TPM - Total Productive Maintenance

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a methodology that originated in Japan in the 1970s and has since become a widely recognized and adopted approach to operational excellence in manufacturing and other operations-focused industries. It is a comprehensive approach that seeks to optimize the performance of equipment and processes through a focus on maintaining and improving reliability and efficiency.

The origins of TPM can be traced back to the Japanese auto industry, where manufacturers were seeking ways to increase productivity and competitiveness in the face of increasing global competition. TPM emerged as a response to the need for a more proactive and integrated approach to equipment maintenance, with the goal of improving both productivity and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

Over time, TPM has evolved and expanded to encompass a wider range of objectives and activities. Today, it is widely regarded as a best-practice approach to operational excellence, and is widely used in many different industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and government operations.

One of the key features of TPM is its focus on involving all employees in the maintenance and improvement process. This is achieved through the creation of cross-functional teams and the use of a range of techniques, including root cause analysis, standardization, and continuous improvement.

Another key aspect of TPM is its focus on data-driven decision-making and performance measurement. This involves the collection and analysis of data on equipment and process performance, which is then used to identify areas for improvement and to drive continuous improvement efforts.

When properly implemented, TPM can have a significant impact on organizational performance and competitiveness. This can include improvements in equipment reliability, increased productivity, reduced waste, and improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

To achieve these benefits, it is important to implement TPM in a structured and systematic way, with clear goals and objectives and a strong focus on continuous improvement. This typically involves a multi-phased approach, starting with an assessment of existing processes and equipment, followed by the development of a comprehensive improvement plan and the implementation of specific improvement initiatives.

In a nutshell, TPM is a proven methodology that can help organizations achieve operational excellence by optimizing the performance of their equipment and processes. To achieve success, organizations must approach TPM in a systematic and structured way, with clear goals and objectives, and a strong focus on continuous improvement.

Key points for a successful TPM implementation:

1. Involve all employees in the process

2. Focus on data-driven decision-making

3. Adopt a multi-phased approach

4. Prioritize continuous improvement

5. Develop a comprehensive improvement plan.

Cellularization

Cellularization is a lean manufacturing methodology that aims to optimize the flow of materials, information, and people within a manufacturing or production environment. Its goal is to create a more efficient, flexible, and responsive production system that can quickly adapt to changing customer demands and market conditions.

The origin of cellularization can be traced back to the early days of the Toyota Production System (TPS), which was developed in the 1950s and 60s. TPS was based on the principles of Just-In-Time (JIT) production and was designed to reduce waste, improve quality, and increase productivity. The concept of cellularization emerged as a way to create small, self-contained production cells that were optimized for specific product families or types of work.

The core idea behind cellularization is to create a flow of work that is highly synchronized and integrated, with minimal inventory and waste. This is achieved by organizing the production environment into cells that are designed to handle specific product families or product types. Each cell is equipped with the necessary tools, equipment, and materials to complete the work in a continuous flow, without the need for batch processing or work-in-progress storage.

Cellularization also requires a cross-functional team approach, where workers from different areas of the organization come together to work on a specific product family or type of work. This team-based approach helps to ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of the work, and it encourages collaboration and communication between different departments.

One of the key benefits of cellularization is that it enables organizations to respond quickly to changes in customer demand and market conditions. For example, if a new product is introduced, the production cell for that product can be quickly reconfigured to accommodate the new work. This agility is a critical advantage in today's fast-paced and highly competitive market.

Another benefit of cellularization is that it promotes continuous improvement. The small, self-contained nature of the cells allows for close observation and monitoring of the work, which in turn enables quick and effective identification and elimination of waste. The cross-functional teams are also empowered to identify and implement improvements that can be made to the production process.

To effectively implement cellularization, organizations need to carefully consider the following factors:

• Work flow design: The first step in implementing cellularization is to carefully design the work flow to ensure that it is optimized for the specific product family or type of work being performed.

• Equipment selection: The right tools and equipment are critical to the success of cellularization. Organizations need to carefully select the tools and equipment that will be used in each cell, and ensure that they are properly maintained and calibrated.

• Cross-functional teams: Teams of workers from different departments must be assembled to work together in each cell. These teams need to be trained on the new work processes, and encouraged to collaborate and communicate effectively.

• Lean leadership: Leaders at all levels of the organization need to embrace the principles of lean manufacturing and support the implementation of cellularization. This includes providing the resources, training, and coaching that teams need to succeed.

In a nutshell, cellularization is a powerful and effective methodology for optimizing the flow of materials, information, and people within a manufacturing or production environment. Its success depends on careful design of the work flow, selection of the right tools and equipment, and the development of cross-functional teams. With the right leadership and support, cellularization can help organizations to achieve greater efficiency, flexibility, and responsiveness, and to remain competitive in today's fast-paced and dynamic market

Hoshin Kanri

Hoshin Kanri, also known as Policy Deployment, is a strategic planning and management methodology originating from Japan. The term "Hoshin" means "compass" or "direction," and "Kanri" means "management." Hoshin Kanri is a system that aligns an organization's strategic goals with its daily operations and decision-making processes.

Hoshin Kanri was first developed in the late 1950s and 1960s at the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota and is often associated with the Lean Management philosophy. It was introduced as a way to ensure that the company's long-term goals were being pursued throughout the organization, from top management to the shop floor. The methodology has since been adopted by many other companies and industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, government, and service organizations.

Hoshin Kanri is a cyclical process that involves four main steps:

1. Setting strategic objectives: The first step in Hoshin Kanri is to set the organization's strategic objectives for the coming year. This is typically done by top management, who establishes the company's overall vision and direction.

