If you're interested in lean, there are five manufacturing terms to know when it comes to the basics of lean manufacturing. These terms might help you put words to what you see in action every day. The Japanese terms Muda, Mura, and Muri refer to the seven wastes of lean (motion, inventory, waiting, defects, overproduction, transportation, and overprocessing), imbalance or inconsistency, and overburdening. Leveled production is about smoothing out production while just-in-time production is about strategically giving customers products at the minimum cost. Total Production Maintenance is all about integration of machine maintenance. Finally, Poka-yoke is preventing errors from occurring. How many of these terms do you use on a daily basis? Did you learn any new terms?
Learning about Lean systems is often exciting and motivating for organizations eager to create sustainable long-term business success. One of the first things we all learn about Lean is that it was created in manufacturing, specifically within Toyota and the automotive industry. But, for those of us in fields outside of manufacturing—healthcare, construction, education, government, software and so on— the excitement of what can be accomplished with Lean sometimes leads us to skip over some of the finer Lean manufacturing principles in lieu of taking action on things with a clearer impact on our organization. While selective learning can be helpful in a jargon-rich and sometimes technical field like continuous improvement, when reading about Lean and other improvement methodologies, the more Lean manufacturing principles and terms you are familiar with, the better. Read More
Lean manufacturing can make your business more efficient, but it can also help you retain employees. With large amounts of job openings in the manufacturing field, some companies are finding that thei...
The eight wastes of lean manufacturing can be beneficial when applied to warehouse settings. Bastian Solutions posted examples of each one! Their examples of transportation waste are, "Having fast-mov...
Implementing lean manufacturing techniques can help you unlock your business's potential and take it to the next level. Becoming more efficient saves time and money as Toyota learned years ago. There ...
If you're hoping to improve your lean manufacturing strategies, look no further than these great articles from last year! This collection of IndustryWeek's favorite lean stories from 2018 includes eve...
Want to create a successful lean manufacturing initiative? Learn from others' mistakes. Business News said, "An effective strategy is to start with desired outcomes, normally your current pain points,...
What's the best way to learn about something? Pick up a book! Whether you're already well-versed in lean manufacturing or just starting out, there is always something new to learn. Tulip put together ...
Clear communication can make all the difference when implementing new practices at work like lean manufacturing. There are a few strategies you can use to make this transition easier all around. Marks...
Advanced analytics are an amazing way that you can get leaner in real time. They can reduce waste by helping you become more efficient. They can also increase your responsiveness, reliability, complia...