Specifics of Lean Manufacturing - Essay Example

Lean Manufacturing Name Course Executive Summary Lean manufacturing or as it is popularly known, lean production as the name suggests, is a lean systematic method that has been adopted to flush out waste that accumulates through uneven spreading of workloads. A client who enjoys a product or service is likely to consume a value, which can be defined as whatever action that a customer feels that it deserves to be paid (International Institute for Labour Studies,1993). On the other hand, lean is based on creating what automatically adds value by deducting everything else. Lean manufacturing is therefore a management concept that has been used by various plants especially in Japan. Introduction Japan has identified that the more the lean manufacturing concept is applied, the more there is minimal waste to deal with. This waste can be either from source, which is not difficult to spot and correct on good time. For instance, a machine that is beyond adjustment or repair is likely to produce significant volume defects. Other waste forms are in form of environmental patterns that tend to affect the efficiency of a workforce in one way or another. Improved lighting also goes a long way in aiding a worker with understanding the instructions needed for production. Swapping a file cabinet for instance might save a clerk a lot of time. Critical Analysis Japan agrees that lean manufacturing focuses on the need to merge processes and attitudes in a bid to heighten efficiency as well as efficiency and increase value. In turn, this saves cost, boosts profits, streamlines operations and motivates work force. However, lean manufacturing leads to false economies, especially when there is a level of carelessness when implementing practical ideologies from lean manufacturing concepts. A company, for instance, may have huge savings in the beginning of a lean program and while there might be gradual improvements, they are usually on a lower scale. The need for better improvement is eventually counterproductive. For instance, a business that relies on a machine that manufactures tens of parts on an hourly basis, there might be need to heighten the machinery speed in order to increase the output. However, this usually comes at an extra cost for every increased waste. While there is an unpredictable concept of gradual but steady improvement, lean manufacturing can be stretched beyond the level of effective return. This can alternate the expected improvements and slow down progress. On the flip side, Japan has observed that lean manufacturing translates to cutting costs, thus accumulating the savings. It is every entrepreneur’s desire to cut as much cost as possible. Lean concept therefore plays a huge role in increasing productivity while reducing previous waste. For that reason, it is important to train employees and equip them with the necessary skills of lean manufacturing. By implementing the concepts accordingly, businesses stand to reap hefty dividends. Raw material supplies as well as slashed working time are a sure way to cost savings. These factors can go a long way in increasing the opportunities of a business in so many ways as well as the saving capacity, increased storage and production capacity. That said, it is always advisable to consider the effects that are likely to be brought about by a negative workforce. Normally, those in top management are always pushing for better results, more production, improvement and fewer costs. This is likely to be perceived negatively by workers. In fact, workers are likely to be frustrated by employers who are always to achieve much better results despite the successful possibility of lean implementation in a business. Business owners and the management should always strive to lead from the front in order to make the employees feel less pressurized. This way, various entrepreneurs will have an easier time implementing lean concepts on various levels besides operations. Japan has realized that lean strategies promote positive workforce effects on the basis of worker initiatives. However, this is only practical if businesses hire innovative and inventive workforce. Only great ideas and initiatives can promote lean manufacturing concepts. Entrepreneurs also need to realize that there are benefits and perks attached to initially protected resources. With a huge influence and input, employees are likely to enjoy observing the lean concept as they will feel more involved in the projects. This in turn will create a level of satisfaction and heighten the zeal of inputting as much as they can at the workplace and that is why the management ought to be hands on and lean from the front. Case-in-Point A perfect example of lean manufacturing is the Toyota Production System/TPS that has been accorded the term Toyotism. TPS observes the lean manufacturing in the sense that it pays attention to reducing the previous Toyota waste through seven processes in a bid to perfect the brand to its customers by giving it an overall customer value. However, there are various perspectives on how this can be achieved. Toyota’s growth has been steady ever since it started off as a small company to become one of the world’s hugest car manufacturers. This alone has played a huge role in giving it the value that it deserves thus its perennial success. Conclusion While lean production techniques are about reducing costs and perfecting efficiency, these techniques go a step further in creating technologies and developing skills that various workforces can learn to improve efficiency at the workplace. This is likely to improve profits and save warehousing space while adding fresh product lines, thus saving time. However, looking at this technique from a critical angle shows that it is likely to create problems with existent principles such as JIT that rely on stability of the components released by the system. The lean concept comes across as overly aggressive, thus creating vulnerability to the system. In turn, this is likely to affect the normal supply of raw materials and the flow of production as well. There is also the likeliness of maintenance emergencies that are likely to slow down the normal production. In the event that a constraint is not recorded in good time, there is a possibility that the entire system will be jeopardized. Marginal errors and the system waste can prove to be a tad complex to balance. References International Institute for Labour Studies. (1993). Lean production and beyond: Labour aspects of a new production concept. Geneva, Switzerland: International Institute for Labour Studies. Read More