The Toyota Practical Problem Solving is a very structured approach to solve problems. The underlying PDCA is broken down into multiple steps, where the “Plan” part especially is divided into Clarify the Problem, Break Down the Problem, Set a Target, and a Root-Cause Analysis. In this post I will look at the What—When—Where—Why—Who—How structure, also known as the 5W1H, that can help you when clarifying the problem. This structure was used in journalism starting around 1913, but may originate from Greek antiquity. It is also a useful structure for problem solving.
A Low-Tech Alternative to Pick by Light: Pick by Stencil
Pick by Light is a well-known technology in manufacturing to simplify the picking of multiple parts for kitting. It is a proven technology, albeit setting it up is still time-consuming. In this post I would like to show you a low-tech alternative that I have seen at the BMW Group Dingolfing plant: Pick by Stencil! You use a pattern, stencil, or jig to have one slot for each part of this particular pick. Another pick simply uses another stencil. Let me show you…
On the Use of 3D Printers in Lean Manufacturing
3D printing is a hot, new manufacturing technique. Its advantages are the ability to create nearly any shape, and to do so without any customized tools. In this blog post, I would like to show and inspire you how you can use 3D printing in lean manufacturing to make your production system even more efficient!
On the Value of Time in Manufacturing—Fluctuations
In my last post, I talked about the value of time in manufacturing, focusing on cyclic or repeatable times. However, the bigger problems are often non-cyclic or fluctuating times. The main difference is that non-cyclic work is a fluctuation, and it causes all kinds of other waste, from excess inventory to additional waiting times. On the other hand, depending on how often the fluctuation happens, there may not be so much benefit in reducing its duration. Read on…
On the Value of Time in Manufacturing—Cyclic Work
Time is money. One goal in lean is to reduce the time needed to do the work by eliminating waste (muda, which is the better-known part of reducing time) and fluctuations (mura, which many people skip over because it is more difficult, but also more powerful). However, not all time is equal. Reducing the time needed to do the work saves labor cost, but depending on where you save the time, you may have many more additional benefits. Let’s have a look.
The Importance of ACT in the PDCA
The PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) is one of the best-known lean methods, and one of the key philosophies for continuous improvement. However, despite its apparent simplicity, there are many struggles involved with its proper use. It seems that especially the Act part is challenging. Hence, let me dig deeper into why and how to Act in the PDCA.
On Facts vs. Opinions
In lean, as well as in many other areas, facts hold much more value than opinions. But what are facts, and what are opinions? Unfortunately, this is not black and white, but a big gray area. This blog post is based on a question by a reader on my earlier post “Why It Is So Important for Managers to Listen!” Let’s dive deeper into how to distinguish facts from fiction, and how to get facts in the first place…
Never Skip a Step in a Chaku Chaku Line!
Chaku Chaku lines and many other manufacturing cells and manufacturing lines have one (or more) operators working on different processes throughout the cycle. However, with this multi-machine handling, a worker must not skip a process if there are technical problems. Doing so—even with the best intentions—will increase fluctuations and cause waste. Let’s have a look at an example of why skipping steps is not so good.