You made to remember me which are important rules about to improve processes because we sometimes think about taking time cycle with cronometer and we don't consider what's the priotity about improve. Greetings from Mexico. I hope you make videos about more topics about lean manufacturing: line balancing, SMED, poka-yoke, Kan-Ban, VSM.
Thank you very much for your feedback. If you have any topics you would like me to look into, just send me a quick email. I am always looking for new and interesting things to discuss.
Minimize and simplify are the easy parts. Having enough room in shops for the functionality portion can be an issue, as most shops square footage is barley enough. At least in the northeast, where real estate costs are high.
Great point. To be honest with you, a lot of the stuff looks great on paper. But, there is so much involved in optimization that at the end of the day it really comes down to how well trained your employees are.
Good point!! and let me tell you I want to convert a traditional line to lean line, but I had some doubt about what kind of training I need to provide to team members (operators), in what way I can change their thoughts about share operations, would you please share knowledge about that...
Great video, Ian. Have you ever encountered the S-shaped cell in practice? I am having a hard time imagining it having a benefit over a double-U-shaped cell unless you're working around fixed obstacles. Can you inform me of the potential unique benefits of that layout?
Hi Brian - I have not seen many - but most of the ones I've come across or used were because of a pillar, post, or other obstruction that cannot be moved. There are applications where the S-Shaped Cell works very efficiently, but it's sometimes industry-specific.
Oooh - Levi - that's a great question. I should do a video on that. Ultimately, even when doing customized work, there has to be some basic commonality when manufacturing a product - meaning that there must be some basic operations. You just gave me a great idea for a video.
C.C.O.M.W.I.P. understand what that means. the elimination of MUDA give you what this gentlemen is generalizing on. This is a slimmed down version of the Toyota Production System. Keep up the good work.
+Comic Sans I think you'll find that 90% of the viewers here aren't aware of MUDA and the seven wastes. The reality is that not every company has linear and constant demand for the same products day-in-day-out. Automotive manufacturers have 5-8 models of cars and make millions of the same car yearly - from a fixed bill of materials. However, the vast majority of companies do not have this luxury - they deal with infrequent demand, cyclical markets and floating product lines. Waste is waste - and it's baby steps that matter - not a full on adoption of TPS when it's not viable, needed or applicable for 90% of the companies out there.
+Ian Johnson this is true, to qualify where i come from i work for Toyota, Lexus in particular and have been studying and using the TPS system in real time for quite a few years. I would teach it if Toyota didn't treat me so well.. what you are briefly over viewing above there actually a tool called Standardize Process Chart which calibrates the process to its optimal efficiency. Its really a simple but powerful tool -ergonomically too. interesting stuff. after designing lines at work i feel as though i could walk into any company and instantly save them 10's of thousands upon thousands within the first months. Also reducing WSIB or safety/med visits efficiency and ergo go hand in hand. It blows my mind engineers and industry specialists have no understanding of this. It doesn't matter if you're a 5 billion a qtr or 50k a year profit its all the same WASTE IS WASTE. Accomplishing as much as possible by doing as little a possible, or the least amount of effort. (S.M.A.R.T.) Im sure you know this very well. I will say though I worked for a guy pre Toyota/Lexus who taught the TPS system but never ever actually worked for toyota or learned it and used it everyday from GPC a consultant, a real "know it all" he was brought in to "save the company" but after having first rate experience of actually using and understanding the mindset, that boy was full of it, way off in his thoughts and understanding etc. Keep up the good work though. Stay focused on the cores. theres 1000's of "ideas and concepts" none have been refined and stayed effective as the TPS mindset. Big business or small, Production or Office. I mean no slant to you btw. i will edit my first response seems a little harsh
+Comic Sans Don't worry - I didn't take offense. It's just that far too many companies are intimidated by lean approaches and strategies. They think all the calculations, analytics, statistics and methodologies can't apply to them because of the market they operate in and the products they sell. Most just need to get started and not worry about full adoption of all possible approaches. Taking action is what matters. Take care.
As an intern, the industrial engineer I worked with said the exact same thing - the company will always insist that their market is "not applicable". Frustrating to get the buy-in needed!
Hi - look up lean manufacturing - there are plenty of excellent resources. I would start with APICS - American Productivity and Inventory Control Society.
He made a mistake calculating the productivity. Its a 8hr shift the lunch-break hour doesnt count. Eg 7am pucn in 11am punch out for lunch 12pm punch in and 4pm punch out
I'm not picking up how 204 units emerge from the cell in 255 minutes if the flow of the product through the cell is dependent on the accumulated efforts of all steps prior to the last. The last workstation of the cell is performing its task at a rate of 5. 5 minutes is that workstation's cycle time. Only 51 parts are leaving that cell in 255 minutes.
Correct - given the arrows he implies it is a serial process with 4 stations, however he then explains it as being a process with 4 stations working in parallel.
