Advantages of Lean Manufacturing
Lean Manufacturing Advantages
Womack and Jones, in their book Lean Thinking, define lean manufacturing as “a systematic approach to identifying and eliminating waste.” When properly implemented, lean manufacturing provides many advantages, which include improving flow (material, people, information, and work) and eliminating waste. These benefits can be realized using a variety of lean manufacturing tools, like 5S, Kaizen, and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).
Create Flow
Advantages of Lean Manufacturing 1Lean manufacturing can help create flow through process and visual design. Every factor (buildings, people, equipment, materials, and processes) must be carefully examined so that workflow can be optimized. 5S can help improve workflow by:
- Removing unnecessary tools, supplies, and equipment to increase the available work area and storage space (Sort)
- Organizing tools, supplies, and workstations in a manner that will improve efficiency and make it easier to move from one task to the next (Set in Order)
- Cleaning the workplace to make it easier to spot leaks, material buildup (metal shavings and dust), and other signs that equipment may not be working properly (Shine)
- Applying consistent improvements from Sort and Set in Order throughout the workplace (Standardize)
- Continuing to review and improve workflow by practicing each step in 5S (from Sort to Sustain) on a daily basis (Sustain)
When used together, these visuals form a comprehensive system that enables people to quickly move through the workplace, identify procedures, locate equipment, and replace equipment at the end of the day. Learn more about 5S and how it can improve workflow, increase efficiency, and reduce costs with the in-depth Best Practice Guide to 5S by Archford Products.
Remove Waste
Advantages of Lean Manufacturing 2Reducing waste is one of the key aspects of lean manufacturing, and tools like Kaizen and TPM can help businesses find and eliminate waste throughout the workplace. Waste takes many forms including:
- Time spent waiting
- Overly complicated procedures
- Defects or errors created by processes or equipment
Removing Waste with Kaizen
Kaizen’s strength comes from understanding that workers are in the ideal position to recognize areas and processes that can be improved. Encourage workers to look for wasteful practices and make suggestions on eliminating the source of waste. Workers can provide suggestions directly to their supervisors, through suggestion boxes, during standup meetings, or by using Kaizen boards.
To help get things started, set specific goals such as looking for ways to increase order processing efficiency and looking for processes that have unneeded steps.
Provide continuous support to ensure that good ideas are acted upon and that Kaizen becomes part of the workplace culture. Once employees see how Kaizen can improve the workplace and make their work easier, new ideas for improvements will surge.
An excellent example of reducing waste with Kaizen comes from a company based in Commerce City, California. Workers identified a problem with the invoicing system. On average, there were 700 incomplete orders at any given time, which significantly reduced revenue. In response, the sales team helped to develop a system that would not allow incomplete orders to be put into the system. This ensured that every future order had the information needed to be processed—reducing time spent hunting down missing information and eliminating waste.
(Source: Imai, M. (2012). Gemba Kaizen)
Our in-depth Guide to Kaizen provides more examples and valuable tips on how Kaizen can be used to solve problems, reduce costs, and improve quality.
Removing Waste with TPM
Idle and malfunctioning equipment is a significant source of waste for many businesses. Ineffective maintenance causes equipment to break down, resulting in unproductive periods of downtime.
TPM helps to reduce equipment breakdowns through its Eight Pillars. Operators perform daily maintenance on the equipment they work with and report problems to the maintenance department. The maintenance department, in turn, addresses problems before they cause equipment to break down. When the equipment does break down or produce defective products, the cause is eliminated by updating preventive maintenance programs, investing in new equipment, and providing additional training as needed.
Archford Products’ Best Practice Guide to TPM can help you implement TPM in your facility today. Learn how each pillar helps to achieve the three goals of TPM, creating a leaner facility:
- Zero unplanned downtime
- Zero product defects
- Zero accidents
No matter which lean manufacturing tool is used (5S, Kaizen, or TPM) businesses will increase profit by improving flow and reducing waste. Download the free Total Productive Maintenance Guide below!
In manufacturing, quality control is a process that ensures customers receive products free from defects and meet their needs. When done the wrong way, it can put consumers at risk. For example, the recent defect found in Takata airbags resulted in the biggest automotive recall in history. The recall includes almost 69 million airbag inflators and may cost billions of dollars. The recall will last until the end of 2019 and take until 2020 to resolve.
Major recalls like these can be prevented through effective quality control in manufacturing. Some common tools used to support quality control include:
- Statistical process control (SPC) monitors and controls quality by tracking production metrics. It helps quality managers identify and solve problems before products leave the facility.
- Six Sigma uses five key principles to ensure products meet customers’ needs and have zero defects.
When supported by lean tools like Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), 5S, and Kaizen, most if not all defects can be eliminated.
As workplaces grow increasingly sophisticated, it’s imperative that employers keep workers safe, increase efficiency, and improve organization.
Floor marking is one subtle, yet effective way to meet these requirements. Available in several colors, patterns, and materials, floor marking plays an important role in addressing common safety concerns—no matter the workplace or industry.
