Lean Manufacturing

Up:: Productivity X:: Toyota Production System (TPS) X: Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM)

This note is still with a touch of AI, will rewrite this one soon, sorry!

Lean manufacturing is a method of manufacturing goods aimed primarily at reducing times within the production system as well as response times from suppliers and customers.

It is closely related to another concept called just-in-time manufacturing (JIT).

Source: Wikipedia - Lean Manufacturing

Key Principles (Womack and Jones)

1. Precisely specify value by specific product
2. Identify the value stream for each product
3. Make value flow without interruptions
4. Let customer pull value from the producer
5. Pursue perfection

Implementation

Value-stream mapping (VSM) and 5S are the most common approaches companies take on their first steps to Lean.

1. Value Stream: The set of all specific actions required to bring a specific product through problem-solving, information management, and physical transformation tasks
2. Pull System: Production based on customer demand rather than forecasted demand
3. Continuous Flow: Moving products through the production process with minimal (or no) buffers between steps
4. Kaizen: Continuous improvement involving all employees
5. 5S: Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain – a method for organizing workspaces

Relation to TPS and QRM

1. Origin:

   • Lean is derived from the Toyota Production System (TPS)
   • Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) was developed as an alternative for high-variability environments

2. Focus:

   • Lean focuses on eliminating waste (muda)
   • Toyota Production System (TPS) emphasizes both waste elimination and respect for people
   • Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) primarily focuses on reducing lead times

3. Variability:

   • Lean aims to reduce all forms of variability
   • QRM distinguishes between "dysfunctional variability" and "strategic variability"

4. Application:

   • Lean works best in high-volume, low-variety environments.
   • QRM is designed for high-mix, low-volume and customization environments
     • Note: they compliment each other in job shops!

5. Implementation:

   • ==Value-stream mapping (VSM) and 5S are the most common approaches companies take on their first steps to Lean.==

Trivia

“The term Lean was coined in 1988 by John Krafcik in his article “Triumph of the Lean Production System,” and defined in 1996 by American researchers James Womack and Daniel Jones.