Page 136 - How To Implement Lean Manufacturing
P. 136
How to Do Lean—The Four Strategies to Becoming Lean 115
at the work station. The overall measure of flow is production lead time. It is the overall
time it takes for a unit to complete the entire production process. In every case, if we can
reduce cycle time or if we can reduce lead time, we will make process improvements.
Obstacles to flow include:
• Inventory
• Batches and batch processes
• Distance
• Any defect-creating process
• Variation
• Process steps with mismatched cycle times
• Changeovers
• Non-valued-added work steps
Creating flow is “the basic condition” and this
strategy has some strategies of its own, including:
Point of Clarity These eight
• Rate balancing of all steps in the value obstacles to flow will be the
stream from the customer all the way focus of the majority of your lean
through the raw materials supply improvement activities from this
• Removal of inventory day forward.
• Reduction of distances between stations
• Elimination of defects, which we call jidoka
• Elimination of non-value-added work
Tools Used
• Minimum lot sizes with the ideal being one-piece flow.
• Cells and other techniques to close-couple process to achieve short transpor-
tation distances and one-piece flow.
• SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Dies, quick changeovers) to reduce
changeover times and the needed inventory to sustain production.
• Jidoka (see the section at the end of this list).
• Problem solving by all, for the elimination of defects and to achieve process
improvements. The goal should be Rapid Response PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act).
• CIP (Continuous Improvement Philosophy) and Kaizen to organize the
problem-solving activities.
• 5 Whys is the key problem-solving tool used.
• Reduction of variation is a key tool used in inventory reduction.
• OEE is a key metric to use in prioritizing if quality yield, availability, or cycle
time performances must be addressed to achieve and increase flow rates.
• Availability improvements through the use of TPM (Total Productive
Maintenance).
