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by:
Jeff Vincent, CITEC Field Engineer
Lean
Manufacturing...you've heard about it, maybe even thought about
implementing it, but...
You
don't believe the grandiose reports.
You believe you don't have the ability to implement it.
Workers associate the word lean with loss of jobs.
My business is too small...that's for the big boys.
It doesn't apply to my situation.
Lean
Manufacturing is an adaptation of the famous Toyota Production
System. Its focus is the elimination of non-value added activities
or waste. By eliminating waste, you realize improvements in quality
and increased customer satisfaction.
Both
large and small companies have been able to successfully implement
Lean around New York State, the country and the world -- though
it's never overnight and rarely easy.
CITEC
has developed a systematic implementation process for putting
Lean Manufacturing techniques into action called Demand
Flow Manufacturing.
Demand
Flow Manufacturing is a way of thinking. It is a
company culture where all employees are continuously looking
for ways to improve processes. It is a philosophy of reducing
or eliminating waste within the organization.
Demand
Flow Manufacturing transforms the way of doing business from
individual departments to a continual flow of information, parts
and product throughout the facility. It's a System --
not a collection of individual departments or operations contained
under one roof.
Let's
define a couple of terms... Value Added is any
activity that increases the market form or function of the product
or service. In short, things for which the customer is willing
to pay. Non-Value Added is an activity that does
not add market form or function, or is not necessary. These things
should be eliminated, simplified, reduced or integrated.
Still
wonder if this is right for you? Think about this...
Statistics
gathered from a variety of manufacturing companies over time
state that typically 95% of the Total Lead Time consists
of non-value added activities.
Just
think what reducing 10% of non-value added activities could do
for your company. Now think what 25%...50%...or even 75% reduction
would look like in your facility and do to your bottom line.
Demand
Flow Manufacturing is split into three phases with each phase
building on the previous one to strengthen your organization
and business:
Phase
One - Foundation Footings
Plant
layout, simple visual signals, workplace organization, work standardization
Phase Two - Super Structure
Quality at the source, batch size reduction, quick changeover,
workforce practices, proint of use storage
Phase Three - Trim Work
Pull/Kanban, TAKT Time, Cellular/Demand Flow, Poke Yoke
By
implementing these three phases, adding commitment and discipline,
you too can reap the rewards that the "big boys" have
already discovered.
JV |
