Lean Terms
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Lean Terms
Setup Reduction
Setup reduction is the act of lowering the time it takes to switch from one product to another. In a traditional manufacturer, the switching time (changeover) is long. As a result, if they do more than an occasional switch, they run out of production time. So, they produce long runs Read more…
Lean Terms
DMAIC Cycle
The DMAIC cycle takes the DMAIC process one step further. It links the end of one project, the Control step, to the beginning of the next one (the Define step). The rationale behind linking DMAIC cycles together makes a lot of sense. When controls are applied to processes, deviations become Read more…
Lean Terms
Define (DMAIC Step)
The define step of DMAIC is where the problem statement is created, the project is scoped, and the team is formed. The define step lays the foundation for the success of the project. A central part of the define step is to build a business case. That simply means gaining Read more…
Lean Terms
Control (DMAIC Step)
The control step of the DMAIC process is where changes are locked in place. The control step requires a system to measure the performance of the new process to ensure it is performing as expected. The full DMAIC process is: Define Measure Analyze Improve Control Without the control step, there Read more…
Lean Terms
Internal Suppliers
A supplier who is a part of the same company as its customer is an internal supplier. They may provide products, services, or other resources. They are the upstream processes and the support groups that provide their coworkers with the tools, materials, and work-in-process to do their jobs. Internal suppliers Read more…
Lean Terms
Ohno, Taiichi
Taiichi Ohno (February 29, 1912-May 28,1990) is considered by many to be the father of the Toyota Production System. He eventually rose to the rank of executive vice president in the company.
While Ohno had many innovative ideas and published several landmark books (see them and other books about him here), perhaps his biggest creative leap was integrating the American supermarket system of resupply into the automotive industry. He was able to lay the foundation for kanban systems, pull, and one-piece flow by changing the way components were supplied to production processes.