Lean Manufacturing
Perhaps no approach to manufacturing has resonated with manufacturing executives as much as Lean Manufacturing. Ideas for manufacturing organization in U-shaped product cells with on-floor supply Kanbans and minimal set-up times that enable small-lot production have taken hold.
From rudimentary 5-S through flexible workforces, pull through production, and buffer stocks in front of bottleneck work centers, Lean plants are running with level loads according to takt times. The results: lower inventories, shorter lead times, higher fill rates, and less working capital requirements. The famous Ford “assembly line” was, in fact, Lean—parts were assembled in a balanced sequence with no queues between stations in one car (piece) production in an uninterrupted flow. The Lean production concept had made its debut at the turn of the 20th century and is making an encore now at the beginning of the 21st century.
“Lean is the Relentless Elimination of Waste”
Wasted time = shorter replenishment cycles
Excessive space = compact product line work cells
Too much inventory = Kanban system inventory management
The Remington Group assists clients in becoming “Lean” by:
- Selecting the Lean practices that provide the most immediate economic impact;
- Prioritizing additional Lean practices according to company needs;
- Conducting Lean management education and training;
- Value stream analysis
- Assistance in implementing Lean manufacturing practices:
- 5-S
- Set-up reduction
- Kanban/pull systems
- Lean metrics
- U- and J-shaped product line work cells in balanced flow
- Total productive maintenance
- Queuing and non-value activities reduction
- Product family rationalization
- Work standardization
- Self inspection
- Lean scheduling
Lean manufacturing can be implemented as a complete and overriding Toyota-style philosophic approach or it can be executed practice-by-practice according to individual company needs. Professionals at The Remington Group can assist in either approach. Find out how by clicking here or calling 609.497.6400.
Related Services:
Manufacturing Organization
Supply Chain Management
Constraints Management
Flexibility and Time Compression
