A company has successfully implemented Lean practices in their three station process. The stations are, in order, Station A, Station B, and Station C and product moves from A to B to C smoothly. One day, the equipment at Station B experiences catastrophic failure. What happens and what is the appropriate response for a Lean-thinking company?
A)Continue producing at Station C and restore capacity at Station B.
B)Continue producing at Station A and restore capacity at Station B.
C)Continue producing at Station A and C and restore capacity at Station B.
D)Everything stops and attention is focused on restoring capacity at Station B.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In Lean thinking, the focus is on flow and minimizing waste. When a station in the process experiences a failure, continuing production at other stations can lead to overproduction, which is a form of waste. The appropriate response is to stop and focus efforts on restoring the failed station to resume the smooth flow of production.

A Company Has Successfully Implemented Lean Practices in Their Three