What is Lean Manufacturing?
Lean production system is a system designed for a company to achieve maximum efficiency in its activities. The main target can be defined as “shortening the time from receiving the order to delivering the product to the customer and then also receiving the payment”. This shortening is achieved by eliminating everything that exists in the process and does not produce added value. Thus, an improvement beyond costs, delivery and quality is expected.
In the classical management approach, investment and improvement studies are usually carried out by focusing on direct workmanship (visible workmanship). However, the actual cost-generating items are hidden in areas that the manager cannot see, and in time losses that do not create added value. The main goal of the Lean Production System can be explained as the revealing and reducing of these hidden costs.
Lean production aims to excel in operational efficiency. The approach of the productive use of available resources includes techniques and practices. For this purpose, the view of the Lean Production to the organization is to eliminate waste. Any activity that does not add value in the formation of the product is considered a waste. Activities in a lean organization are organized according to the flow of jobs. Products that meet customer expectations pass through the production system in a very short time. Since arrangements are intended to be made without requiring additional investment, an increase in quality and speed leads to a direct cost reduction. All of the lean techniques are practical studies which are conducted in the workshop and give visible results in a short time.
What it brings?
1. 20-80% reduction in stocks
- Just in time delivery (95%)
- Positive cash flow with zero or negative operation capital
- Small lot or single production (one piece flow), short model change time (SMED)
2. 20-50% gain in the area used
- High flow rate and reduced stock in production
- Always ready to use stock material with the “Supermarket” system used from the production area
- Elimination of material stops with the “Milk – run” system that established in production
3. Decrease in indirect labor at 20-50%
- Less preparation time
- Less emergency situation (Proactive view)
- Employees that focused on production
4. Increase in production efficiency at 20-50%
- Improved material flow
- Less waste and repair
- Higher OEE (Overall equipment efficiency)
What are Lean Production Tools and Techniques?
- Value Stream Mapping
- Kanban
- Modular Production (One Piece Flow)
- Quick mold – shortening the model replacement time (SMED)
- Error Preventing Devices (POKA-YOKE)
- Organizing-Layout Cleaning (5S)
- Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
- Continuous İmprovement (KAIZEN)
- Visual Control
- Supermarket
The most important infrastructure required for a successful Lean implementation is the presence of Six Sigma project leaders and an institutional environment in which Six Sigma projects are carried out effectively.