2. Creating an action plan: Once the strategic objectives have been set, the next step is to create an action plan for achieving them. This involves breaking down the objectives into smaller, measurable goals and identifying the specific actions that will be taken to achieve each goal.

3. Implementing and monitoring the plan: The third step is to implement and monitor the action plan. This involves communicating the goals and action plan to the rest of the organization and ensuring that everyone is working towards the same objectives. Regular progress updates are made to ensure that the plan is on track.

4. Continuously improving: The final step in the Hoshin Kanri process is to continuously improve. This involves reviewing the results of the action plan and making adjustments as necessary to ensure that the organization's objectives are being met.

One of the key features of Hoshin Kanri is that it promotes a culture of continuous improvement by involving all employees in the process. By aligning the company's daily operations with its long-term goals, Hoshin Kanri helps to ensure that everyone in the organization is working towards the same objectives and that progress is being made towards achieving them.

The best way to utilize Hoshin Kanri is to adopt it as a company-wide system and involve all employees in the process. This involves:

1. Clearly communicating the company's strategic objectives and action plan to everyone in the organization.

2. Encouraging all employees to participate in the continuous improvement process by providing regular training and development opportunities.

3. Regularly monitoring progress and making adjustments to the action plan as necessary.

4. Celebrating successes and sharing best practices with others in the organization.

5. Continuously reviewing the results of the Hoshin Kanri process and making improvements as necessary to ensure that it remains an effective tool for achieving the company's goals.

In a nutshell, Hoshin Kanri is a powerful tool for aligning an organization's strategic objectives with its daily operations and decision-making processes. By involving all employees in the process, it helps to ensure that everyone is working towards the same objectives and that progress is being made towards achieving them. To get the most out of Hoshin Kanri, it is important to adopt it as a company-wide system and continuously review and improve the process.

Push Principle

The Push Principle Concept/Term refers to a production system where material and products are manufactured and moved along the production line based on a predicted demand, rather than actual demand. This system operates under the assumption that the customer demand can be accurately forecasted and the production line can be appropriately scheduled to meet that demand.

However, the Push Principle often leads to negative impacts on operations. One of the main problems with this system is the assumption of accurate demand forecasting. In reality, customer demand is highly unpredictable and can fluctuate rapidly, leading to overproduction and inventory buildup. This excess inventory creates significant problems such as storage and handling costs, obsolescence, and potential quality issues.

Additionally, the Push Principle often results in an inefficient utilization of resources. The production line is designed to produce a set amount of product, regardless of actual demand. This can lead to idle time and equipment, increased energy costs, and reduced production capacity. The production process is also disrupted by production line breakdowns, worker absences, and equipment failures, resulting in increased downtime and decreased efficiency.

Another negative impact of the Push Principle is that it can lead to a lack of focus on customer needs. The emphasis is on meeting a predetermined production schedule, rather than meeting the actual needs of the customer. This can result in an overproduction of products that are not needed, as well as a lack of flexibility to adapt to changing customer demand.

To mitigate these negative impacts, Lean Management experts advocate for the implementation of the Pull Principle. The Pull Principle is a system where production is based on actual customer demand, rather than a predicted demand. This system allows for a more flexible and efficient utilization of resources, as well as a greater focus on meeting the actual needs of the customer.

In a nutshell, the Push Principle can lead to negative impacts on operations such as inventory buildup, resource inefficiency, and a lack of focus on customer needs. Lean Management experts recommend the implementation of the Pull Principle as a more efficient and effective alternative. By focusing on actual customer demand, organizations can achieve greater operational efficiency and meet the needs of their customers.

Kaikaku

KAIKAKU, which means "radical change" or "revolution" in Japanese, is a key concept in Lean management and operational excellence. It refers to a transformative approach to process improvement that aims to achieve significant and lasting improvements in performance. KAIKAKU is different from other process improvement methods, such as Kaizen, which focus on incremental improvements, KAIKAKU is characterized by a bold, dramatic change in the way a process is performed.

One of the key features of KAIKAKU is that it is not just about improving the existing process, but also about rethinking and redesigning the process from scratch. This approach allows organizations to identify and eliminate sources of waste, inefficiencies, and bottlenecks that may have been present in the process for years. By starting with a blank slate, organizations can create a new process that is more efficient, effective, and sustainable.

KAIKAKU is often used in manufacturing and production processes, where significant improvements in performance can have a major impact on the bottom line. For example, a manufacturing facility might use KAIKAKU to redesign its production process, eliminating bottlenecks, reducing waste, and increasing capacity. This could result in faster turnaround times, higher quality products, and lower costs.

Another key feature of KAIKAKU is that it often involves the use of new technologies and automation. By adopting new technologies and automating processes, organizations can achieve significant improvements in performance. For example, a manufacturing facility might use KAIKAKU to introduce robots, automated inspection systems, or artificial intelligence to its production process. This could result in faster turnaround times, higher quality products, and lower costs.

KAIKAKU also involves the active participation of employees, especially those who are directly involved in the process. By involving employees in the process improvement process, organizations can tap into their expertise and knowledge, and create a sense of ownership and engagement. Employees can also bring valuable insights into the process and suggest new ideas for improvement.

KAIKAKU is also closely linked to the concept of "Just-in-Time" (JIT) manufacturing. JIT is a production strategy that aims to produce the right products at the right time, and in the right quantities, by minimizing waste and unnecessary inventory. By implementing KAIKAKU, organizations can achieve significant improvements in performance and implement JIT successfully.

In a nutshell, KAIKAKU is a powerful method for organizations that are committed to operational excellence and continuous improvement. By rethinking and redesigning the process from scratch, organizations can identify and eliminate sources of waste, inefficiencies, and bottlenecks that may have been present in the process for years. By adopting new technologies and automating processes, organizations can achieve significant improvements in performance. By involving employees in the process improvement process, organizations can tap into their expertise and knowledge. By implementing KAIKAKU, organizations can achieve significant improvements in performance and implement JIT successfully.

