Page 332 - How To Implement Lean Manufacturing

306 Gl o s s a ry

Process cycle time The time it takes to complete the work in a process or a process step.
Generally lead time is the term used instead of cycle time when we speak of the entire
production process.
Product family A group of products which have the same basic complement of parts and are
produced using the same basic production process.
PSVSM Present State Value Stream Map, a map showing the information and materials
flow for a product using present state condition.
Pull The Lean production supply concept; production should only occur when the customer
removes a product, the opposite of a push system.
Push Production is determined by schedules, resource rates, and goals which are generally
designed to create an optimum condition at the production source, but it ignores the system
optimum. Production will continue, regardless of usage, until the planning system is tweaked
to modify the release of jobs.
QFD Quality Function Deployment; a technique to connect customer needs to process
parameters.

Replenishment To restock. However, in Lean the replenishment concept is JIT.
Safety stock A type of stock, the volume of which is statistically determined. It is designed
to take care of internal variations in a make-to-stock-system.
SAP Another version of MRPII.

Sensei A teacher, literally one who has gone before, hence the concept of wise and
experienced.
Shingo Shigeo Shingo, one of the architects of the TPS. Credited with much of the technology
of SMED and Poka yokes, wrote extensively on these two topics.
Skills Individual behaviors necessary to execute work.
SKU Another term for a unique part number.
SMED Single Minute Exchange of Dies, the quick changeover methodology, largely developed
by Shingo, and absolutely necessary in most plants to avoid large batch production.

SPC Statistical Process Control, a series of technical tools often equated to Ishikawa’s Seven
Tool, but more and more equated to just control charting. See control chart.
Standard Inventory The inventory designed to be at any given work station, documented on
the Work Instructions and Standard Work also.
Standard work Not standardized operations, Standard Work is a document written for the
manager and the engineer, not the line worker. It contains three elements: the work sequence,
the standard inventory and the cycle time. It is part of the system of visual management,
transparency system.
Statistical stability A technical term, developed by Walter Shewhart and operationally it
means the process is in statistical control when placed on a control chart. In lay terms, it
means the system is predictable.
Stores inventory The inventory of finished goods which is built up between customer
pickups.