Shojinka

Shojinka is a form of flexible manufacturing, where the number of workers vary to match demand requirements. This is obviously superior to a static system that staffs work areas without consideration for fluctuations in production requirements. Being able to reassign people to exactly where they are needed will help keep Read more…

Nominal Conditions

A key requirement in a Lean operation is to make abnormal conditions stand out. Obviously, to recognize abnormal, you must also understand what normal is. Nominal conditions define your standard and let you see that you are operating within acceptable limits. Note that the term “nominal conditions” is not one Read more…

RIPS Cycle

A variation of the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle (AKA the Deming Cycle), RIPS stands for Review-Implement-Prove-Standardize, and is a proven method of continuously improving Standard Work and other forms of process standardization. Processes should not be static. There should be a constant scrutiny on how to make them better. The best people Read more…

Setup Time

Setup time is the time it takes to reconfigure a machine to run a different part. Setup consists of two basic categories. Internal setup time. This type of setup time requires that a machine be shut down to do the tasks required to get ready for a different product. This Read more…

TIMWOOD

TIMWOOD is a mnemonic device used to help people remember the different forms of waste associated with Lean. These seven wastes are widely accredited to Taiichi Ohno. The TIMWOOD Acronym Transportation: Moving materials from one place to another is a waste of transportation. Inventory: Anything more than immediately necessary to Read more…

Perfection

The concept of perfection provides one of the great philosophical quandaries of Lean. Like most continuous improvement disciplines, Lean promotes the relentless pursuit of waste reduction. It also pushes the concept of zero defects. The problem though, is that perfection is unattainable. No matter how good an operation becomes there Read more…

OSHA

OSHA, or the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, is a part of the US Department of Labor. It was formed in 1970 with the mission of assuring a safe and healthful working environment by setting and enforcing standards. It also provides training, outreach, education, and assistance. The underlying mission of Read more…

Side Effects of Lean

While Lean and other continuous improvement efforts can make impressive changes in an organization, there are often some unintended side effects. The Lean side effects include: Possible accounting issues. The dramatic changes in inventory and the way costs are applied can be disruptive to financial documents. In some cases, it Read more…