LEAN MANUFACTURING EXPLAINED

Lean manufacturing or "going lean," refers to a series of methods, philosophies and tools to minimize waste in your business and maximize production. Read about different ways your company can go lean

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What is Lean Manufacturing?

Lean manufacturing, or simply “lean,” is a systematic method designed to minimize waste in a manufacturing system while productivity remains constant. Originating in Japan in the Toyota Production System (TPS), lean manufacturing strives to minimize waste within a manufacturing operation, with the idea being to clearly portray what adds value by removing what doesn’t. As your company begins to think about lean manufacturing it’s important to keep in mind the process of going lean takes time – like turning a cruise ship around.

There are several different lean techniques, allowing each organization to fit lean manufacturing techniques into its own distinct production process. We’re going to discuss the eight types of waste lean manufacturing seeks to eliminate and five common lean principals, tools and techniques manufacturers around the world have implemented into their manufacturing processes.

Lean Manufacturing : 8 Types of Waste

As we mentioned earlier, going lean starts with eliminating waste to focus on what adds value to your process, which leads to adding value for your customers. It’s important to know the types of waste and how they affect your business. There are eight types of waste:

• Defects

• Overproduction 

• Waiting

• Non-utilized talent

• Transportation

• Iventory

• Motion

• Extra Processing