| As a manufacturer, plant manager, controller, or | | | | Conveyance - This is usually defined as the |
| machine operator, you've undoubtedly encountered | | | | unnecessary movement of part(s) during the |
| the concept of lean production. Lean this, lean | | | | production process, and it considers the potential of |
| that-lectures, brochures, talks, forums about how | | | | damage that can come to material that is moved |
| lean approaches to shop management can control | | | | about without need. In high precision production, such |
| and even reduce costs. In today's era of ever | | | | damage can even be the basis of wasteful (and |
| tightening margins, where even the slightest gains in | | | | costly) rework. |
| efficiency can translate into considerable | | | | Correction - Whether damaged in conveyance or the |
| improvements to the bottom-line, lean manufacturing | | | | result of any other scrapping malady in production, |
| has become not only a way of life but also a | | | | having to re-work parts is a fairly frequent source of |
| philosophy in and of itself. Imagine the repetitive | | | | waste in manufacturing. Taking an excessive amount |
| production line where pennies saved per part or | | | | of time for sorting and inspecting parts is also |
| assembly sometimes translate into thousands of | | | | wasteful and can be reduced through error proofing |
| dollars per hour put back into the plus side of the | | | | (i.e., designing processes so products can only be |
| ledger. | | | | produced one way, which is the correct way, every |
| In prior postings, we've listed benefits of leaning, as | | | | time). |
| well as some of the broad waste concepts | | | | Processing - Like never before, clear communication |
| associated with lean philosophy in manufacturing. In | | | | between manufacturer and customer is absolutely |
| this article, we will nuance some of items in those | | | | necessary in order to work most efficiently. Of |
| prior lists and offer more specifics as to the meaning | | | | course, questions about such things as engineering |
| of "waste" in production. With an eye toward | | | | and production material requirements must be |
| operating within a lean structure, identifying potential | | | | answered before production begins. However, if a |
| areas of waste and continuously improving production | | | | customer is continually changing processes or other |
| through their elimination is what efficient | | | | requirements, the additional steps might be added to |
| manufacturing is all about: | | | | a job that does nothing more than simply add |
| Over-Production - In short, selling products at or | | | | additional costs to the product. |
| below cost of production is not going to be very | | | | Waiting - When an operator is on the clock but not |
| profitable. As well, warehousing products for a | | | | on a job, this is a direct-cost waste that goes |
| customer before they are actually ready to take | | | | straight to the bottom-line. The occasionally idle |
| delivery wastes both space and capital. | | | | machine is an expected aspect of the economic |
| Inventory - Why have materials, parts, and other | | | | cycle; an idle operator (or one taking an hour or so |
| inventory just sitting around, waiting to be used at | | | | to look for a part or tool) is usually the result of bad |
| some unknown point in the future? Zeroing-out | | | | scheduling, inefficient shop floor control and design, or |
| inventory is a waste-elimination concept designed to | | | | both. |
| free up more capital while also making inventory | | | | Ultimately, identifying and eliminating inefficiencies in |
| more manageable. | | | | manufacturing production is the result of |
| Motion - The relationship between production time | | | | understanding what waste is in the first place. In |
| and operator motion has been studied over and over | | | | simple terms, if a process isn't adding value to a job, |
| again. Findings show that unnecessary or awkward | | | | part, or assembly, it's not adding profits or benefit to |
| operator motions put stress on the body and cause | | | | anyone-the manufacturer, their customer, or any |
| waste in shop floor time management. To gain more | | | | downstream consumer. Lean manufacturing requires |
| productivity out of what is invariably a limited | | | | that the producer take a holistic approach to |
| resource (i.e., time) is always beneficial. Another | | | | analyzing the entirety of their operation, and how |
| positive outcome to the elimination of wasted motion | | | | each aspect interfaces with the others. Only then can |
| might also be found in the reduction of injuries and | | | | a shop have a comprehension of what is waste in |
| workman's compensation claims. | | | | the system, and what is not. |