A SEMINAR ON “LEAN MANUFACTURING”

What is Lean Manufacturing? Lean manufacturing is a comprehensive term referring to manufacturing methodologies based on maximizing value and minimizing waste in the manufacturing process. Lean Manufacturing is an operational strategy oriented toward achieving the shortest possible cycle time by eliminating waste. It is derived from the Toyota Production System and its key thrust is to increase the value-added work by eliminating waste and reducing incidental work.

 Eiji Toyoda and Taiichi Ohino at the Toyota Motor Company in Japan pioneered the concept of the Toyota Production System, or what is known today in the US as “Lean Manufacturing.”  The basic idea behind the system is eliminating waste.  Waste is defined as anything that does not add value to the end product from the customer’s perspective.

Objective: The primary objective of lean manufacturing is to assist manufacturers who have a desire to improve their company’s operations and become more competitive through the implementation of different lean manufacturing tools and techniques.

 Today the pressure is on manufacturing to reduce costs of production. Traditionally the way to achieve this was via more output volumes which always make the unit cost cheaper. The problem with this is that we generate more and more Inventory which is costly and in "Lean Manufacturing" terms is considered"Waste".

Basic Lean Manufacturing Tools: 1.Cellular Manufacturing 2.Setup Reduction 3.5S 4.Value Stream Mapping 5.Just-in-time 6.Production Smoothing 7.T P M 8.Visual Systems

Other Lean Tools KanbanStandard rate or work Pre requisite tree KaizenTakt timeError proofing Lean metricTheory of constraintsCurrent reality trees LPIToyota production system Conflict resolution diagram Overall equipment effectiveness Transition treeFuture reality diagram Process route tableValue stream costingInventory turnover rate Quick changeoverWork flow diagram

Cellular Manufacturing: Cellular manufacturing is one of the cornerstones when one wants to become lean. Cellular manufacturing is a concept that increases the mix of products with the minimum waste possible. A cell consists of equipment and workstations that are arranged in an order that maintains a smooth flow of materials and components through the process. It also has assigned operators who are qualified and trained to work at that cell.

Benefits associated with cellular manufacturing include: Inventory (especially WIP) reduction Reduced transport and material handling Better space utilization Lead time reduction Identification of causes of defects and machine problems Improved productivity Enhanced teamwork and communication Enhanced flexibility and visibility

Batch and Queue System:

One-Piece Flow System:

The basic concept behind setup reduction is to cut down the shutdown losses accompanying changeover. In order to reduce the time required for changeover for the different processes in manufacturing, Separate the external and the internal setup. The goal is to divide tasks that can be accomplished while the machines are still running (external set-up) from tasks that must occur when the machine is stopped (internal set-up). For each changeover operation a checklist including every single item necessary for running the next operation, such as tools, necessary workers, and standards is documented. Then it is determined what must be done when the machine is stopped (internal) and what can be done while the machine is running (external). Setup Reduction:

5 S: Seiri (Housekeeping) Seiton (Workplace Organization) Seison (Cleanup) Seiketsu (Cleanliness) Shitsuke (Discipline)

Value Stream Mapping: Value Stream: The material/information flow of the system that creates value for customer In addition to decision support, web-based technology can be involved directly in a value stream Facilitates the information flow Visualizes the production flow Monitors and tracks the performance Identifies the waste and improvement opportunities

Benefits of value stream mapping are as follows: It helps you visualize more that just the single process level (e.g., assembly, welding) in production. You can see the entire flow. Mapping helps you not only see your waste but also its source in the value stream. It provides a common language for talking about manufacturing processes. It forms the basis for an implementation plan. By helping you design how the whole door-to-door flow should operate a missing piece in so many lean efforts value stream maps become a blueprint for lean implementation.

Just-In-Time: Closely associated with lean manufacturing is the principle of just-in-time, since it is a management idea that attempts to eliminate sources of manufacturing waste by producing the right part in the right place at the right time. It can be thought of as consisting of three elements: JIT production, JIT distribution, and JIT purchasing.

Just-In-Time Production: Just-in-time production is about not having more raw materials, work in process or products that are required for smooth operation. Just-In-Time Distribution: 3PL can support just-in-time distribution (JITD) by providing on time delivery to customers or distributors, technological flexibility such as EDI and flexibility in geographical locations. Just-In-Time Purchasing: Just-in-time purchasing (JITP) can be defined as the purchase of goods such that their delivery immediately precedes their demand, or as they are required for use.

Benefits of JIT Eliminating unnecessary work-in-process, which results in reduction of inventory costs. Since units are produced only when they are needed, quality problem can be detected early. Since inventory is reduced, the waste of storage space will be reduced. Production Smoothing: In a lean manufacturing system it is important to move to a higher degree of process control in order to strive to reduce waste. Another tool to accomplish this is production smoothing.

How does Lean Manufacturing differ from traditional manufacturing? Traditional ManufacturingLean Manufacturing Scheduling Forecast - pushCustomer Order - pull Production StockCustomer Order Lead Time LongShort Batch Size Large - Batch & QueueSmall - Continuous Flow Inspection Sampling100% - Source Layout FunctionalProduct Flow Empowerment LowHigh Inventory Turns Low - <7 turnsHigh Flexibility LowHigh COGS High and RisingLower and Decreasing

Seven Types of Manufacturing Waste Targeted by Lean Methods: Defects Waiting Over production Movement Inventory Complexity Unused creativity

Benefits Improved workstation layouts. Connected processes with reduced work in progress between them. Warehouse inventory reduction. Improved operational availability on equipment. Change over techniques increase throughput. Make work stations visible, to show up problems, clearly showing the status of work orders or batches of work. Improved safety in the workplace.

Typical Applications: Aircraft Engines Construction Equipment Furniture Appliances Hospital & Medical Equipment Tanks & Vessels Large Pumps Fork Trucks

Conclusion: It is clear that lean manufacturing is a powerful tool that when adopted can create Superior financial and operational results. In order to adapt lean manufacturing tools to the manufacturing industry, one needs to thoroughly examine different characteristics of the same and develop a systematic approach to best utilize these techniques at a process facility.

Lean efficiencies will deliver large reductions in operational cost for your business