Being in a position of Leadership in a Lean organization;
- What does that mean?
- How is it different from what you’re use to?
- What is expected of you?
- What should you expect of others?
The most important aspect of Lean Manufacturing is not the tools, but the attitude of the people. So, your most important job as a Leader in a Lean Organization will be to foster the positive attitude of Lean throughout your area. You will be on the front line creating a culture of Lean in your company. Your people will look to you to see how Lean is accepted in your area. If you give the attitude that this is just a “flavor of the month program”….your people will make it become a “flavor of the month program”. You will be expected to be leaders not managers. You will be a source of support for your employees. You will help them realize that their jobs are a journey and not a source of burden. You must instill in your people the desire to continuously improve at all levels constantly seeking perfection. You must nurture your people so they work as a team to ensure that they satisfy their customers. You must empower your people to be happy about the work they are doing.
You will also be instrumental in ensuring that Lean is implemented and sustained in your area. You must learn to see waste in your area and help to eliminate it. Tools we use to help expose and eliminate the waste:
- 5s (seiri…sort, seiton…order, seiso…clean, seiketsu…standardize, shitsuke…sustain)
- Value Stream Mapping (visual representation of every step in a process, including key data such as the customer demand rate, quality, and machine reliability….next, draw an improved future state map showing how the product or service could flow if the waste is eliminated….next create a plan for implementation to achieve the future state)
- Standardized Work (TAKT time, precise work sequence…to TAKT…standard inventory …required to keep operation running smoothly)
- Kanban (signaling device that gives authorization and instructions for the production or withdrawal of items in a pull system….”signboard”)
- Kaizen (gradual continuous improvement…system or flow kaizen which focuses on the overall value stream…typically management decision…..process kaizen which focuses on individual processes…typically operators decision)
- Visual Management (we see together, we know together, we act together….Visual Production Controls…helps satisfying customer on delivery…Visual Quality Controls….helps satisfying customer on quality of product….Visual Process Controls…helps satisfying customer by continually driving down cost and improving quality)
- Pull production (downstream processes signal their needs to upstream processes….strives to eliminate overproduction)
- Continuous flow (producing one at a time….strives to eliminate all sources of muda)
- Cycle time (time to complete an operation and start again….should look at many cycles….get a min and max….the difference between the min and max is variation which needs to be addressed….variation is the enemy….variation is a sign of waste)
- Jidoka (ability of operator to stop the line for quality issue or abnormal situation….this is a sign of variation, a sign of waste….this issue must be addressed immediately)
- Suggestions from the workforce
You will be expected to understand these concepts and be able to apply them in your area. You should also be prepared to explain these concepts to others and help them understand how this helps production, quality, delivery, safety and moral.
You must understand and be able to see the sources of waste or muda.
- Overproduction
- Inventory
- Defects and rework
- Unnecessary processing
- Unnecessary movement of materials
- Excess motion
- Waiting
- Lost creativity
Understand muri (overburdening equipment or operators…this leads to breakdowns, sick leave….etc)
Understand mura (unevenness in an operation….this leads to overproduction and jam-ups followed by too little work)
You must also understand the Lean Strategy and why it is important:
- Respond to exact customer demand
- Produce One at a time
- Eliminate Waste
- Continuously improve on the Value Stream
You must understand that the operators on the lines job is to add value to your product…everyone else is there to support these workers. You must learn to see the waste that the operators put up with everyday and find ways to eliminate this waste by providing more support to the operators.
You should understand:
- some people need to argue in order to understand.
- small improvements add up.
- variation is your enemy.
- standardization is your ally.
You will find that working towards a common, well defined goal will motivate and bind a team.
You should learn how to create tension, but know how to handle conflict.
You should practice “Genchi Genbutsu”….go and see. Gemba Kanri….planning, management and implementation at the place of interest.
Stumbling blocks to be aware of:
- Loosing site of which problems to solve
- How to go about change
- Attitude to adapt when dealing with resistance or recurring problems
Goals to keep in mind:
- Produce only what has been consumed (or ordered)
- Never by-pass a problem
- Never let an operator face a problem alone
- Continuously improve all processes
Good starting points:
- 7 wastes
- 5 ‘s
- Red Bins for quality
- Reduce batch sizes by increasing tool change over
- Eliminating variation in the operators work cycle
Three Flows:
- Does Information Flow?
- Do operators know what to build and when to build it?
- Are problems and abnormalities apparent?
- Do Materials Flow?
- Does material flow from one value added step to the next value added step?
- Do Operators Flow?
- Are their operations repeatable and consistent?
Process oriented (Lean Mfg) vs. Results oriented (Conventional Manufacturing)
- Process oriented: emphasizes discipline, time management, skill development, participation and involvement, morale and communication. People oriented, management must support and stimulate efforts to improve the way people do their jobs. Requires behavioral (cultural) change and is long term.
- Results oriented: emphasizes controls, performance, results, rewards (or denial of rewards) and penalties. Easily quantifiable and short term.
|
