Lean Terms
Terms are listed most recent first. Check back often to see when we post new Lean content.
Lean Terms
Lean Tools
Lean tools are the individual components of a Lean system. The most common Lean tools are: 5S Countermeasures Jidoka Kaizen Kanban Pareto (80/20) charts Process flow charts Poka yoke Pull /Just In Time Manufacturing Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) Standard Work Total Productive Maintenance Value stream maps Visual controls Read more…
Lean Terms
Just-in-Time Manufacturing
Just-in-time manufacturing is the method of producing products with only a minimal amount of raw material and component parts on hand. The concept of just-in-time manufacturing is nothing new. Henry Ford saw value in having a minimal amount of stock on hand—a concept which Taiichi Ohno took to heart as Read more…
Lean Terms
Single Minute Exchange of Die
One of the core principles of Lean is to create flow. But flow is impossible to achieve with long setup times. When it takes an extensive amount of time to switch from one product to another, operators must run large lots to produce enough parts to keep production flowing. With Read more…
Lean Terms
U-Shaped Cell
A U-shaped cell is exactly what it sounds like—a work area that is organized in the shape of a ‘U’. The U-shaped cell allows an operator to finish her work in virtually the same location that she started, eliminating the waste of walking back from the end of a line Read more…
Lean Terms
Total Productive Maintenance
Total Productive Maintenance keeps machines operational in a way that supports production processes. Total Productive Maintenance combines routine scheduled preventative maintenance with predictive maintenance to limit the impact machine downtime has on operations. The “total” part of Total Productive Maintenance means that machine operators take on a big part of Read more…
Lean Terms
Visual Control
A visual control builds on 5S. It uses organization and standardization to make an abnormal condition stand out. In a Lean environment it does three things: A visual control shows the current condition quickly. A visual control shows what the standard is quickly. A visual control links to an action. Read more…