What is Lean management in manufacturing?
Lean manufacturing, also known as lean management in manufacturing or lean production, is a philosophy for business management and Quality Management. Also is one of the principals industrial engineering areas. This methodology is applicable to all aspects of an organization, seeking to improve results through the systematic detection and elimination of all activities that do not add value.
What does lean management in manufacturing mean?
The term was first coined in a book by James Womack and Daniel Jones. Both writers had studied Toyota’s impressive production system and published their studies in “Lean Thinking: How to Use Lean Thinking to Eliminate Waste and Create Value in the Company”.
What is the Lean manufacturing philosophy about?
The fundamental concept behind the Lean philosophy is to maximize added value. Consequently, this implies doing things right all the time. This model constantly seeks perfection and recommends numerous tools to achieve it. In the same line, the fundamental basic concept that we must understand is that there are activities that do not generate value and it is essential to eliminate them.
Certainly, we must always have this point well identified and focus our work on eliminating these wastes. That is, if we do it systematically, we will achieve significant improvements in process performance. This way, we will be able to provide better service, reduce costs, and be more competitive.
What are the wastes that lean management in manufacturing works on?
If we focus on activities that do not add value, these can be classified into 3 types. They are commonly known as the 3M’s:
Muda, which refers to activities that do not add value.
Muri, which refers to losses caused by overloading resources and equipment.
Mura, which refers to losses caused by the variability of processes in the value chain.
The Lean Manufacturing methodology
Over the years and with evidence of results, the Lean methodology has been adopted by organizations of various sizes and industries. These principles have been applied as a process in some cases and as a philosophy in others. In the latter case, it is known as Lean thinking, which is based on 5 principles for its implementation, which are the reason for the success of the lean system. In order to identify the best way to drive the growth of any company or organization, it is essential to understand each of these principles.
The 8️⃣ core tools of lean management in manufacturing
While the tools of lean manufacturing are many and varied when applied in Industrial Engineering, the key to success is understanding which tool to apply according to the situation, the type of industry, and the area or sector. Below we will detail each of them and how they are used in each of the five principles of Lean thinking.
1️⃣ Kaizen Continuous Improvement Method
Kaizen continuous improvement is a philosophy based on certain principles and characteristics that help improve a product, a service, or a system in a planned manner.
Read More about Kaizen Continuous Improvement Definitions and Characteristics
2️⃣ Just-in-Time (JIT) Process Flow
Just-in-Time is a one of the main tools of lean management in manufacturing
Working with tight flow or just-in-time, as it is often called, is the industrial philosophy that can be summarized as manufacturing strictly necessary products at the precise moment and in the appropriate quantities. This implies buying or producing only what is needed and when it is needed. When we refer to Just-in-Time (JIT), what we must understand is to focus on the value expected by the customer, that is, what the customer is willing to pay for.
Read More about JIT Just in time management: optimizing operations
3️⃣ Value Stream Mapping (VSM) as a roadmap of lean management in manufactirung
what is Value Stream Mapping?
Value Stream Mapping (VSM), or value stream mapping, is a lean manufacturing tool used to understand, manage, and improve the flow of materials and information. This tool aims to represent the interactions between elements of the operation (necessary to deliver a product or service to the customer) through a series of standard symbols.
4️⃣ Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a method of maintenance management based on 8 strategic pillars. Learn more about its objectives and benefits.
5️⃣ Methodology 5S
What are the 5S?
The 5S are 5 Japanese words that begin with the letter S and are: Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, and Shitsuke, whose most philosophical translation into Spanish are: sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain discipline.
6️⃣ Kanban
Kanban is another tool of lean manufacturing focused on improving flow. This Japanese word, which could be translated as “signaling card,” is a very simple concept: these cards allow quickly understanding the origin, destination, and requirement of parts and materials throughout the entire system.
7️⃣ Poka yokes: Error-proof systems
Lean manufacturing proposes designing all systems and processes with the aim of avoiding errors. Some daily examples could be USB connectors that are impossible to insert “upside down,” ignition systems in cars that do not work if passengers have not fastened their seat belts, among others. Nowadays, there are many industrial engineers specialized in this branch of designing and constructing poka yoke systems that detect and prevent errors.
8️⃣ SMED: The Best Technique for Achieving Quick Set-ups
Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) is an operational planning technique aimed at minimizing downtime caused by setups, configurations, or changeovers. In addition to being a cornerstone of lean manufacturing, it is also a widely practiced activity by industrial engineers.