Machine Cycle Time

Machine Cycle Time is a term used to describe the amount of time it takes for a machine to complete one full cycle of operation. In the context of Lean management and operational excellence, machine cycle time is a critical metric that can be used to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of a manufacturing or production process.

The basic idea behind machine cycle time is that it measures the amount of time it takes for a machine to complete a specific task or series of tasks. This can include things like setting up a machine, loading raw materials, running a production process, and unloading finished products. By measuring the amount of time it takes for a machine to complete a full cycle of operation, organizations can gain insight into how efficiently the machine is running and identify areas for improvement.

One of the key benefits of measuring machine cycle time is that it can help organizations to identify bottlenecks and delays in the production process. By measuring the amount of time it takes for a machine to complete a full cycle of operation, organizations can identify which machines or processes are taking longer than they should, and then take action to address these bottlenecks. This can include things like improving machine maintenance, optimizing production processes, or identifying areas where automation can be used to improve efficiency.

Another benefit of measuring machine cycle time is that it can help organizations to identify areas where standardization can be used to improve a process. By measuring the amount of time it takes for a machine to complete a full cycle of operation, organizations can identify which machines or processes are taking longer than they should, and then take action to standardize those processes. This can include things like implementing best practices, developing standard operating procedures, or identifying areas where automation can be used to improve efficiency.

Measuring machine cycle time can also help organizations to identify areas where automation can be used to improve efficiency. By measuring the amount of time it takes for a machine to complete a full cycle of operation, organizations can identify which machines or processes are taking longer than they should, and then take action to automate those processes. This can include things like using robotics, using automated inspection systems, or using artificial intelligence to optimize production processes.

Machine cycle time also plays a critical role in analyzing machine’s capacity. By measuring the amount of time it takes for a machine to complete a full cycle of operation, organizations can identify which machines are operating at full capacity, and which ones have room for improvement. This can help organizations to optimize their production processes, and ultimately, increase their overall production capacity.

In conclusion, machine cycle time is a critical metric that can be used to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of a manufacturing or production process. By measuring the amount of time it takes for a machine to complete a full cycle of operation, organizations can gain insight into how efficiently the machine is running, identify bottlenecks and delays in the production process, identify areas where standardization can be used to improve a process, and identify areas where automation can be used to improve efficiency. Ultimately, measuring machine cycle time is a powerful tool for organizations that are committed to operational excellence and continuous improvement.

Standard Layout

Standard Layout: The Key to Unlocking Efficiency in Lean Management

Standardization is one of the fundamental principles of lean management, and it's no surprise that it's also one of the most effective ways to improve efficiency and reduce waste in your operations. One of the most powerful tools in the standardization toolbox is the standard layout, also known as "taikyō-sei" in Japanese.

A standard layout is a detailed, visual representation of the ideal workflow and arrangement of resources in a given area. This can include anything from the placement of tools and equipment to the flow of materials and the location of workstations. The goal is to create a clear and consistent way of working that minimizes waste, maximizes efficiency, and makes it easy for everyone on the team to understand and follow.

One of the most important benefits of a standard layout is that it makes it much easier to identify and eliminate sources of waste and inefficiency. By clearly defining the ideal way of working, it becomes much easier to see where things are going wrong and to make adjustments as needed. This can include anything from adjusting the location of workstations to the flow of materials, to the type and size of tools and equipment.

Another key benefit of a standard layout is that it makes it much easier to train new employees and to ensure that everyone is following the same processes. When everyone is working in the same way, it becomes much easier to share knowledge and best practices, which can help to improve the overall performance of the team.

Finally, a standard layout can also be a powerful tool for continuous improvement. By clearly defining the ideal way of working, it becomes much easier to measure performance and to identify areas for improvement. This can include anything from adjusting the flow of materials to the location of workstations, to the type and size of tools and equipment.

So, how do you go about creating a standard layout? The first step is to conduct a thorough analysis of your current operations. This should include a detailed study of the flow of materials, the location of workstations, and the type and size of tools and equipment. You should also pay close attention to the flow of people and information, as this can have a big impact on overall efficiency.

Once you have a good understanding of your current operations, you can then begin to create a detailed, visual representation of the ideal workflow and arrangement of resources. This should include everything from the placement of tools and equipment to the flow of materials and the location of workstations.

It's also important to involve your entire team in the process of creating a standard layout. This will help to ensure that everyone is on board with the changes and that everyone understands the benefits of standardization.

Once you have a standard layout in place, it's important to monitor and measure its effectiveness on a regular basis. This can include anything from tracking the flow of materials to the location of workstations, to the type and size of tools and equipment. It's also important to involve your entire team in the process of monitoring and measuring performance, as this will help to ensure that everyone is committed to continuous improvement.

In conclusion, a standard layout is a powerful tool for unlocking efficiency in lean management. By clearly defining the ideal way of working, it becomes much easier to see where things are going wrong and to make adjustments as needed. This can include anything from adjusting the flow of materials to the location of workstations, to the type and size of tools and equipment. Furthermore, it is a powerful tool for training, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement. If you're looking to improve efficiency and reduce waste in your operations, a standard layout is definitely worth considering.

Standard WIP (SWIP)

The minimum amount of material or product that must be in the process at all times to ensure smooth operation.

Standard Work is a little underrated concept in Lean Manufacturing. It is not simply standardization or work standards.

Standard Work is composed of three elements: Takt time, Work sequence and Standard Work in Process (SWIP). Takt Time is a fundamental concept of Lean Manufacturing, and Work Sequence is relatively intuitive. SWIP, however, is a bit more complex.

