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Thoughts on the
Lean Process |
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An essential
part of design and engineering |
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Lean principles are great guide
posts, even for teams that don't use a lean evaluation process. |
Brainstorm and dig into the details
of every aspect of a product - slim down and lean out! |
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7 Areas of
waste addressed through lean process and design |
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1. Over- production |
Accumulation of finished goods is like storing rolls of cash on the
shelf. Only by defining market demand clearly can manufacturing
capacity be matched to demand. |
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2. Inventory |
Designing products to maximize the
use of a minim number of discrete components is essential to
reduce inventory
burden. |
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3. Conveyance |
Designing products that flow through
the least number of departments is one area where design can
reduce unnecessary movement on the production floor. |
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4. Correction |
Assemblies that can only
be put together the right way is an area where design can be
effective in reducing rework. |
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5. Motion |
Unnecessary and awkward operator
motions, or having to move the product around to complete the
assembly starts in the design process. |
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6. Processing |
A complete definition of customer
expectation is essential in
eliminating unnecessary processes that cost the company money
for no positive end. |
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7. Waiting |
An understanding
of manufacturing capacities, and process flow must be considered during
the design phase to eliminate process losses. |
