leanguides-blog

[leanguides-blog]

The Different Concepts of Lean Management

Lean manufacturing is a technique that can provide companies with the tools to survive in the market and meet the global demand for higher quality products with quicker production time at minimum cost.

The concept of lean management is for individuals and teams that want to gain a better understanding of the components and underlying philosophy of lean, and how the elements and philosophy work together to create a Lean Enterprise.

Process

In order to get real sustainable results in safety, quality, cost, delivery, and morale, one must bring all the tools of lean to work together as a system. Items covered include:

Stability, flow, leveling, pull, standard work

Visual enterprise and how to manage your visual systems

Value-streams and value-stream mapping as a continuous improvement tool

Waste and continuous removal of waste

Read more at - Leanuk.

People

Lean is, at heart, a people-based system, and the success of any lean transformation depends on the engagement of every employee in the process for continuous business improvement, and their willingness and ability to solve increasingly complex problems. In the course of the program, we will discuss selection, training, involvement, and supervisory practices that create the foundation for lean. We will also discuss leadership mindsets and behaviors that support the development of the culture of continuous improvement.

PDCA (plan, do, check, act)

PDCA as a discipline that holds all organizational processes together and improves them on a continuous basis

The work of management to support PDCA

Structured problem solving to close organizational gaps

A3 as a problem solving, management and communication tool

Lean management system

Visit - Lean.org to know more.

Kaizen

Kaizen focuses on standardizing operations and activities, measuring those standardized operations (using valid production metrics), and then evaluating those measurements against needed requirements. Continuing with the process Kaizen provides an avenue for innovation to meet increased productivity and operational requirements. It then relies again upon standardizing the new and innovative operations, and starts over again to repeat the Kaizen cycle. In other words: standardize, measure, evaluate, innovate, standardize innovation, and repeat the entire process. By its nature it is ‘never ending.’

Kaikaku

Kaikaku represents a fundamental and radical change to a production process as part of improvement.  While Kaizen focuses on small incremental changes over time, you might think of Kaikaku as a type of Kaizen ‘blitz’ in which a whole series of changes take place all at once to produce a specific outcome. There are four different types of Kaikaku projects, but we will have to wait until our next episode to cover them adequately.  For now, it is enough to say that when the enthusiasm wains, and Kaizen activities appear stagnant, it is time to Kaikaku things back into high gear within our lean manufacturing environment...and more info over at - Intuitive accountant.

The House of Lean

Toyota depict their production system as a house with supporting pillars.

Lean has to be built on a solid foundation; this foundation is provided by 5S and Total Productive Maintenance which provides you with reliable and predictable processes and standardized operations. Without this stable base you cannot build a strong company that will satisfy your customers.

Lean Manufacturing Vs Six Sigma

Many people are trying to decide whether to implement lean manufacturing or six sigma, why make the choice? Implement both as required! Each has its own strengths, hence the push towards "Lean Sigma" in some quarters.

Six Sigma's drive is one of variation reduction to drive waste reduction, it has many tools shared with lean as well as some more "advanced" statistical tools. Combined with Lean's ability to look at the "big picture" and establish standard operations the problem solving tools of six sigma combine to make a very effective combination.

The Lean Manufacturing Tools

Any definition of Lean Manufacturing would be incomplete without mentioning the various Lean Manufacturing Tools of which there are many;

Just in Time is one of the main foundations of Lean Manufacturing, the idea of making what the customer wants, where they want it, when they want it with the minimum delay and waste. JIT is aided the implementation of Heijunka, Jidoka, SMED and Kanban.

5S is one of the other important foundation blocks of Lean Manufacturing, 5S should be applied in all areas of your business, 5S office can make as many if not more savings for your business...get more info over at - Tough nickel.

Lean manufacturing is a technique that can provide companies with the tools to survive in the market and meet the global demand for higher quality products with quicker production time at minimum cost.