SWIP refers to the minimum necessary in-process inventory (work in process or WIP) to maintain Standard Work. It is not more or less than what is needed. To calculate the appropriate quantity for SWIP, one must ask a number of questions.

While a rough estimate of SWIP can be obtained by using the equation SWIP = Sum of Cycle Times / Takt Time, it is still necessary to determine where exactly this SWIP should be applied. The following steps provide a guide for determining the appropriate quantity of SWIP:

what’S the team size?

Standard Work is the most efficient combination of manpower, material, and machine, and is based on takt, work sequence, and Standard Work in Process (SWIP). By definition, it should include manual work. If a process is fully automated, it is not considered Standard Work. Instead, it is likely an NC program.

To determine the appropriate team size, the sum of manual cycle time is divided by Takt Time. Therefore, one piece of SWIP per person is required. The equation for manual SWIP would than be:

SWIP(manual) = Team member x (1 piece = person)

When determining the amount of SWIP, there should be no rounding, unless there is less than a full person. In that case, round up to the nearest whole number.

process steps as automatic one-piece cycle machines

Standard Work assumes the use of multiple processes or machines, and separates human and machine tasks as much as possible.

When using an automatic cycle, the worker will only be responsible for loading and unloading, and will not be present during the actual cycle. The automatic cycle time must also be shorter than the Takt Time, ensuring that there is always at least one piece in the machine during each cycle.

This is known as SWIP (single piece auto), and is calculated as the number of single-piece automatic cycle machines multiplied by one piece per machine. There is no rounding necessary as it is not possible to have less than a full machine. However, this only applies to single-piece automatic cycles, and calculations for batch processes or cycles with longer lead times may differ.

process steps as a single-piece non-machine automatic cycle

The term "non-machine automatic cycle" refers to process steps such as the drying time for paint, curing time for epoxy, and cooling time for hot parts.

These process steps may not involve machines, but they do require a certain amount of time for completion. The ratio of this time to the Takt Time is known as the Single-Piece Non-Machine Automatic (SWIP) cycle.

It is important to note that this value should always be rounded up to the nearest whole number. In some cases, equipment like turn tables or FIFO racks may be used to manage the curing process, ensuring that a finished product is available for each takt, and a new one is added for curing.

Process steps with a batch automatic cycle

Batch processes refer to situations in which equipment is designed to unload and load multiple pieces at a time, rather than one piece at a time.

A common example is heat treatment processes where a vacuum must be maintained and the door cannot be opened for hours. In such cases, a batch of parts is removed and then another batch is loaded. The cycle time per piece may be less than the Takt Time, but the overall automatic Cycle Time is greater than the Takt Time.

The Single-Piece Non-Machine Automatic (SWIP) cycle in this case is calculated as (Automatic time / Takt Time) x 2. The reason for this is that in batch processes, which do not allow for the addition or removal of individual pieces during the Takt, an extra quantity of complete parts is required. This concept can be compared to the idea of a pulley and bucket system used to retrieve water from a well, where one bucket is at the bottom of the well, full of water and another bucket is at the top, full of water, and during Takt, you empty out the bucket one by one and fill it back up one by one.

It's worth noting that in formulas 2, 3 and 4, manual cycle time is not included in the calculation because rule #1 takes care of that. This is because every manual Cycle Time must be within Takt by definition of Standard Work and since the unload/load time will involve one piece, there is no need to add manual time back into the calculation (in most of the cases).

Kanban

In this article we want to talk about another classic from Lean Management Kanban or the so called Pull System.

The word Kanban itself has its roots in the Chinese Japanese language and means card, label or sticker. In industrial manufacturing planning systems or general in logistics control Kanban describes a replenishment system for consumed parts according to the amount used steered by cards that give the signal following the Pull Principle.

The material in the Kanban System is exclusively oriented to the consumption of your production process. The cards are a key element of this kind of control system and provide proper information transfer. Kanban control loops from the work station of flexible production control and serves to smooth material flow through your inbound or even outbound logistics. In addition Kanban serves you to implement a sustainable reduction of material stocks, increases the ability to deliver and saves you pure cash.

In an ideal world Kanban would control your entire value chain from the supplier to the end customer. In this way you would have installed an complete smooth supply chain with almost no chance of interruption and massive stocks. And now comes the but – to steer production with Kanban – a continuous monitoring is required for a smooth material supply. To make it short: it requires discipline from all involved parties along the supply chain.

Lets have a look to the development of Kanban.

The first Kanban System was developed by none other than Taiici Ohno (of course) at Toyota Motor in the 1940s. One of the main reasons for the implementation of Kanban was the low productivity and efficiency of Toyota compared to western competitors. With the Kanban System, Toyota achieved a significant change towards flexible and efficient production control that had a massive impact on productions output while at the same time reducing the costs for inventory in raw material, work in progress (WIP) and finished goods.

To give the complete picture it wasn’t implementing the Kanban system itself to drive the success of Toyota, there are other key factors that together where making the difference. Just to name Just in time as an example of key elements of the Toyota Production System. It is and always will be a combination of different methods and philosophy that brings you forward.

In the 1970s the Kanban Concept was adapted in the industry in the USA and Germany. As they haven’t known better, they pretty much copied the complete Toyota Production System (TPS) in order to get the principles running.

Pull or Kanban System

Either way you call it, the material flow is controlled by boxes or cards. Kanban Cards serving in a simple way all information needed to identify what parts are needed in what quantity at what place. The amount typically is defined by the replenishment time at the work station. With the so called two box principle you make sure that the operator never runs short on components. Nowadays there are also digital version of it called eKanban, but the principle behind is the same. The trigger of supply is the Kanban Card starting of the pull chain of material.

