Lean Manufacturing

Lean Manufacturing

There might be numerous definitions and ways to express the concept of lean or lean manufacturing but in essence, it’s a methodology or set of practices that focuses on minimising wastes and nonvalue added activities within a manufacturing system or a service process, improving efficiency and creating customer value and seeking continuous process improvement.

At times, some other terms like lean production, just in time manufacturing or just in time production is also used for the same concept. In such cases, we can also expand the horizon to “reduction in response times” from suppliers and to customers.

The core of lean manufacturing is reducing waste that ends up enhancing efficiency and maximising productivity. A healthy and sustainable organization is always in a better position to offer more to customers.

The lean manufacturing initiatives can’t work if the organization can’t maintain an environment and culture of continuous improvement.

Lean manufacturing enables operations to achieve their objectives by following five key principles (e.g., value, value stream, flow, pull, and perfection).

The Focus of Lean Thinking

The key focus of lean manufacturing revolves around reducing waste and non-value-added activities. Its an ongoing debate among professionals whether there are seven or eight types of wastes.

To some professionals, eight waste has its unique value as its elimination can directly benefit the employees, as well as the employer.

ASQ outlines a very simple acronym DOWNTIME to remember these wastes and non-value-added activities.

  • Defects
  • Overproduction
  • Waiting
  • Non-utilized talent
  • Transportation
  • Inventory
  • Motion
  • Extra-processing

Lean Manufacturing Benefits

Lean Thinking / Lean mindset

A successful lean is an organizational mindset and a way of managing business operations. It’s a way of thinking to creating value with limited resources but less waste.

Lean thinking and practice occur together to produce value

“Is zero waste possible?”

To learn how to cut out waste and non-value-added activities from your organisation and how to create value, enhance profitability, cultivate safety, efficiency, and enhance communication.

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