol by 11 points. Spreading the love also lowers your blood glucose levels, helps protect against diabetes, and im-proves immune function.

Finally, to avoid anxiety: Rent a classic movie. Researchers at the University of Michi-gan found that peo-ple who watch clas-sic movies get a 10% boost in the calming hormone, proges-terone. The top five classic movies, ac-cording to a recent poll: Casablanca, Titanic, the 1939 version of Wuthering Heights, An Affair to Remember, and Gone with the Wind”.

Moscow Vacuum Tech Highlights By

Tim Gates, International Inside Sales Manager

GNB President, Ken Harrison, myself, and our sales and market-ing partners at GERTNER Service GmbH, Moscow were joined by over 75 exhibitors participating at the Moscow Vac-uum Tech Exhibition, held March 17th – 20th at the Sokolniki Cul-ture & Exhibition Center. The event was sponsored and Organ-ized by VTE International and MVK, Russian Scientific Technical Vacuum Society. GNB is always looking to broaden our reach into ever expand-ing global markets. For the fourth year in a row, relationships were forged and profitable contacts continued to be developed. In Russia business looks bright, not only in our traditional mar-ket segments, but the hot solar market as well. As a direct result of GNB’s presence at the Moscow Vacuum Tech Exhibition, GNB’s line of slit valves, flapper valves, and in-

line chambers continue to receive a good deal of attention from both domestic and international attendees, indicating strong sales potential in the near future.

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” – the Dalai Lama

Page 7 GNB Bugle Vacuum Excellence Defined

Meet Russ Hedman, Plant Manager By

Amy Long, HR Specialist

1. What city were you born in? Ventura, CA.

2. Where did you grow up and what was it like there? Ventura. Actually it was

pretty uneventful.

3. As a child, did you have pets? One gold fish.

4. What did you enjoy doing as a child? Going to school and the after school pro-

grams.

5. What is your favorite outdoor activity? Walking and hiking.

6. What were some of your first jobs? Stock work at K-mart.

7. What did you like to do in your free time? Building things, models, forts, go-carts etc .

8. What were some of the crazy fads you went through? Eating sunflower seeds.

9. Are you married? Any children? Yes to both.

10. What are some favorites? (Color, food, ice cream, book, movie, song, sport, etc) color-green, food-chicken pot pie, song-Have You Ever Seen the Rain by CC&R.

11. What things do you find yourself doing that you said you'd "never" do. Owning more than one dog, we have 4.

12. Tell me about a memorable moment in your life; a time you will never forget. When my kids were born.

13. What great historical events you have experienced in your lifetime? The 1776-1976 U.S. bi-centennial activities.

Where everything got painted red, white and blue.

14. What is something that you are really proud of and why? I am really proud to be part of the GNB team. The team

here is beaming with pride over their past accomplishments and excited to take on future challenges.

15. What are the goals you are still working toward? Better, smarter, faster ways to improve the manufacturing proc-

ess.

“ For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin—real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.” — Alfred D’Souza

GNB Corporation

3200 Dwight Rd., Suite 100

Elk Grove, CA 95758

(916) 395-3003 (916) 395-3363 Fax

WWW.GNBVALVES.COM

Valves Accessories Chambers

(916) 395-3003 (916) 395-3363 Fax WWW.GNBVALVES.COM