Always there has been an abundance of fresh and thriving ideas to discover in lean production suitable for lean manufacturing companies. Any idea of how to get started? The recommended way is to begin the survey is to start with the significant ones, a detailed description and a small explanation of each tool and how it can help to enhance the production process.
What do you mean by 5s?
Sort, Set otherwise, shine, sustain and standardize.
The companies that use lean manufacturing can get the work area prepped:
- Take out things which are not useful
- Organize the useful ones.
- Have the work area cleaned up.
- Write all the standards for better understanding.
- Try maintaining the standards
How 5s is of any assistance to the production process?
The 5s helps world-class manufacturing companies in getting rid of useless stuff that is a result of improper work premises.
1. Andon
What do you mean by Andon?
Andon can be defined as the visible report system intended for the plant production floor. It helps in monitoring of the production stature, alerts whenever support is required and lets the operators abandon the production process in case whenever needed.
How can Andon be of assistance?
This system or tool pretends as an instant communication structure for plant floor which can help in instant focus on the issues whenever it occurs – so that they could be addressed accordingly.
2. Bottleneck Analysis
What do you mean by Bottleneck Analysis?
This tool assists in recognizing the specific component of the production handling restricts the entre outcome and enhance the specific part of the production procedure. This is among the ideal lean manufacturing examples.
How can Bottleneck Analysis be of assistance?
Bottle Analysis enhances the total outcome by focusing to make the weakest part of the manufacturing procedure a stronger part of the process.
3. Continuous Flow
What do you mean by continuous flow?
The production wherefrom the ongoing work without a hitch flows across production along with little or no delays amid the measures of the production process.
How can Continuous Flow be of assistance?
Continuous flow can be of great help in the entire manufacturing process as it helps to get rid of all the things that result in a waste of time (transport time, wait time, inventory delivery)
4. Gemba (The Genuine Place)
What do you understand by the word Gemba?
The word Gemba is a concept (notion) that helps us not to forget to leave the office premises (personal cabins) and sometimes on the production floor wherein the production process is going on. It will help a better understanding of what the entire catch is about. In other words, it is someplace wherein the real deal is taking place
How can Gemba be of assistance in the production process?
Gemba is a smart lean tool which helps in having a deeper and better conceptualization of the actual world production problems. Firstly by astute observation and discussing the same with those employees who are directly involved in the production process.
As they are the only ones who have seen it, observed it up close enough to help in jotting down all the present and probable issues slowing or stopping the production process.
5. Level Scheduling or Heijunka
What do you mean by Heijunka?
Heijunka is a kind of scheduling involved in the production procedure which intentionally producers make use of in compact batches by mixing (sequencing) the variants of products inside the same procedure.
How can Heijunka be of some help in the production process?
Heijunka can be described as the lean tool to substantially minimize the overall time consumed in the production of a complete product making the stock and inventories (as already the batch scales are compact).
6. Hoshin Kanri (Policy Implementation)
How do you define Hoshin Kanri? What does it mean?
Propers the actual objective of the organization (tactics), with the planning and proper execution of the revised plans of management at the middle level also referred to as the strategic department on the production floor.
How Hoshin Kanri can be of some help in the production process?
The Hoshin Kanri makes sure that the entire progress in terms of strategic motive is persistent and comprehensive well enough to get rid of the useless stuff that is generated from inconsistent direction and poor communication.
7. Jidoka (Autonomation)
What do you mean by Jidoka?
Jidoka is directly related to the equipment used in the design to make the entire process into an automated one (the partial automation is less pricey in comparison with the completely automated procedure). This is extremely great when if there are any defects recognized in the production process.
In the production process, what role does the Jidoka play?
Right after the introduction of the Jidoka concept, the workers had the liberty to constantly take a look at all workstations. Hence bringing about a massive reduction of physically visiting all the production floors whenever needed and resulted in overhead cost minimization.
8. Just-In-Time (JIT)
Just-In-Time also referred to as JIT. It is responsible for bringing together all components across the entire production process. This entirely is founded on the demands of the customers.
Rather than pulling the components based on the production procedure estimated demand. This greatly relies on various lean mechanisms such as Takt Time, Standardized Work, Heijunka, Continuous Flow & Kanban.
In what way does JIT (Just in Time) help and eases the production process?
The concept of Just in Time (JIT) is extremely helpful in minimizing the total time required to juggle between the essential inventories at various stages of the production procedure.
It also results in the overall enhancement of cash flow and brings about a low requirement of space.
9. Kaizen (Continuous Improvement)
What do you mean by Kaizen?
The word Kaizen can be described by a smart and old school tactic whereupon the employees are focused more on working upfront. Working in such a manner may help to achieve the goals quickly. Along with which there are chances of incremental enhancements in the production process.
How does Kaizen help in improving and betterment of the production procedure?
Opting for the Kaizen brings together the collaborative skills and talents of an organization so to come up with a smart mechanism for continuous eradication of useless stuff that is piled up as manufacturing procedure continues.
10. Kanban (Pull System)
What can be understood from the word Kanban (Pull System)?
Kanban (Pull System) is a concept of a lean process which is a technique of adjusting the goods flow not just inside the company premises but should get along with the customers and suppliers (vendors).
This entirely is based on automatic restoration with the help of signal cards which helps in understanding when the need for goods is more and when it is not.
How does KANBAN help in improving and betterment of the production procedure?
This lean tool helps in getting rid of all the waste that is originated from the excess production and inventory. This also can eradicate the need for physical assets which for the companies is an essential inventory to be owned.
This is rather a better option to go rather than depending on sign cards to show the need for goods or tell when the goods should be ordered.
11. KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
What do you mean by a KPI?
These KPIs are defined as the metrics which are designed to keep track of progress and motivate the workers by showing them the present and past stats so that they could concentrate more on the organizational goals.
The steadily promoted Key Performance Indicators are the ones that are of extreme help to the organization in being a mighty factor of organizational behavior and work progress of an employee.
Hence it is important to cautiously pick the KPI elements which will lead to the betterment of employees as well as the organization.
In what way does the KPI contribute to the company’s overall betterment of the production process?
The ideal manufacturing KPIs are the ones that are:
- Arranged in such a way that cope up with the tactical objectives of the organization hence being of great help in achieving the objectives.
- Are extremely useful in standing against the excess waste that comes out of the production process.
- Compatible with the employees on the production floor (so that they can have better results).
12. Muda/Waste
What do you mean by Muda/Waste?
This can be anything that comes out from the production process which is of no use in the future hence adding the value of the customers’ point of view.
In what way does the Muda/Waste contribute to the company’s production process?
Well, to be honest, it does not add any value neither is of any use. The removal of waste is a prime objective when it comes to lean production.
13. Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
Definition of OEE
This is the skeleton for evaluating the loss of productivity in any production process.
The categories that are tracked:
- Downtime
- Slow cycles
- Rejects
What’s the importance of OEE in lean production?
It offers the company a baseline and methods to keep an eye on overall progress in getting rid of the waste.
Conclusion
For obtaining the optimum production and productivity, the above mentioned lean tools are some of the best ones which ensure maximum productivity both from the employees and the production floor.