Repeatability is the ability for the same individual or team to get identical results from a process time after time. Essentially, repeatability is the opposite of output variation. When processes are not repeatable, the problem falls into three basic categories. A variation in inputs causes poor repeatability. A poor process Read more…
Productivity is the ratio of output to input. The basic equation is: Productivity = Output / Input When the output is high relative to the inputs, the process is thought of as productive. While there are some standard productivity metrics, such as parts per labor hour, the choice is really Read more…
A production plan must answer four basic questions: What are we going to make? What does it take to make it? What do we have? What do we need? The answers to these four questions form the basis of a production plan. 1 A production plan prioritizes the production needs Read more…
The generally accepted definition of procedure in a Lean company is that it is the “how” of an operation. It is closely related to the term “process”. A process would be the series of steps required to complete the operation, or the “what”. Think of the acronym SOP, which is Read more…
Overproduction is one of the seven wastes of Lean. It is the act of making a product or performing a service before the downstream customer asks for it. Overproduction is one of the leading causes of excess inventory. Overproduction is prevalent in push systems where upstream processes build according to Read more…
The term “operator” is frequently used to describe a shop floor worker in a production environment. While it seems to stem from the use of the term “machine operator”, it has been shortened and now is used more universally. The term is more positive than worker, headcount, or the demeaning Read more…
Low hanging fruit describes the “big bang for the buck” projects that can jump start a Lean implementation. They are the problems and opportunities that are easy to address with relatively little effort. The low hanging fruit are not likely to be the biggest payoff projects, but they are the Read more…
In the most common definition, lead time is the time that elapses from when a customer places an order until the order is received. A variation on the definition of lead time looks at the time from when raw material arrives at a facility until the finished product ships. This Read more…
Inputs are the factors that are necessary to complete a process. They may be environmental (heat, humidity), labor, material, or anything else that is required. Some inputs, though, are not intentional—the proverbial “flies in the ointment”. Controlling these inputs is critical to delivering high quality results from a process. Inputs Read more…
Industrial discipline is the act of doing the right thing on the shop floor. Industrial discipline means practicing 5S and putting tools away, using andons to report problems even if it makes you look bad, and following Standard Work every time. Industrial discipline is an enabler of Lean. When people Read more…
Improvements are simply changes for the better. Lean and other continuous improvement philosophies all focus on using some sort of problem solving method to drive improvement. Improvements can range from new, better computer systems, to kaizen events, on down to moving a garbage can closer to the point of use. Read more…
Document your process flow to get the most out of your Lean efforts. Recording your processes helps provide consistency in your output and spurs productivity improvements. It also promotes teamwork through knowledge sharing, and makes job rotation and cross-training possible. Documentation is simply the act of recording your process steps Read more…