A two-bin system is a kanban method used to simplify replenishment on a production line. The process is simple. An operator pulls from one bin until it is empty, and then, depending on how the kanban card is attached, either turns in the kanban card (if fastened by hook and Read more…
“Point of use” is simply the practice of storing any inventory you have at the point where it will be used. This is in contrast to inventory that is stored in a warehouse, or at some other secondary location. In those cases, it can be difficult to see if there Read more…
One-piece flow is the method of production in which operators or machines work on single units and pass them along to the next process when requested. The most common example of one-piece flow is the assembly line. An operator at each station works on a unit. All of this work-in Read more…
Muri is a Japanese term for a specific form of waste. It means unreasonableness or overexertion. It is often referred to with two other Japanese terms. Muda is the traditional view of waste in which resources are used without adding to output. Mura is inconsistency or unevenness, usually as a Read more…
Mura is one of three Japanese terms meaning waste. The others are muda, the traditional form of waste in which resources are not effectively used, and muri, meaning overburden or overexertion. Mura means inconsistency or excess variation in either processes or demand. When processes can’t be standardized because of the Read more…
I was watching an episode of Mythbusters last night. They were testing out where the highest concentrations of bacteria reside in your everyday life. (Hint: If you are using your keyboard right now, keep your hands away from your face!) The whole concept of a Petri dish got me thinking. Read more…
Most people are accustomed to signing the back side of their paycheck. The question I’d ask you to consider, though, is whether you’d behave differently if you were signing the other side of the check. Consider if you had to put your John Hancock on a check for one of Read more…
In any process improvement effort, observing a process is an important step. I recently came across an interesting article about how the Office of the Inspector General was observing the door-to door counting process of the Census Bureau. Just a few items of interest in the article. The observation was Read more…
I have an old stack of articles that I peruse from time to time to give me blog idea. One of my best sources is Men’s Health. It is surprising how often the little tidbits of information the magazine offers strike a chord with me. In this instance, an April Read more…
Standardizing processes is an important component of Lean success. But just because instructions are written down does not mean that they are correct, or even safe. I saw an article recently that reinforced this. Apparently, according to a story on MSNBC, a woman downloaded walking directions on her phone. The Read more…
Many Lean experts advocate setting up work areas so there is counterclockwise flow. This principle goes hand-in hand with the U-shaped cell. Using a counterclockwise flow comes from the fact that most people are right-handed. As they move through the cell, their dominant hand is closer to the work sooner. Read more…
A blitz is an intensive project, typically a week long, with focused gains in mind. The term kaizen or kaizen event are sometimes used interchangeably with blitz. Kaizen, in a broader sense though, is any effort to make something better. It makes for a bit of confusion about whether you Read more…