Lean manufacturing is a system aimed at optimizing processes and eliminating waste to enhance value for customers. The methodology involves stages such as team formation, data collection, analysis, and solution implementation, all aimed at identifying and addressing inefficiencies. Key elements include multidisciplinary teams, visual management to highlight problems, and continuous monitoring to ensure sustained improvements.

1. LEAN MANUFACTURING
Prepared by: Victor J./ Chamith R.
June 20th 2014
Source: https://www.managingamericans.com/BlogFeed/Leadership-Teambuilding/How-To-Use-Lean-Principles-To-Drive-Grow-Your-Business.htm

2. What is Lean Manufacturing ?
Is a manufacturing system and philosophy focused
on optimizing processes and eliminating waste. This
improves production flow and adds value for the
customer.
How is this possible?
1. Identifying waste (The 8 wastes)
2. Analyzing the process and finding root causes (Value stream)
3. Implementing improvements (Kaizen)
Source: http://www.automationworld.com/operations/it-supports-lean-thinking

3. Waste Reduction
• Waste is identified as anything that doesn’t add value to the
final product or service offered.
• In lean manufacturing there are 8 types of waste:
Source: http://www.symbolbv.com/en/lean-manufacturing.html

4. The Right Approach…
• Active involvement of all areas affected by an outcome of a
process (multi-disciplinary teams).
• Walk through the entire process from beginning to end, and
understand everyone’s role in the process (getting the
details from “the big picture”).
• Share constructive feedback on the current state or
situation of the process.
• Ask for expert advice or guidance when needed (no need to
“re-invent the wheel”).
• Lean techniques are about “making problems obvious”
(visual management), so they can be solved accordingly.

5. Lean
Manufacturing
Project Stages
Team
Formation
Registering
Data
Collection
Data
Analysis
Adjust target
Find Root
Causes
Data
Collection
Find vital
root causes
Generate
Solutions
Implement
Solutions
Monitor
Implemented
solutions
Project
Closure
PDCA
PDCA
Plan
Do
Check
Act

6. Team Formation
• A brainstorming session is carried out to propose projects
to work on.
• The project is chosen based on two parameters:
• Depending on the project, participants and roles are
defined in this stage:
1. Number of members.
2. Areas in the organization involved (functional & support).
3. Facilitator or guidance team identified.
4. Team Leader (process owner).
5. Other support roles (i.e. time keeper, recorder, etc).
Effort
Impact Little Great
Little
Low hanging fruit. Should be done
when convenient.
Low Priority. Leave it for last when all other
options are depleted.
Great
Top priority. It should be given
immediate action.
Important long term objective. Needs a
champion to keep it active.

7. Team Formation (Cont)
• The group reaches consensus through voting or by using
the Nominal Group Technique (NGT).

8. Registering
• The chosen project by the team is formally registered with
Lean Manufacturing and obtain a Project No.
• The different steps of the project are outlined in a Gantt
chart, and the scope and limitations highlighted in the plan.
• Learning process of the team members begins.

9. Data Collection
• This step represents the
gathering of information to help
making decisions.
• The project team develops an
initial data collection plan based
on:
- Goals (time for collecting the
data)
- Operational definitions and
procedures (constraints).
- Ensuring data consistency
and stability
- Whenever is too costly or
impractical to collect data,
use data sampling instead.
- A template or data collection
sheet is developed and
used.

10. Data Collection
• The team also has to consider the following:
- Identify what type of data to collect (discrete, i.e. pass/fail, or
continuous, i.e. dimensional tolerances).
- Who will collect the data.
- Depending on type of data, which method to follow.
Source: http://everythingmaths.co.za/grade-10-mathematical-literacy/12-data-handling/12-data-handling-04.cnxmlplus

11. Data Analysis
• This stage reveals important information about the
problem under study.
• Depending on the amount of data collected, its
complexity, and time available, different tools might be
used: Histograms, pareto analysis, run charts, control
charts, etc.
• The main output from this stage is “direction” on the study
of the problem.
Source: www.greenbookblog.org

12. Data Analysis (Cont)
• Example of histogram showing time for looking for tools
per setup, job and item number in the shop.

13. Adjust Target
• This step follows after having some data collected, a
“first impression” of the current state of the problem,
and a preliminary analysis.
• The idea in this stage is to identify where to focus on
for a solution. For example: “Reducing the average
time to find tools for a setup from 22 minutes to 10
minutes” (Look at next table of data).
• This defines the team’s “direction” to follow.

14. Adjust Target (Cont)

15. Find Root Causes
• Is the rational process of finding the origins of the problems at
hand. The most common tools that can be used are:
- Five Whys. - Fishbone diagram

16. Find Root Causes (Cont.)
• Another tool for identifying root causes is a record of log sheet
for tracking repeatability of events or outcomes from
processes.

17. Data Collection
• Once the target was adjusted, the team collects more
data in order to select the very few important roots
(causes) of the problems.
• This second data collection attempt is aligned with
the target previously defined, and “digs in” the
knowledge the team previously had.

18. Select Vital Few Root Causes
• Based on the second data collection, the team narrows down
on the very few important root causes.
• A good tool for this purpose is the Pareto chart/analysis, in
which 20% of the causes are identified as the 80% of the
“trouble makers”.

19. Generate Solutions
• The team meets again for another brainstorming
session for generating solutions.
• All options are presented and the most “convenient”
ones are chosen and developed through a “pilot”
plan.

20. Implement Solutions
• This stage involves putting into practice the “pilot” plan
previously developed.
• An implementation plan is developed for answering the
typical questions: What?, When? Why?, Who? and How?.
• More data collection will be necessary once the changes
have been implemented in order to show the “before” and
“after” of the project.

21. Monitor Implemented Solutions
• This stage involves putting into practice the “pilot” plan
previously developed.
• A follow up plan is defined in order to continue monitoring
the process and the improvements made to it.
• More data collection will be necessary once the changes
have been implemented in order to show the “before” and
“after” state in the project.
• Once the team agrees that the objectives have been met,
and the improvements are in place, ideas for sustaining
these changes must be developed.

22. Project Closure
• This stage formally finalizes the project.
• Achievements are summarized and presented to the
process owner or guidance team.
• Lessons learned from this experience are summarized
among team members and documented, in order to not
commit same mistakes in further projects.