One year ago we created this a video on Lean Production
with the aim of explaining you the basics of the Lean Journey.
Before doing anything else see the video now and you will discover
how lean production works!
We want to go into the details of the main Lean concepts behind the video.
You, the customer and the company
Firstly,
there are you, the customer and the company.
Remember that you work for the customer satisfaction.
Sometimes, I am impressed how we can forget this simple principle.
For example,
visualize you in a restaurant asking for a pizza.
What if they will bring you after 3 hours or deliver poor quality pizza or the wrong one?
I do not think you will be happy!
But,
in the industrial world, probably because of different impact and complexity the mistake or the delay is not seen as a major problem.
So,
we tried, to sum up with the following image.
Look:
one of the principles of the Lean Production is to satisfy the customer 100% with the highest quality, lower cost and less lead time.
Is it clear?
It is not easy at all, but the company that embraces this different way to run the business can have double digit improvement.
For example,
Porche and Harley Davidson passed from almost failure to world class.
Lean Production, to refocus on the customer.
The Lean Production is the Lean Methodology applied to the production of goods or services.
You can read the history and the principles on our page “what is lean“.
People are crucial to set the Lean Production, and everybody has to be focused on the scope to serve the customer and not fighting each other.
Now,
I will explain to you how to set a Lean Production System step by step.
# Step 1 – Value Stream Mapping
Firstly,
you have to define who is your primary customer or in other words who pay the bill.
Ok, ok,
every customer is important, but if I am in trouble, I will prefer to care the most important client.
Shhhhhh,
I have never said this; it is a secret between us :-).
Then,
if you look at the image there two major points highlighted!
Point 1 – Map at the shopfloor not at PC!
Point 2 – Involve every function into the mapping.
You have to respect these two points . Otherwise, you will lose your time!
But what is a value stream?
Let us use this definition:
“the processes of creating, producing, and delivering a good or service to the market.” A value stream may be internal to a company, or it may include external suppliers in addition to internal processes.
In summary,
the value stream mapping is the process to map the value stream as defined above.
In this phase, you have to draw what is called the AS IS situation.
Later,
you and the team should project the TO BE Status.
In this video, we summarized some best practice to follow during the value stream mapping.
VSM – 7 Tips to be successful
#Step 2 – Takt Time Calculation
Once you have determined and mapped the value stream,
you have to calculate the Takt Time for this.
The simple formula to use is:
A point of attention!
The formula is simple, but on my experience in the company if you ask 3 people the Takt Time for a value stream you will receive 3 different answers.
In a specific page, I will reveal you all the pitfall and tips related to the Takt Time calculation.
#Step 3 – Where is the Bottleneck
Firstly,
do you know what a bottleneck is?
In few words,
when you have a product the pass for many steps of a line (real o virtual) for sure you have a process that is slower. The most time-consuming process gives the pace to the product line.
Now,
to identify where is the bottleneck, we suggest to plot on a very simple diagram:
- Takt Time
- Cycle Time of each process in the value stream
Once identified the slowest process work on that!
Some sensei (alias Lean Expert) says:
Firstly, KAIZEN AT BOTTLENECK.
Secondly, KAIZEN AT BOTTLENECK.
Finally, KAIZEN AT BOTTLENECK.
#Step 4 – The 3 flows
Let us start saying that every process has its complexity and to manage it I have a suggestion.
The suggestion is to go for simplicity and evaluate 1 aspect at the time.
In the Lean Production, they suggest to focus at the 3 flows one by one:
Firstly, the Material Flow.
Secondly, the People Flow.
Thirdly, the Information Flow.
If you fix the process, one flow at the time, you will have great results!
If you want to boil the ocean, you will be quickly beaten from the shop-floor!
# Step 5 – Continuous Improvement in Lean Production
If you apply the steps continuously. As a result, you will have a Lean Enterprise.
The secret is to apply this method again and again by involving as many people as you can.
After many iterations you could achieve:
- U-cell
- 1 piece flow
- Zero waste
It takes time,
it is not easy,
but worth the effort!
In your mind, you have to believe that it is possible to have value for everybody!
Conclusion
Based on our experience we tried to simplify the core steps to pass from a conventional to a Lean Production.
1 – Value Stream Mapping
2 – Takt Time Calculation
3 – Bottleneck Identification
4 – The 3 Flows analysis
5 – Continuous improvement
by following this path, we were able to achieve double-digit improvement in the company.
Now it is your turn!
Leave your comment below!
