"The main objective of lean manufacturing is to reduce times within the production system as well as response times from suppliers and to customers."
Minimizing waste and inefficiency in the production process, reducing costs and minimizing environmental impact.
Waste Reduction: Identifying and reducing non-value-adding activities in the production process by eliminating waste.
Pull Production: Creating a production process based on customer demand instead of pushing products into the market.
Continuous Improvement: A mindset for making ongoing improvements in the production process with small, incremental changes.
Kaizen: A specific method for continuous improvement that focuses on small, incremental changes to improve efficiency.
Just-in-Time: A production method that seeks to minimize inventory levels by producing and delivering products just-in-time to meet demand.
Value Stream Mapping: A visual tool used to identify and eliminate waste in the production process using a step-by-step process.
Six Sigma: A methodology used to improve quality and reduce defects by identifying defects and reducing variability.
Kanban: A system that helps manage workflow and inventory by using visual cues to signal when more inventory is needed.
Standardization: Creating and documenting standardized procedures for work processes to reduce variability and improve efficiency.
Poka-yoke: A method for mistake-proofing the production process by creating simple, low-cost solutions to prevent errors.
Teamwork and Collaboration: Encouraging collaboration and teamwork within the organization to improve communication and problem solving.
Lean Office: Applying lean principles to office and administrative processes to improve efficiency and reduce waste.
Sustainability: Integrating environmental, social, and economic sustainability into the production process to create long-term value.
Value Stream Analysis: Analyzing the value stream to identify opportunities to streamline processes, reduce costs, and increase customer satisfaction.
Gemba: The place where the work is done or value is created, often used in lean production to focus on improving processes where the value is created.
Visual Management: Creating a visual system to track and manage workflow, inventory levels, and other key performance indicators.
Total Productive Maintenance: A method for preventing breakdowns and improving equipment reliability by involving all employees in the maintenance process.
Continuous Flow: Establishing a production process that has minimal inventory and produces one product at a time to maximize efficiency and reduce waste.
Lean Supply Chain: Applying lean principles to the supply chain to reduce costs, improve delivery times, and increase customer satisfaction.
Root Cause Analysis: A problem-solving technique used to identify the underlying cause of problems and develop solutions to prevent recurrence.
Andon: A visual signal used to indicate problems or issues in the production process, which helps teams to quickly identify and solve problems.
Heijunka: A scheduling method to level out production flow by slowing down and speeding up the production process based on customer demand.
Muda: Lean principle for identifying and eliminating waste, often referred to as “non-value-adding” activities.
Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA): A framework for problem-solving and continuous improvement, focusing on four stages: planning, implementation, evaluation, and improvement.
Just-in-time (JIT) production: JIT production is a method of producing goods in which raw materials and components are delivered to the production line only when they are needed. This reduces the amount of inventory that needs to be stored and minimizes waste.
Kanban Production: Kanban production is a system that uses visual cues (such as cards or signs) to indicate when materials or parts are needed. This helps prevent stockpiling and overproduction.
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM): TPM is a strategy for ensuring that production equipment is always in good working order. Regular maintenance and upkeep can help prevent breakdowns and prolong the life of the equipment, reducing waste and the need for replacement.
Value Stream Mapping: Value Stream Mapping is a process used to identify and eliminate waste in the production process. It involves analyzing each step in the production process and identifying opportunities for improvement.
Poka-yoke: Poka-yoke is a Japanese term that refers to mistake-proofing. By designing products and processes in a way that prevents errors or mistakes, companies can reduce waste and errors.
Continuous Improvement: Continuous Improvement refers to a philosophy of continually striving to identify and eliminate waste in the production process. This involves ongoing evaluation and improvement of processes and procedures to increase efficiency and reduce waste.
Standard Work: Standard work involves documenting the most efficient way to perform a task and ensuring that everyone follows that standard. This helps eliminate variability and waste from the production process.
5S: S is a workplace organization strategy that stands for Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain. By organizing and cleaning workspaces, companies can reduce waste and increase efficiency.
Kaizen: Kaizen is a Japanese term that means "continuous improvement." It is a philosophy of continually looking for ways to improve processes and procedures in order to increase efficiency and reduce waste.
"Lean manufacturing adopts the just-in-time approach and additionally focuses on reducing cycle, flow and throughput times by further eliminating activities which do not add any value for the customer."
"Lean manufacturing also involves people who work outside of the manufacturing process, such as in marketing and customer service."
"Lean manufacturing is particularly related to the operational model implemented in the post-war 1950s and 1960s by the Japanese automobile company Toyota called Toyota Production System (TPS)."
"Toyota's system was erected on the two pillars of just-in-time inventory management and automated quality control."
"The seven 'wastes' (muda in Japanese), first formulated by Toyota engineer Shigeo Shingo, are the waste of superfluous inventory of raw material and finished goods, the waste of overproduction, the waste of over-processing, the waste of transportation, the waste of excess motion, the waste of waiting, and the waste of making defective products."
"The term Lean was coined in 1988 by American businessman John Krafcik in his article 'Triumph of the Lean Production System'."
"The five key principles of lean manufacturing, as defined by American researchers James Womack and Daniel Jones, are to precisely specify value by specific product, identify the value stream for each product, make value flow without interruptions, let customer pull value from the producer, and pursue perfection."
"By receiving goods only as they need them for the production process, it reduces inventory costs and wastage, and increases productivity and profit."
"The downside is that it requires producers to forecast demand accurately as the benefits can be nullified by minor delays in the supply chain. It may also impact negatively on workers due to added stress and inflexible conditions."
"A successful operation depends on a company having regular outputs, high-quality processes, and reliable suppliers."