Overview
Lean Manufacturing is a total quality management philosophy which removes "muda" (waste) from a manufacturing process. The seven muda are defects, overproduction, inventories, unnecessary processes, unnecessary movement of people, unnecessary transport of goods, and waiting. Lean Manufacturing works to eliminate the seven muda from the process while realizing that value can only be defined by the customer.
We are living in a highly competitive manufacturing marketplace. Every advantage must be taken else we will fall behind. Lean Manufacturing is a consummate example of streamlining a process, of removing the barriers which keep us from being efficient. We need to train our future (and present) workforce to embrace this concept, for it is the employees that ultimately make the difference. We should also realize that this mind set is not limited to the manufacturing arena, but it is applicable to any system where a process is employed. Anyone, regardless of their avenue in life, would benefit from being exposed to these principles.
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