The concept of lean manufacturing can be explained as the technique that focuses completely on reducing the junk in the production structure while the company is busy in full swing production.
This is better known as lean production or lean. This is a conjoined approach that comprises of social and technical aspects that are used by MNCs such as Nike, Toyota, CAT Inc., etc.
And many more companies are there which makes use of lean manufacturing principles as the majority of them all believe that it something very beneficial to the company.
While on the other hand the junk items which are acclaimed to be of no use at all can be used to make some money out of it. And the same could be used for some other company purposes.
1. The five ground rules of lean production
A hugely cited book, LEAN THINKING which coined the statement “Get rid of the junk and have some money created out of it” published in the year 1996 based on the five lean manufacturing principles.
These may include value esteem, value stream, value, the flow of value, perfection and pull value. These at present are being used to execute the foundation of lean implementation.
Recognizing the value from the customer’s point of view
A producer may create a product that has some value which is identified on behalf of the customer.
To put it more simply, organizations emphasize the value of customer spots of the various services and numerous products which will be of great assistance to them especially when trying to identifying what amount a customer is ready to pay.
The other thing the company needs to pay close attention to is to make the maximum efforts to reduce the waste and whatever money received from it can be used for the business and for the same could be used for customers maximum cost can be obtained by maximum profit margin for the company.
Getting the value stream mapped
This proposition includes analyzing and recording the flow of materials as well as information which is needed ion production of a particular good or service with the motive of differentiating waste and techniques of advancement. The stream value emphasis on the products complete lifecycle, which starts from the stage of materials at their early stage till they reach the stage of disposal.
Hence there is a need for the organization to identify every stage of waste cycle which is called “Muda” in the Japanese dialect. So if there is something that is of no use, it should be eradicated completely. The concept of lean management proposition suggests that the supply chain arrangement as a critical part of the entire process.
Generate a glide (flow)
Get rid of all the functional obstacles and determine which ways could be opted in the hope for coming across the methods to see a specific time slot so to make sure that the entire process runs efficiently right from the moment an order is accepted which is sent from a delivery agency.
The glide (flow) is something very important and judgmental concerning the eradication of waste. The concept of lean manufacturing techniques is dependent entirely to avoid all kinds of delays that may arise in the production process which enables a coordinated and combined group of processes whereupon the activities tend to move along a stream that is persistent.
Construct a pull mechanism
This only has a simple definition which is you need to start working on new assignments only when there is ask for it. The oil system in manufacturing makes use of the pull mechanism rather than the push mechanism. So by making use of a push mechanism, which is taken into consideration by the resource of manufacturing planning mechanisms (MRP), the demands of inventory are planned well in advance and also the goods are produced so to cope up with the forecasted demand.
Although, the predicted demands are usually not exact, as it could result in the variance amid high stocked inventory which is never going to be enough. Additionally the constant disturbing planning and poor quality of customer service. In comparison with the MRP, the lean manufacturing concepts are structured on a pull mechanism in which it is hardly anything purchased or produced till the moment there is an ask for it. Pull depends on communication and flexibility.
Follow perfection along with the recurrent improvement procedure / Stick to Kaizen
The concept of lean manufacturing methods greatly relies on the notion of continuous endeavor made for getting to the perfect level, this will involve focusing on the major reason for poor quality issues and sniff out and eradicating junk throughout the value stream.
2. The wastes that are originated from lean production
The globally known automobile company Toyota introduced a production structure that is based on getting rid of 7 types of waste which is a great resource that at no cost is beneficial to the company or the customer. The types of waste that could be mentioned here is
- Non-essential inventory
- Surplus Inventory
- Non-essential movement of machinery, people, or equipment.
- Delays, either it is machine or people waiting or sitting idle.
- Surplusesmanufacturing of a good or service.
- Overproduction or investing additional hours in a product than what a need of a customer is. 7. Such patterns that need the latest technology for non-essential defects and features which usually consumes more cost for rectification and efforts
3. The major seven concepts and tools for lean manufacturing:
The concept of lean manufacturing needs an endless chase of elimination of junk. Junk can be defined as anything which the customers think is of no value at all and for what they don’t wish to pay at all. This needs continual advancement which is found at the nexus of lean manufacturing.
4. The various other processes and concepts lean production depends upon:
Heijunka
Production smoothing or leveling which continuously tries to discover methods to get the production done in a continual glide of manufacturing, letting ease on the work procedure or pattern at the manufacturing unit is needed at the needed pace and averts interruptions in the first place.
Kanban
An indication that can be physical like an empty bin or a tag or relayed through an electronic mechanism, which can be taken into consideration to evolve the production process and result in delivery that is just in time.
Jidoka
This is a process in which humans and machines are offered the capability to identify an irregularity and abandon work until the moment it could be rectified.
Andon
A visible help, just like light flashing, which alters the workers indicating that there is something wrong.
Poya Yoke
The concept of Poya Yoke can be defined as the structure or methodology of an approach that protects the mass production framework from the problems and hindrances caused by human intervention.
The best example can be flashing lights which get turned on just in case a crucial step without which the production process is incomplete was jumped off, it is an indication waved off when the specific bolt was loose so the right frequency of a mechanism which acts as an obstacle a crucial next step to be taken until all the prior steps are completed first.
5S
This is a cluster of the process for getting in order the workplaces so to offer a much effective, efficient& sound place for the ones who are working in a company and is all set to avert from wasting any kind of additional time and effort. 5S majorly stresses on cleanliness and orderly arrangement of a workplace.
Cycle time
This basically involves all that time that is needed to get a specific product or a part of a product that needs to be manufactured or to accomplish a production cycle.
5. Understanding the major difference between Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing (Lean vs. Six Sigma)
Okay, so whenever it is that both Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing, it has been observed that both of them make a continual effort on stressing more on getting rid of the junk. Junk is anything that does not add any value either to the company or the customer.
Nevertheless, both of these concepts tend to make use of 2 completely opposite methodology or impactful techniques. This is due to the reason that these approach of observing the main reason for waste generation in the entire production cycle.
Conclusion
To put it more simply, in a place where lean methods state that waste is usually produced by un-necessary production procedures, features and processes which according to a customer is not at all adding value and not willing to pay for it. In contrast to which Six Sigma believes that junk is caused by the variation in the production procedure. However, both of these significant concepts are an add-on and have been amalgamated similar to Lean six sigma or seen as a conjoined concept.