Page 330 - How To Implement Lean Manufacturing

304 Gl o s s a ry

Kaikaku Radical change, it is super fast, super large kaizen.
Kaizen The concept of making continual product and process improvements, usually small
and typically done by the entire workforce.
Kanban kanban means card, it is the method the JIT pillar uses to minimize inventory and
follow pull-demand system rules to reduce wastes.
Lead time The elapsed time it takes, from start to end, to produce a product.

Lead time, first piece The elapsed time it takes for one piece to completely flow through the
production process.
Lean Short form of Lean Manufacturing System. The generic name given to the Toyota
Production System. Through use and misuse it has come to have many applications, some
good, some bad, but the popular concept is to be able to make more product, using less
resources. This addresses many of the technical aspect of Lean. However, to get the full
definition of Lean refer to Chap. 2.
Leanspeak The unique language used in Lean manufacturing using common words like
waste, pull and flow, in a different sense than the typical definition, plus the use of unique
lean terms such as catchball and autonomation.
Leveling, model mix Avoiding the batch production of models of a given product.
Leveling, production Avoiding the unnecessary changes in production rates.
Make-to-order A production system with no finished goods inventory. Production does not
start until a specific order is received and they are shipped directly. A system with no finished
goods inventory except those materials awaiting pick up.
Make-to-stock A production system with finished goods inventory and all production is
sent to a storehouse for holding prior to shipment.
Mass production systems Production systems designed to produce in large volumes using
large batch philosophy in an attempt to be cost effective, which it seldom is. Characterized
by push production systems using large batches, long production runs, large inventories,
and island production. It is characterized by inflexible, nonresponsive systems with long
lead times and a very low percentage of value added work; as compared to Lean.

MassProd The abbreviation for Mass Production Systems.
Metric The measurements used to evaluate plant performance. For example, OEE, On time
delivery, and Lead time are all metrics.
Minimum lot size An attempt to shrink lot sizes to reduce inventory, specifically WIP
inventory, and to improve flow and reduce lead time for the production lot AND the first
piece.
Movement One of the seven wastes, movement of people.
MRPII Manufacturing Resource Planning Two, is a planning program designed to integrate
business needs down to the production floor and among other things, create a meaningful
production plan. In short, it is too slow for production floor planning and is uniformly
overused in a lean facility but has other necessary functions. For the purposes of Lean, it can
be defined as an inadequate planning tool for hourly, daily and sometimes even weekly
production plans.