Deck 17: Lean Manufacturing

Question 1

How does lean thinking generate process improvement?

Answer 1

Lean thinking generates process improvement by following these five steps:
1. Study the process by directly observing the work activities, their connections and flow.
2. Study the process to systematically eliminate wasteful activities, their connections and flow.
3. Establish agreement among those affected by the process in terms of what the process needs to accomplish and how the process will accomplish it.
4. Attack and solve problems using a systematic method.
5. Integrate the above approach throughout the organization.

Question 2

You are about to interview for a full-time job with a company of your choice. How will you recognize that this company is following the Six Sigma methodology combined with Lean principles? How do you know they are? Be sure to sight specific examples of the evidence you would look for!

Answer 2

Look to see if they have any of the following systems in place: Customer Focus, Value Chain Management, Active Leadership, Focus on Business Results, Strategic Planning, Information and Knowledge Management, Quality Assurance, Organizational Philosophy focused on Quality, Project Management, Value Engineering, Efforts to Eliminate of Waste, Teams, Human Resources Management, Just-in-time operations, Quality Tools, Process Management Improvement

Question 3

How does error-proofing relate to Dr. Deming's point that states 'remove the barriers that rob people of pride of workmanship'?

Answer 3

Error proofing is another way to eliminate waste. It involves five principles: elimination, replacement, facilitation, detection, and mitigation. Each of these three help make processes and work simpler for people. They don't have to work as hard, they don't make mistakes in their job, and they produce the right thing for the customer without any problems in it. This means that they can do their job well and have pride in their workmanship. Error proofing allows this to happen because it takes the potential for making a mistake out of the job.

Question 4

Describe what happens at a Kaizen event.

Question 5

Why do Six Sigma organizations do value stream process mapping on a process from the customer's point-of-view?

Question 6

Why is it a good idea to create value stream process maps?

Question 7

What are the five S's? Describe your own work area. What could you do to 'five S' it?

Question 8

Define line balancing.

Question 9

What are the benefits of using a Kanban system?

Question 10

What is Takt time? Calculate the Takt time for an 8 hour day that has two 10 minute breaks and one 30 minute lunch. The customer would like to have 100 parts per day.