Page 324 - How To Implement Lean Manufacturing

298 Cha pte r Ni netee n

iv. Store/buffer/safety stocks
v. Poka-yoke
c. Quality measures are fully mature at this point and used as process
improvement drivers.
4. Level 4
a. A Level 4 process has all the characteristics of a Level 3 process, plus all
inventory levels are controlled and minimized.
b. Lean techniques at this level include:
i. Kanban is further improved. Kanbans control all in-plant materials flow.
ii. SMED/OTS become critical for further lot size reductions.
iii. Standard inventory is fully reviewed.
iv. Autonomation is more fully developed.
v. JIT must be fully embraced with a “JIT support system,” including the
culture change to:
1. JIT material supply and product production
2. JIT problem solving
3. JIT maintenance
vi. At Level 4, frequently major improvements are made in the flow, and a
cell redesign is often beneficial, with a critical look at staffing, flow,
rebalancing, and even the basic layout.
vii. Also at Level 4, it is common to prepare a meaningful future state value
steam analysis map to guide future projects.
c. Key process measures include the previously mentioned ones, especially
manufacturing lead time plus inventory turns. Also, it is common to address
value added (VA) steps as a percentage of total process steps, and also to see
VA time as a percentage of manufacturing lead time as process improvement
focusing tools.
5. Level 5
a. A Level 5 process has all the characteristics of a Level 4 process, plus all
20 Lean techniques are in full maturity.
b. Efforts to improve VA steps and VA time are in place and the supply value
stream becomes a key focal point, whereby suppliers and customers are
included in improving the overall process. A dynamic future state value
stream map is a fully functional tool that is guiding process improvements.
This will, by necessity, take you outside the bounds of the plant.