To use Kanban efficient, it is not suitable for all parts. Kanban is perfect for small parts with a small amount of variants and a consistent demand. For this reason, you’ll see Kanban Systems in the industry mostly used for C-Parts management. The rest of the components are steered with the support of MRP. Only in rare cases you find that even the supply of big components are controlled with the Kanban methodology.

One nice side effect with Kanban, you can set up the way you can steer your bottleneck. That means, when you have done a proper value stream analysis you know the capacity for your bottleneck and will only order what this process step can handle.

Poka Yoke

Poka-Yoke is any mechanism that helps to avoid unplanned mistakes. Poka-Yoke is that the application of straightforward, error-proof mechanisms to systematically avoid incorrect assembly, mix-ups or the downstream movement of defective parts. As a result of stable and high-quality methods begin long before the assembly section, simple Poka-Yoke measures will be enforced preventively within the construction and coming up with phase to make sure quality. Poka-Yoke is implemented to avoid: going away out or forgetting process steps, process or operational-related mistakes, incorrect or missing parts, setup or installation errors.

POKA YOKE ポカヨケ ("stupid mistakes - avoidance") is associate ideology that takes a spread of approaches to optimize production processes, particularly assembly. The main target of Poka-Yoke is strive for zero-defect production and to attain it approximately. If defects are detected, the cause is determined. If the cause can be avoided, it's eliminated pretty much as good as doable within the sense of Poka-Yoke and at the best doesn't occur again at all. Poka-Yoke was originally an initiative of Dr. Shingo, Shigeo (新郷 重夫), who is additionally a co-founder of the Toyota production system, of that Poka-Yoke is a core component. Poka-Yoke is beneath the umbrella of Kaizen 改善 ("continuous improvement for the better").

Poka-Yoke may be about recognizing the root causes in time and so eliminating them. Mistakes shouldn't solely be corrected, however prevented the in the longterm by eliminating their root causes. Within the ideal case, in the sense of Poka-Yoke, there are measures that utterly rule out a discovered error by eliminating the cause in the future, e.g. as a result of incorrect mounting is not any longer doable because of fixed given mounting ways (e.g. fitting shapes). Poka-Yoke demands product style ability to make a product design that forestalls errors (avoid incorrect operation) and is powerful against errors (despite incorrect operation no faulty processes). Thus the philosophy of Poka-Yoke doesn't solely begin within the production, however already in the product design.

A widely known everyday example is that the plug of the electric devices and the power outlets, that can't be inserted into the socket the incorrect way round. Measuring instruments may also be designed or programmed in such a way that they will not be misused. Poka-Yoke principles can also be found in other cases, e.g. ATMs dispense your credit card before the payout takes place. Fuel dispenser faucets solely work into the right tank for diesel or petrol, creating it tougher to refuel incorrectly. And so on.

Looking at Poka-Yoke in production "Nobody makes any mistakes" is the target of the Poka-Yoke methodology. Here a list of some mistakes that can typically be found in production:

• Incorrect positioning of assembly components

• Incorrect change of a die

• Incorrect mounting

• Wrong interpretation of directions

• Incorrect polarity in electrical connections

• Incorrect reading of measured values

• Incorrect connection of hoses

• Incorrect entries in devices

• Assembly of wrong components

• Skipped operations

• Operation/programming errors on machines

POKA YOKE follows three simple steps
Measurement:

If you can’t measure you can’t control. Simple fixtures or sensors up to high performance camera systems can support the right execution of processes and provides feedback about the correct or incorrect task completion. Measures can be taken by cameras, mechanical, sensor for light and colors, position, vibration, voltage or temperature.

Detection of deviation:

E.g. deviations are determined by checking the amount of tasks done during one operation - has had the operator enough movement to do the job? Are enough components used? (actual-target comparison). Or simple exploitation geometric mismatches when pins or special marking at the workstation are still visible or not used.

Regulation

When deviations occur make sure that measures are taken such as pulling the ANDON CORD by the so called stop the line authority. Only when error-causing steps are cancelled out a permanent production of OK parts can be achieved.

Only when living according to the Poka-Yoke philosophy on a daily basis and following the principles of Poka-Yoke you will be able to achieve with smart automation and trained operators long term success. Root Cause Analysis and sustainable counter measurements are key. In addition each operator should be trained to detect their own faults during operation.

It might seam to be waste to train operators to detect failures, but no matter how much you planing and effort you put in design, failures occur during assembly or manufacturing. Just think about wiring that is now crossing moving components, parts where the collision was not seen during design and so on, trust me the list can be endless. Some failures will be detected with smart automation checking devices. But these are typically very costly and need special trained people to maintain and most of the time these little pieces of technology can only do one job. Here joins Poka-Yoke the game. Cost efficient, failures or incorrect assemblies can’t be passed on and each operator develops an eye for deviation.

Just keep in mind that if you have mass production or small to middle series can determine if you should install a 100% check or if simple Poka-Yokes can get you where you want.

The most important part of Poka-Yoke at all is that failures are detected when they occur and the exponentially rising costs of defective parts passed on are prevented.

EPEI

EVERY PART EVERY INTERVAL

The abbreviation EPEI stands for the frequency at which cycle production makes the same component again. Parts are produced once on one resource.

Value Creation

The exact opposite of waste is value creation. That is what you aim for with all lean activities. Value creation are all activities that create or add value to your service or product and the customers are willing to pay for. When a service or product has been perceived or appraised to fulfill a customer need or desire as defined, the product or service may be said to have value or worth. Components of value may include quality, utility, functionality, capacity, aesthetics, timeliness or availability, price, etc.

