what is it and how to apply it?

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Lean Manufacturing is a Japanese management methodology that initially transformed the entire structure of the automobile industry , but is ready to be applied to other sectors.

In Spanish it can be translated as “adjusted production” and has the objective of optimizing production processes with more efficient flows, reducing costs and combating waste.

In the following sections we will talk a little more about this management method, its characteristics and how it can be applied successfully in your company.

What is Lean Manufacturing ?
As we said at the beginning, Lean Manufacturing has its origins in Japan. It was born as a solution for Toyota after the Second World War ended and created a series of problems for the industry.

Basically, adjusted production consists of increasing production by reducing the amount of resources applied, but in an intelligent way and with effective results.

General processes seek more adjusted inventories, the adoption of tools that can eliminate waste and training so that the team is prepared to resolve any inconsistency that harms production.

Let us remember that, above all, Lean Manufacturing phone leads continues to focus on the quality of the product . Ultimately, it is necessary to avoid waste, without compromising the final product.

What are the objectives of Lean Manufacturing?
Lean Manufacturing pursues a series of objectives to increase efficiency and reduce waste in its production processes.

Reduce costs and waste
This is possible thanks to the elimination of any resource that does not add value, such as excess inventory, overproduction, unnecessary waiting times, defects, among others.

Continuous improvement of processes
The concept of improvement continues to drive organizations to make incremental improvements in their processes, allowing constant adjustment and adaptation to new conditions.

Quality increase
This methodology also focuses on ensuring that products meet the highest quality standards , through the implementation of systems that prevent defects from the beginning.

Reduction of production time
Thanks to techniques such as Just In Time and Kanban, work flow is optimized and production times are adjusted to real demand, eliminating dead times.

Greater production capacity
Finally, by eliminating inefficiencies and maximizing available resources, Lean Manufacturing allows companies to increase their production capacity without the need for additional investment in infrastructure.

What are the 7 wastes that Lean Manufacturing avoids?
The productive basis of Lean Manufacturing is what we call "The 7 Wastes of Lean Manufacturing". By eliminating these seven points, it is possible to systematically improve production processes:

1. Overproduction
Overproduction is when the company produces more than is necessary or before there is demand.

Overproduction requires greater investment of resources , as well as the creation of stocks and other needs.

2. Wait
Waiting is for work breaks caused by problems such as technical failures, lack of professionals, delays in the release of processes and the need to supply materials, among others.

The waste in waiting indicates that there is incoherence in the operations : the time between one flow and the other is out of adjustment, the logistics are disorganized and the equipment is not producing as it really could.

3. Movement
Wasted movement occurs when there is some type of displacement that could be avoided . An example is when the employee has to travel long distances within the plant.

The creation of a more intelligent and logical layout of the plant is a way to mitigate this problem and offer more useful time for production.

4. Unnecessary process
There are a series of ineffective or unnecessary activities that take us time every day and do not contribute any value to the final product.

We can mention bureaucratic processes , reports that will not be seen and forms that have no practical objective.

5. Stock
Excess stocks are due to the accumulation of raw materials and more produced goods than necessary.

Lack of planning, poor knowledge of the shopping area and a distorted vision of productivity can cause this problem.

6. Transportation
Any unnecessary movement of resources is a waste of transport. Transport in itself does not add value to the final product, but is necessary to reach the consumer.

Therefore, its use must be thought of intelligently, to minimize the impact on production.

7. Defects
Defects are defects in quality in the production process that give rise to products with imperfections.

This generates more expenses, waste of materials and investment of more working time on the part of equipment.

What are the principles of Lean Manufacturing?
To implement Lean Manufacturing or adjusted production in the company, it is necessary to be guided by 5 fundamental values ​​and thus be able to achieve the best desired results:

1. Value
The first step in Lean Manufacturing is understanding how each of the current processes works.

How do these processes generate value? How effective are they to obtain results? How much waste is generated? This makes it easier to identify bottle cells and define flows that require adjustments.

2. Value flow
From the definitions of the previous topic, identify the work steps that add to the value of the product.

Think about how the company works, about the flows that slow down the process and about what can be done to improve.

3. Continuous flow
The third step is to start producing without interruptions , with a new work flow model. This is the time to get hands-on with the work and see if the proposed ideas really work and follow up on progress.

4. Starting point
Now is the time to define a new starting point to start production. In this way, production will be carried out according to demand and without waste.