Page 185 - How To Implement Lean Manufacturing

CHAPTER 10

Sustaining the Gains

ustaining the gains is a key foundational topic. We will discuss its importance and
its application, especially the more powerful techniques of product and process
Ssimplification. Unfortunately, to most of us applying Lean tools today, the prod-
uct is designed and the process in place, so we have to work with what we have. Sel-
dom is it practical to change the product, so we are left with improving the process.
Because of this, we will address how we can sustain gains in these circumstances.

Why Is It So Important?
It seems almost intuitive that to sustain gains is a key issue in any business. Why make
the process improvements only to lose them over time? If the gains are sustained, over
time the net effect is much larger, of course. The two techniques used to sustain gains
include maintenance and standardization of improvements. Maintenance is the ability
to restore equipment to the original condition so the status quo can be restored. Stan-
dardization, on the other hand, is the ability to get all people, machines, and methods
to continue to do what has once been shown to be effective, be it the status quo or a
process improvement. Hence, to sustain the gains from our process improvements, we
need to at least standardize the gains achieved. (See Fig. 10-1.)
So why doesn’t everyone do it? Sustaining the gains is something we consider to be
of the greatest importance. This is what separates the companies that are prospering
from all the others. Every company is encountering and solving problems—there is
nothing particularly unique about that. Some do it better than others, some are more
efficient, and some are more effective than others. However, how many of these compa-
nies are spending time solving problems that had been solved before? This cultural
characteristic of spending lots of time on fixing problems, only to have them reappear
and be re-solved, is incredibly common. It takes
great discipline to check and double-check and audit
to make sure the last problem was solved—and
“The only effective approach
solved for good. It is simply a lot sexier to move on
to the next problem and solve it. This pattern—the to quality is to make it part of
pattern of fixing problems without institutionalizing your culture, that is our aim. ”
them—is the pattern of most cultures. It cannot be The motto of Quality
the pattern of a Lean culture—at least not one that Consultants
wishes to survive.
“Sustaining the gains,” is an area in which our company, Quality Consultants, spe-
cializes. If the changes are not institutionalized, there will be natural degradation.
Remember that the entropy of the world is increasing; all systems need maintenance;

163