Milkrun

The Milkrun is the preset intralogistics concept to bring raw material, semi finished and finished goods to the place they belong at the time they are needed. The Mikrun is implemented based on existing consumption values, an internal supply cycle is defined in which deliveries on fixed routes are installed with specific times.

Based on these current consumption values, a logistic supply cycle is defined wherein raw material, semi and finished goods are delivered and picked up by a fixed route at a specific time. With this you will also optimize your intralogistics concept in general taking on action for a Milkrun concept.

So what is the idea behind the Milkrun concept.

The term Milkrun comes from the traditional milkman that was supplying milk to homes on a fixed route in a specific time. The milk delivery was based on the consumption of the households, by this only the amount of milk needed was delivered. Empty bottles have been picked up at the same time and brought back to the distribution center. So quite simple full bottle(s) delivered, empty bottle(s) picked up.

The cross company Milkrun
Nowadays the material management got a little bit more complex. Speaking in the external way of logistics a Milkrun is a supplier concept where customers ask for one or more shipping companies to manage different suppliers or customers on after the other in the form of a shipping cycle. In this way, goods and empty containers can be delivered and received at the same time without the need of centralization. The main goal is to have as less as possible empty trucks and at the same time being under full control of external material flow. Tours and deadlines are the guard rails on these cycles, reducing storage space is the nice to have side effect.

The benefits of the Milkrun concept

• With installing a Milkrun you will be able to reduce shipping times, processing processes and therefore handling costs.

• Just in Time and Just in Sequence deliveries are possible

• Your planning is more structured as you will have fixed time frames

• Less capital needed due to decreasing inventory/stock/WIP

• You can integrate waste and empty container management

• Increase of sustainability due to ecologically smarter transportation routes

Of course there are also some challenges with the Milkrun concept

• Time consuming planning as quantity, duration, replenishment time, etc. needs to be considered

• Processes and products need constant supply

• Outbound Milkruns can be delayed by traffic or weather conditions

• Economically relevant for larger business or higher demands of goods

• Reliable supplier for products and transport needed

One last note for the internal Milkrun

Inbound the concept can be used in both ways, intralogistics and manufacturing. E.g. certain raw materials or semi-finished goods can be delivered on a regular basis to predefined workstations where the consumption can simply calculated. And on the fixed route the Mizusumashi can collect empty container and waste from production. This reduces internal ways of operators and guarantees a continuous supply of workstations. The next level would be to interlink all workstations or cells with your internal supply cycles to create an intralogistics flow, reducing the manual replenishment work. To find out what the Mizusumashi is just go here. In short: he/she is the guy who supllies goods on the shop floor in a structured process.

8D

The so called “8D”-Report is a document resulting from an 8D process which is part of a structured problem solving process in quality management if there are quality issues between customer and supplier.

8D represents the eight mandatory process steps that are performed when processing a claim to get to the root of the cause. The report details the nature of the claim, responsibilities, and actions taken to prevent the problem from reoccurring:

The 8D methodology is intended to ensure that complaints are dealt with systematically. Consistent documentation of the associated troubleshooting steps and a high level of fact orientation ensure that errors in the product or system are thoroughly investigated and thus permanently corrected instead of just solving the problem.

Application

These eight steps are performed for the 8D report: 

1 Define a team to solve the problem

A team familiar with the process and/or the product is formed. They analyze the problem, take corrective actions, and monitor the effectiveness.

2 Describe the problem

In this step, the problem is defined as precisely as possible and the root cause of the problem is identified.

3 Containment action

These measures are intended to resolve the problem quickly and limit the damage until a permanent solution is found.

4 Root cause analysis

You probably haven’t found the real root cause during step 2 therefor various tests and experiments are used during step 4 to search for the real root cause of the error and the most likely causes are identified. This is intended to ensure that similar errors do not occur again.

5 Planning of counter measures

It then determines the means by which the causes of the problem can be eliminated. It is tested whether these measures solve the problem efficiently and no undesired side effects occur.

6 Check effectiveness of counter measures

Once the corrective actions have been carried out successfully, the immediate actions must be stopped. In the automotive industry, only process-improving measures are regarded as permissible shutdown measures.

7 Prevent recurrence of error

To ensure that such an error does not happen again, the team must initiate and monitor preventive measures. In the automotive and aerospace industries, manufacturers must use the FMEA method to assess the risks identified during root cause analysis. .Also, quality management system rules and procedures may need to be adjusted.

8 Appreciation of team performance and Lessons Learned

In a last step, the achievements of the team are recognized and experiences are exchanged.

Mentee

The mentee is the student of the mentor.

The term mentoring describes the development process in an organization where an experienced person (mentor) passes on his/her knowledge and skills on to a new/unexperienced person (mentee).

The overall aim of a mentoring program is to develop and promote the mentee’s personal and professional growth within or outside your organization.

As described the mentor refers to the role of a personal trainer whose experience supports the development of the mentee. There is also the cross-mentoring approach out there where experienced managers from different departments or companies and their high potentials (mentees) come together for tandems. Cross Mentoring usually is an externally organized program in which the tandems are formed in cross-functional and cross-industry teams.

Minimarket Principle

The minimarket is the smallest version of a supermarket. The minimarket is typically a small area where operators can take parts from located on the shop floor. Typically C-Parts which are refilled following the Kanban/2-Bin principle. The minimarket is filled by the milkrun which pulls material from the supermarket.

Shop Floor Management

Shop Floor Management (SFM) helps the constant improvement of processes and procedures on the shop floor. The presence of mgmt. level staffing in manufacturing and their recognition on deviations from requirements dramatically hastens decision-making and consequences with inside the on the spot implementation of solutions.

