Creating Lean Manufacturing in the Company
The successful formation of a working group composed of employees with experience and abilities in creative thinking is an important step towards the implementation of lean manufacturing. Members of this group should be well-versed in all principles that underpin lean manufacturing.
Analysis of Production Processes
Once the working group is formed, the team begins a detailed analysis of the company's activities, examining all stages of product production. At this stage, it is essential to establish the value for each product being manufactured. Subsequently, value stream maps are created and consumer opinion data is collected through telephone surveys, questionnaires, and other methods. This allows for the determination of product value considering consumer perspectives.
Categorization of Actions in the Production Process
During the development of value stream maps, members of the working group must take into account that all actions can be divided into three categories:
- Value-creating actions;
- Non-value-creating actions;
- Non-value-creating actions that are necessary;
Actions that do not create value and can be eliminated should be immediately removed from the value stream, as they cause direct losses.
Types of Value Stream Maps
Value stream maps can be classified as local and global:
- Local maps: can be either aggregated or detailed, describing all operations step by step;
- Global maps: reflect the merging of many local value streams and various suppliers worldwide.
Organization of Continuous Flow of Data Streams
After developing the value stream maps, it is necessary to eliminate all actions that do not add value and move towards implementing continuous flow in these streams. Important aspects include the presence of batches and queues that hinder the creation of flow-based production. Lean manufacturing involves releasing small batches of products at each stage of the production process, which continuously move from the raw material source to the end consumer.
Optimization of Production Processes
To effectively establish the production process, it is recommended to implement a smoothing system for production schedules and change the layout of equipment. Equipment should be relocated to specialized production cells, equipped with everything necessary for manufacturing a single product. At each stage of work, it is important to clearly coordinate operations performed at other stages and determine the cycle time, which allows for adjusting the production speed according to demand.
Ensuring Reliability and Standards
To execute the production process in minimal time, all employees and mechanisms must be as reliable as possible. Workers involved in production teams should possess a variety of skills. All work operations should be clearly standardized, preferably with elements of visual management.
Transition Policy to Lean Manufacturing
The final stage is to deploy an appropriate policy for transitioning from mass production to lean manufacturing. It is important to outline priority objectives and align resources according to the tasks set before the enterprise. Change agents play a key role in this process, as they need to steer the company back to flow-based production.
Management of this process should be carried out by a high-level individual to ensure the rapid and effective implementation of positive changes.