What You Need to Know About Lean Manufacturing

Lean Manufacturing is a philosophy of eliminating non-value-adding operations, equipment, and resources.  A successful lean manufacturing effort will have significant impact on the organization's performance. 

Our Lean Manufacturing Resource Center has lots of helpful information regardless of where your company is at in terms of implementing Lean Manufacturing.

• Why Lean Manufacturing?
• Lean Manufacturing Terminology
• Lean Manufacturing Components
• Lean Manufacturing Mindset
• Streamlining the Value Stream
• Data Drives Lean
• Lean Manufacturing Layouts
• Lean Manufacturing Roadmap
• Lean Manufacturing Pitfalls

Lean Manufacturing Checklists and Forms

Many of these forms can be downloaded as Excel Spreadsheets or Word Docs

• The Seven Wastes Checklist
• Lean Manufacturing Project Summary Form
• Work Cell Workflow and Layout Target and Progress Report Form
• Work Cell Processing Activities/Details Checklist
• Product Family Matrix (to determine product families for workflow layout improvement)
• Time Study Worksheet
• Set-Up Reduction Checklist
• Value Stream Mapping Symbols

Click here to read our Newsletter that focuses on Lean Manufacturing.

Lean or Six Sigma:  Which Should You "Do?"

Lean and Six Sigma are complementary philosophies. The difference in Lean and Six Sigma lie primarily in the focus. The elimination of waste with Lean is fairly similar to the reduction of variation in Six Sigma. However, Lean’s focus on improving workflows is perhaps the main differentiator. By focusing on the workflows, lean efforts ensure that non-value-adding aspects are removed from the value stream.

Lean efforts help make sure that we are doing the right things. Six Sigma initiatives help make sure we are doing the right things right.

So???  Which should *we* do?

There are lots of good arguments for Lean and lots of good arguments for Six Sigma.  Some companies have even combined the concepts of both calling what they "do" Lean Six Sigma.  In our opinion, which approach is best for a company depends on the company culture, support from senior management for one or the other, and in-house expertise.  The important thing is that you "do" something that encourages and facilitates continuous improvement, customer satisfaction, and improved profitability.

Books and Training on Lean

The Lean Reference Guide   A basic guide that covers the essential aspects of Lean Manufacturing with lots of helpful tables and worksheets.  Only $9.95 each or $7.95 each when purchased in 5 packs. 

Lean Manufacturing   Comprehensive online training on Lean Manufacturing.  Available on-line or in CD-ROM or Network versions.  Click here for more information.  Click here to try a sample lesson.

Links

Strategos:  http://www.strategosinc.com/ A nice site with LOTS of great information! 

Lean Enterprise Institute:  http://www.lean.org/  Requires a no charge membership in order to access information.  Thought provoking articles and a nice community forum.