Shop Floor Management really defines control duties and calls for unique modes of conduct. Management is supported via way of means of the utility of unique equipment. Five Shop Floor Management-associated duties are performed on the Shop Floor and are as follows:

1. Install regular communication

2. Confirm processes

3. Empower/Qualify staff

4. Make it part of the continuous improvement process (CIP)

5. Conduct problem solving in a structured approach

SFM emphasizes behavior that encourages your staff to resolve issues inside their scope of capabilities and strive for continuous improvement.

For example, management maintains its remarks to a minimum, handiest makes binding commitments, offers however additionally accepts feedback, profits its personal attitude of a situation, lets in errors in mastering situations, does now no longer lay blame and places in vicinity wondering techniques. SFM tools help the effectiveness of SFMgmt. e.g.:

• Production diary, KPI charts, hassle-fixing sheet, T-cards

• Shopfloor Management

• What is Shopfloor Management?

• Shopfloor Management

• Basic components of shop floor mgmt

• Clear management roles and responsibilities

• Regular communication (Gemba Walks)

• Key Performance Indicators

• Problem-solving techniques

• Visualization

Some explanation of the basics of operational leadership in shop floor mgmt. you organization will for sure profit from clear leadership roles and tasks. Your employees want near help for independent problem solving. Large control gaps, wherein the direct touch among the supervisor and his personnel and associates is reduced, normally do now no longer show themselves.

The Japanese version of a classical institution leader (Hancho), with a totally small management margin and occasional willpower of the personnel, regularly does now no longer suit into the qualified operator in organizations. The excessive qualification of operators is a vital aggressive thing in industry. In order to make suitable use of those capabilities with inside the processes, disciplinary management has the mission of the use of SMART´en to acquire desires at the same time as keeping room for manoeuvre and keeping a very good stability among needs and help.

Managers at the first mgmt. level do now no longer meet those demanding situations via time control seminars, however via greater practical duties and requirement profiles. Examine whether or not it's far important to introduce extra technical management as an alleviation for the first mgmt. level to your organization (CIP coordinator, Kaizen Manager, Process Champion). This feature can stand up from the present functions.

Jointly have a look at the opportunities of dispensing distinctive information regions (5S, set-up time reduction, CIP etc.) with inside the assembly teams expand collectively with you a brand new blending answer specially appropriate for you.

Regular communication

Regular communication is the structured approach to create a framework on a regular basis for opportunities. In this rhythm issues can be carried out and discussed across the management levels. Regular communication is an integral part of the day to day work of all players in your organization.

This way of communication, no matter if you call it huddles, stand up meetings, shop floor meetings, etc. guarantees a continuous flow of information without loss of information itself as it is fast and recurring. A subject matter-associated exchange takes place where employees are enabled to independently define measures, hassle answers and pointers for development and to remedy conflicts as quick as possible.

The continuous flow of information between the departments throughout the complete organization is guaranteed through these regular and short meetings. One positive side effect is that with regular communication you will also calm down daily operations management by clearly separating the topics (e.g. operative commercial enterprise, 5S, CIP, etc.). It is vital that these regular meetings are performed continuously and adhered to in order that normal communique will become independent.

Key Performance Indicators

Regular communication can only exist if the information inside these meetings are defined and standardized. The standard of these meetings is not only the agenda but more important the Key Performance Indicators (KPI). The target of working with KPIs is to have a framework for employees that provides information on the achievement of objectives. When you want to successfully control your production be aware that KPIs are broken down in such a way that they have a direct connection to the operators or designated workstation. Only then they are becoming a real instrument of control by which teams and departments can be measured. The positive thing about KPIs is that with the continuous improvement process paired with a structured problem solving approach all employees will see the effect of implemented measures on the KPIs. To get the full information on KPIs go here.

Problem Solving

Problem solving isn’t always as simple as it sounds, but it clearly shows the effectiveness of clear shop floor management. There are plenty of problem solving methods out there (Ishikawa, 5 Why, A3, Root Cause Analysis, just to name a few) and lean methods (e.g. 5S, set-up time reduction, Hejunka etc.) are well known in the manufacturing industry. But these methods are there to help your organization to deal with more complex issues, this means that they are not really useful for operators that are dealing with daily production but more for a problem solving team consisting of employees from different departments.

To tackle problem solving the right and sustainable way the role of a Kaizen Manager should be installed in your organization in order to steer the problem solving and continuous improvement process. Kaizen Manager help you to get out of this “fire fighting mode” with a sustainable CIP culture.

Visualization

For a clear visualization of running process in your organization, cleanliness and orderliness is the main part of it. Clarity of your processes on the shop floor is the foundation for all lean manufacturing activities. Having the clarity the implementation and maintaining of visual management methods will guide you to a real state of flow.

There are different ways for visualization out there (find a deeper insight here)

The target with visual management and those methods are all the same:

1. Create transparency

2. Visual representation of procedures processes and services

3. Making problems (or bottlenecks) visible

All documents and information are daily updated and right at the place of action clearly visualized for everybody in the organization (e.g. blackboards, Workflow Boards, Shop Floor Boards, Andon Boards, etc.).

Following the PDCA cycle the status of problem solving activities are recorded and visualized. KPIs on different topics are installed and tracked and so on. Important is only that all this information follows also a clear structure and has its own spot on the shop floor (e.g. a shop floor corner). Visualization starts at the workplace of a operator and ends at the management board of the plant manager or owner of the organization.

But in the end it always supports the Continuous Improvement Process in order to bring your organization the next level or simply to overachieve your customers expectations. To get a full insight in Visual Management, read the full article here.

Sensei

In the lean world a sensei is a lean production expert that transfers his knowledge as mentor on to his mentees.

To be successful with a Sensei it's been revealed that you need to start at the top and find a sensei to work with in order to engage all employees on the shop floor. As Lean activities reach industrial maturity, the role of the Sensei remains a gray area.

