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Category Archives: Lean Manufacturing
Kanban at Home
As you may already know, Kanban cards are used to indicate the need to replenish inventory. They are a good tool to help minimize batch sizes and inventory. Here is an example of using Kanban at home. Hopefully most readers … Continue reading
Posted in Lean Manufacturing
Tagged continuos improvement, Kanban, lean, lean manufacturing
4 Comments
Do You Have a Lean Gas Tank?
I’ve already mentioned that I recently started reading The Toyota Way again. Jeffrey Liker has a great example that illustrates an important Lean principal in a simple way. He does a good job of illustrating Pull Systems, Just-In-Time (JIT), and Kanban with this … Continue reading
Posted in Lean Manufacturing
Tagged Jeffrey Liker, JIT, Just in time (business), Kanban, lean manufacturing, The Toyota Way, Toyota
3 Comments
Defining a Lean Culture is a Matter of Character (Part 2)
Yesterday, we took a stab at defining a Lean enterprise as a company that spreads Lean thinking across its entire organization. Those who find success embody a set of distinct characteristics that can help us understand what it means to … Continue reading
Posted in Lean Manufacturing
Tagged Business, Continuous Improvement Process, lean manufacturing, Len Enterprise, Management, PDCA
6 Comments
Defining a Lean Organization is a Matter of Character
Lean is all about respecting people while eliminating Muri (overburdening), Mura (unevenness), and Muda (non value added activity) in all business processes. It is a philosophy which embodies a manufacturing culture of continuous improvement based on setting standards aimed at … Continue reading
Posted in Lean Manufacturing
Tagged Continuous Improvement Process, leadership, Lean Enterprise, lean manufacturing, PDCA
5 Comments
Lean Pizza
My wife and I decided to partake in a great Midwestern tradition by ordering a Friday night pizza not too long ago. Pizza is very popular in Chicago where you will find many choices of styles and pizzerias. Thankfully we … Continue reading
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Just In Time
Just-in-Time (JIT) inventory focuses on having the right inventory (raw material, packaging supplies, WIP, or finished product), in the right place, at the right time, and at the right quantity – some would even say the exact quantity. Inventory is … Continue reading
Posted in Lean Manufacturing
Tagged continuos improvement, JIT, Just In Time, lean manufacturing
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Deming & Your Kaizen Success
Have you created training for one of your teams before? I am in the process of developing training material for a Kaizen Team with a new client. Starting with a clean slate, as I am today always gets me thinking. … Continue reading
Posted in Lean Manufacturing
Tagged Best practice, continuos improvement, Deming Cycle, Kaizen, leadership, lean manufacturing, PDCA, W. Edwards Deming
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Indiana Dunes and Going to the Gemba
It’s a partly cloudy but pleasant day as my wife and I along with our youngest son get into the car for a day trip. The temperature is warmer than normal for early March and we are looking forward to … Continue reading
3 Ways to Handle Set Backs in Your Lean World
The Harvard Business Review is a great source of information. A recent article by Teresa Amabile and Steve Kramer is titled Three Ways to Turn Setbacks into Progress. While this article is aimed at the workplace in general, it is … Continue reading
Posted in Lean Manufacturing
Tagged Deming, Deming Cycle, Harvard Business Review, leadership, lean manufacturing, PDCA, quotes, Steve Kramer, Teresa Amabile, Thomas Edison
3 Comments
5 Reasons You Need to Do a DMAIC
[tweetmeme]John, the Production Manager of a food manufacturing plant is having a good day. At least until the Quality Manager bursts into his office: “John, I can’t believe that your operators can’t put a seal on a jar.” John is … Continue reading
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