Lean

Question 1

15 Characteristics of Lean

Answer 1

1. Customer:- Maximise value to the customer by understanding their true demands.
2. Simplicity:- Lean is not simple but simplicity pervades. Simplicity in operation, system, technology & control is the goal. Beware of complex systems, complex lines and rewards. Simplicity applies to suppliers through working closely with a few trusted partners.
3. Visibility:- Make all operations as visible and as transparent as possible. Adopt the visual factory.
4. Regularity:- No surprises in operation so run all products in same time slots which cuts inventory, improves quality and allows simplicity of control.
5. Synchronisation:- Synchronise operations so that streams meet just in time. Seek flow especially one piece flow.
6. Pull:- Make operations work at the customer’s rate of demand. This should be the final customer and eliminates over-production. Have pull-based demand chains, not push-based supply chains
7. Waste:- Waste is endemic. Learn to recognise it and reduce it always. Encourage the spirit of Gemba throughout.
8. Process:- Think in terms of the process. Concentrate on the way the product moves rather than on the way machines move.
9. Prevention:- Seek to prevent problems rather than to inspect and fix. Inspecting the process rather than product is prevention.
10. Time:- Try reduce the overall time to deliver and introduce new products.
11. Improvement:- Improvement goes beyond waste reduction to innovation.
12. Partnership:- Seek to build trust internally between functions and externally between suppliers.
13. Gemba:- Go seek facts from workplace.
14. Variation:- Seek to reduce it. Found in every process. Shockproof system.
15. Participation:- Give operators the first opportunity to solve problems.

Question 2

Toyota’s 7 Wastes

Answer 2

1. Over-production:- Making too much to early or just in case. Aim is to make exactly what is required
2. Waiting:- Any time materials are not moving is indication of waste.
3. Motion:-
4. Transporting:- Number of transport and handling operations is directly proportional to the likelihood of damage and deterioration.
5. Over-processing:- Having one big machine instead of several smaller ones discourages operator ownership and leads to use of machine as often as possible rather than only when needed.
6. Unnecessary inventory:- Enemy of quality and productivity. Increases lead-time, prevents rapid identification of problems, and increases space therefore discouraging communication.
7. Defects:- Cost money both immediately and in the long term. Longer defect remains uncovered; the more expensive it becomes.

Question 3

The New Wastes

Answer 3

• The waste of untapped human potential
• The waste of inappropriate systems
• Wasted energy & water
• Wasted Materials
• Service & office wastes
• Waste of customer time
• Waste of defecting customers