It is obvious that your organization needs a Sensei to adapt and successfully implement Lean principles. Therefore, the Sensei position will be your bottleneck in Lean implementation. In every Lean transformation process, one learns at some point that the success of a company consists in learning to learn.

As a little guide, consider the following three effects:

Learning curve: The learning curve of each department and initiative is tracked by their manager in the organization rather than having to compare it to established best practices across your organization.

Spillover: Effective learning practices are passed through hands-on, experiential learning from person to person within your organization rather than through predetermined processes.

Value-Based: Lean as a whole provides a learning framework that aims to balance customer satisfaction (which leads to organizational success) with employee satisfaction (and personal fulfillment) through a set of principles and tools aimed at discovering how MUDA can be reduced and value can be increased . Adding activities in all areas of the organization.

This approach has both sides of the medal, but the weak and the strength are lying in the learning path of each employee. Following the lean principles, every employee is expected to discover:

What do I need to learn: What is my personal challenge in order to better align my work with customer value and thus sustainable and profitable growth with the satisfaction of all my colleagues to reconcile.

Learning from the shop floor: The learning style is deeply embedded in daily operations. Employees are learning results from their support of learning activities at all levels. Because all employees solve their problems or show initiative, everyone is expected to interpret the conclusions of others and find a way to adopt the solutions to their own work. It is the responsibility of the Sensei to support its learners in this learning phase. Learning by doing is the correct way to describe it.

Create a learning environment for your employees: Learning on the job is never easy, especially in today's business climate. Consequently, one of the key functions of a Sensei in the Lean perspective is to create a visual environment for employees where it is easier to recognize than normal and where opportunities for continuous improvement in small steps (Kaizen in Lean jargon) are clearly visible Everyone. A learning environment also means a stable affective environment where mistakes are not punished but seen as a source of learning.

The Sensei is not a boss at all. He or She has no power and can only suggest. The Sensei's task is to help all employees in your organization to develop their own lean thinking through practical exercises in workshops. The Sensei's job is to convince middle managers that solving today's problems will, in the long run, prevent tomorrow's fires.

The essence of Lean is learning while solving problems. This is a difficult task at the best of times, and indeed every person in your organization must be taught to learn how to learn. In relation to managers, the Sensei has five main roles of support:

1. Finding problems

2. Tackling problems

3. Creating problems

4. Solving problems

5. And finally learnings from problems

"If you have no problems, you are dead". is a classic lean principle. Perhaps the most important part of Lean's problem-solving learning approach is the initial problem-finding phase. Lean's approach to business is to capitalize on every problem.

“Sometimes you WIN sometimes you LEARN!”

— Operations Insider

5M Method

5M Method is just an other way of describing an ISHIKAWA Diagram. This diagram is pre-structured with five given categories of potential causes: “Man”, “Machine”, “Material”, “Mileu = Environment” and “Methodology”. In a more detailed form of the environment you can further divide it in “management” and “measurement” which then is considered as 7M methodology.

One Piece Flow

The term One-Piece-Flow basically describes the radical reduction of lead times through flow-optimized production. In an ideal state processed parts or components are moved from one process step to the next without any interim storage. The quantity moved consists only of one part or one batch. You will only be able to achieve this when your work systems are closely connected. The transition of a work system to an one-piece-flow oriented system can only succeed if there is a high availability of existing capacities and flexibility.

Getting your production to flow combines increased productivity and increased employee motivation.

As with most of the lean terms the one-piece-flow principle made its way from the Toyota Production System where it is referred as operator centric work flow. Instead of day in and day out performing the same task at a fixed work station the operator moves with the workpiece through the complete process steps, station after station, for which he/she has to be qualified for all process steps. It is quite similar to a Chaku Chaku line, while Chaku Chaku describes a concrete line layout, one-piece-flow is a principle or mindset so to say. The basic idea behind it is to reduce defects through lacks of concentration and increase motivation of operators through variety.

Lean Manufacturing terms might seem complex, but as most of the time, the principle behind is straight forward and quite simple. As they seem to be no brainers they easily get forget about it which will automatically lead to waste. The best example for waste is the so called TIMWOOD(S), where two main drivers are high amount of Work in Progress (WIP) and high inventories.

Now let us have a look how the One-Piece-Flow principle can help.

The principle of One-Piece-Flow is a new form of flow production. In contrast to conventional forms of flow production the worker in the one-piece.flow production does not remain in his place. Generally speaking the operator has no place of his own - he is always moving with the good. This is exactly where the reference to Chaku-Chaku comes from. With the sequence principle, on the other hand, the operator only interacts with the workpiece on one process step.

After on part is finished the operator starts again at the beginning of the line. This procedure comes with certain demands on the assembly line. U-Shape Layout is the most favorite one, as start and end should be as close as possible to each other in order to keep ways short and transition seamless. The U-Shape Layout is also great as raw material and other components are supplied from the outside, what makes the job of the Mizusumashi easier, and the value adding activities are on the inside.

But speaking about the advantages of One-Piece-Flow, the try to make it short:

• Arrangement of workstations simplifies the arrangement of operators

• If deviations occur, the operator knows exactly where it is coming from

• With the CIP the continuous optimization is really driven on a constant basis

• Applied correctly, lead times are drastically reduced

• Inventory is drastically reduced

• Used space on the shop floor can be reduced by 60% compared to conventional production

• Motivation of operators raises as they are responsible from start to end and do not have this monotone daily routine of just one work station

In addition, the use of U-Shaped assembly lines, and if they are build up on standard profiles or standard shelvings, it gives you a huge amount of flexibility. Where workstations or the complete line can be easily extended, reduced or adjusted to new needs.