One foundational concept in lean manufacturing (based on the Toyota Production System) is to expose waste that was previously hidden so that the waste can be eliminated.
The well-known 7 wastes are really only examples. They are:
1. Overproduction
2. Waiting
3. Conveyance
4. Processing
5. Inventory
6. Motion
7. Correction
Consider the waste of waiting: maybe you began by implementing takt time, doing line balance, and creating standardized work. There is typically a savings in staffing that results by doing the rebalance and eliminating operator waiting due to imbalance in the work content and lack of pace. Often, the line struggles to achieve the target output due to previously hidden wastes that are now exposed when the line attempts to run at takt time. The result is the line stops and team members wait.
My sensei would ask me what problem am I trying to solve. We have to be present when the line stops in order to know what happened. There are many issues that will stop a paced line. For example, a material shortage at the line. It is time to begin the discovery process. Determine the exact item that was not present at the line, purchased or manufactured, are there any in the building (if so, where), if manufactured is the producing area behind, is this a scheduling issue or capacity issue. So many possibilities that need to be examined and understood until the true root cause is found.
The process takes time. Traditional manufacturing hides problems by adding excess resources (and waste), or worse, problem solving is more of a guessing game where no real effort is made in finding the cause. TPS exposes the problems and forces us to eliminate the root cause, but this is not usually a strong skill in a company. This skill is developed through learning from an experienced problem solver using a proven and systematic process, followed by real world practice on the shop floor with coaching from the sensei. It is no different than developing any other skill, it takes a coach, knowledge, practice, perseverance.
This also tests the resolve of top management, because the old way seems much easier and these problems are believed to not have existed. The reality is companies waste millions of dollars on equipment and floor space that is really unnecessary and take time and energy to bring on line. After that is done these costs cannot be easily eliminated.
After decades implementing lean manufacturing, Toyota and the few companies that truly embrace these philosophies continue to make improvements and drive out waste.
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