Lean Manufacturing Issues - Essay Example

The term is used for eliminating waste from the manufacturing process. Several companies around the world use this technique. The main purpose of implementing this technique is to bring efficiency to the production process. This technique is often called the production process of the twenty-first century. Today, almost every size of business makes use of lean manufacturing because many large-size businesses have achieved success by integrating this technique. In addition to this, many large-sized organizations hire lean manufacturing experts in their organizations. Many companies begin the process of lean manufacturing through value stream analysis. It is an analysis in which each step involved in the production process is closely monitored and examined. After that, an analysis is made of the value of each step. Value stream analysis helps companies in identifying those steps which need improvement or which has no worth in the production process (Feld, p. 55).

According to lean manufacturing, seven different types of wastes results in inefficient production. These types of wastes include over-production, waiting, over-processing, inventory, defects, transportation, and moving. Among these, over-production, transportation, and inventory are related to the scarcity of the flow of material. All of these types of waste are a source of increasing costs without creating any value for the final consumer.

Lean manufacturing is sometimes referred to as common sense manufacturing and it can be implemented by following some steps, which are described below:
- Making a team in your organization.
- Making a medium of communication as well as feedback.
- Communicating and explaining the initiative action to everyone.
- Starting the training process of employees about lean manufacturing.
- Analyzing the distance between the lean state and the present state.
- Setting up the lean foundation.
- Start the Total Product Maintenance, which is used in the entire process of lean manufacturing.
- Do value stream mapping which means identifying the waste in the whole production process.
- Determining system waste.
- Start Process mapping in which each process is more clearly explained in detail.
- Take time.
- Identify the loss on each piece of equipment and process.
- Make use of line balance where necessary.
- Reduce the cycle time to reduce cost.
- Do continuous flow analysis.
- Determine the quality and immediately stop low quality at the source.
- Implement new ideas, which are error-free.
- Flow and layout enhancement or cellular manufacturing.
- Build up more consistent operations.
- Continue to enhance operations and functions

Some companies start their lean manufacturing process with the facility analysis which determines opportunity areas in different sections such as service, production, shipping, sales, production, administration, engineering, quality, and maintenance. Besides this, there is sometimes a need for Six Sigma tools in the lean manufacturing process. To gain efficiency, the lean team should be trained properly so that they can develop an understanding of when to use the lean tools and when to implement improvement (Davis, p. 23-44).

Companies must follow the road map to bring lean manufacturing into their organizations and customize it accordingly but it should be kept in mind that a single process at the expense of the whole system cannot be enhanced.

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