Lean Insight and Product Reviews
The idea of 5S attracts a lot of “window shoppers,” who at first glance, become excited with the idea that they can transform their organization into a clean, organized, well working machine. However, turning their excitement into execution, is often times a challenge they are not prepared for. For many organizations, the challenge or lack of enthusiasm begins to set in after the third S. Once they have cleaned up and organized their facility, they …
In the world of manufacturing there are several guarantees, unfortunately some are more welcome than others. The Six Big Losses are an unwelcome guest in manufacturing plants everywhere. They are the waste that robs you of productivity, opportunity, time, and money, without notice. The Six Big losses make no attempt to hide their whereabouts while providing you with hours of frustration and headache. To combat the Six Big Losses, you have to know the Six …
Manufacturers that wish to remain competitive are seeking ways to reduce costs and increase overall efficiency. The concept of lean manufacturing is proving to be highly effective in reducing waste. Focusing attention on the elimination of waste as a means of better operation involves five basic principles. 5 Principles of Lean Manufacturing Sorting – Categorize things so that each step is clearly defined. Order – Organize things into a specific order. Daily Maintenance – Watch …
There are many different things in any facility which can cause waste. One of the biggest examples of this comes in the form of mistakes. Mistakes can happen during the production of a product, which then needs to be either fixed or disposed of. Whatever the cause, mistakes are a huge waste of time and resources. This is why the concept of poka-yoke was developed back in the 1960s. Poka-yoke is a term in Japanese …
Well That’s Just Clever One of the most important skills to learn in Lean is being able to identify value from waste. Lean relies on waste reduction as a matter of progression and improvement. No matter what type of business or organization you are, if you can’t tell them apart, your chances of continuous improvement are slim. Muda- Japanese word meaning “futility; uselessness; idleness; superfluity; waste; wastage; wastefulness.” Whether you use them or not, mnemonics …