What is lean manufacturing?

The use of lean manufacturing techniques is one of the more recent trends in the industry, with many plants choosing to embody its principles in their operations.

Lean manufacturing endeavours to maximise productivity while minimising waste and costs. It sounds like the nirvana of manufacturing – but there are a range of factors than need consideration prior to to implementing it into your factory effectively.

We explore lean manufacturing in more detail, including the benefits it delivers and how to introduce it to your operations.

• What are the principles of lean manufacturing?
• What are the benefits?
• How to implement lean manufacturing

What are the principles of lean manufacturing?

Lean manufacturing is a production framework which focuses on improving productivity with the minimum resources required. It encompasses multiple principles which seek to tackle critical issues.

 The principles are as follows:

1. Defining value

One of the purposes of lean manufacturing is finding ways to optimise value. Value is defined from the customer’s perspective and what they are willing to pay for when it comes to your products.

The focus is on delivering the utmost quality to meet customer needs without wasting resources on elements that will not provide value. Essentially, you want to create the best possible product with the minimum use of supplies, cost and labour.

2. Map the value stream

Once you have defined value, you need to analyse the resources used to provide your products and services. Aim to identify areas of waste or improvement.

The value stream extends across the entire lifecycle, from raw materials to disposal. You need to focus on every stage and anything that doesn’t add value or leads to unnecessary waste must be eliminated.

Manufacturing streams can be complex, especially in the modern age, so spend time mapping value.  Every area needs to be examined, including outside the actual manufacturing processes (such as design and product dev). The good news is that there can be significant benefits if you find room for improvement.

3. Create flow

The next principle of lean manufacturing is creating flow across your processes that remove barriers that could elongate lead times or overcomplicate operations.

The aim is to create efficient processes that work without excess waste or disruption. You want the fastest possible production times. Creating robust process flows also limits costs and maintains a regular production schedule.

4. Use a pull system

A pull system is designed only to start work where there is suitable demand. It differs from a push system, where products are created in advance to meet forecasted demand.

The idea of a pull system is to eliminate waste associated with inaccurate projections. You only create what your customers will buy. As a result, your costs and time are streamlined to real-life orders, enabling you to tailor your schedule and supply management.

An effective pull system must hold flexibility and strong communication at its core to ensure the correct targets are met.

5. Pursue perfection

The final principle of lean manufacturing is the continuous drive for improvement. For maximum results, a plant needs to revisit its processes and account for efficiency and productivity constantly.

You should have a framework that assesses your entire production regularly to uncover areas where value can be improved and waste reduced. This includes monitoring lead times, production cycles, waste levels and overall customer satisfaction.

While no plant will ever be 100% perfect, pursuing it will help you get as close as possible.

What are the benefits?

There’s a reason that lean manufacturing has become a popular topic in recent years: it brings rewards. We’ve listed the most significant benefits below.

• Reducing waste. Many of the principles of lean manufacturing are associated with reducing waste. When sustainability must be a focus for manufacturers, this will help you meet your green goals while better managing your resources.
• Reducing costs. By reducing waste and giveaway, you will improve cost management. You ensure maximum productivity through your supplies, lowering the cost per product. There will also be a focus on the value associated with what your customer pays for, which will streamline production costs.
• Improving productivity. Lean manufacturing intends to focus on the parts of your production that truly matter. By doing so, you minimise timeframes and optimise processes for maximum results.
• Improving quality. Another crucial part of lean manufacturing is providing value to the customer. By finding ways to better serve customers without overwhelming your factory, you meet customer expectations.

The overall effect is a plant that works more efficiently and faster at a lower cost and with reduced environmental impact.

How to implement lean manufacturing

Now you understand the purpose and benefits of lean manufacturing, you may be wondering how you can practically incorporate it into your plant. We have listed seven top tips.

1. Identify where your value comes from

The first lean manufacturing principle is uncovering where value comes from for your customers.

Start by asking what your customers want for your products, including the quality level they expect and any additional features required. Once you have understood this value, focus on designing processes that deliver value with the minimal cost, timeframe and use of materials.

This will enable you to create procedures from a lean mindset while maintaining efficiency and customer satisfaction.

2. Utilise automation

Lean manufacturing aims to be fast and accurate. Automation helps you to get there.

In an age where many industries face skills shortages, productivity is hard to maintain. Again, automation is the ideal solution, allowing you to reduce the labour requirements in your plant and overcome a smaller staff base.

By using automated equipment, you will complete the tasks you need faster. The reduced need for labour also brings down production costs while enabling you to generate output at maximum quality.

3. Use data collection

A crucial part of optimising your plant is identifying what is and isn’t performing well. The best way to uncover this is through data collection, which analyses various areas of your production lines to find issues.

By tracking performance, you understand where there’s room for improvement – including where you are wasting resources, experiencing disruption or delaying turnaround times. It will also enable you to see where the cost lies in your operations and if it’s warranted.

Powered with this knowledge, you improve processes to be leaner and facilitate better results.

4. Optimise your production line

You need optimised production lines that do their functions effectively, quickly and with minimal waste.

There are many layers to this. Firstly, you need to plot out the various parts of your operations and ensure you have processes that tick every box. An example is including product inspection equipment at the appropriate parts of your production line to control quality and find issues early on before they cause havoc. You may need other processes too, depending on the unique requirements of your output.

Next, you need to ensure you have efficient equipment to do the jobs you need to do fast and accurately. This means investing in high-performance machinery that is tailored to your needs. It’s worth working with a machinery supplier who creates bespoke solutions that optimise your whole line.

Another element is regularly maintaining your equipment. By doing this, you will keep everything in good working order. If a break or issue is left unaddressed, it leads to functions being performed incorrectly, subpar output and unplanned downtime. This can wreck productivity and lower value – going against every lean principle.

By conducting routine maintenance and managing your spare parts inventory well, you ensure strong working conditions that bring the right results.

Finally, remember to constantly review performance, using data collection as a tool, to ensure that everything is working and problems are dealt with ahead of time.

1. Seek staff buy-in

The mission to be leaner affects your entire workforce. To get results, you need to get buy-in from all your employees.

Start by communicating your processes clearly with everyone. You should also clarify why the changes are needed, such as the benefits that can be achieved and what it means for their position in the company.

Providing staff training is also helpful to ensure workers conduct their roles efficiently, including using machinery correctly, handling issues and minimising waste. This will help you create a ‘lean’ culture where everyone works toward the same goals.

6. Improve supplier relationships

Supply chain disruption has been a common blocker for manufacturers throughout 2021 and beyond. However, the focus of lean manufacturing is making the most of your resources. This works best if you have high-quality materials to work with, enabling you to drive value.

It also reduces waste by having insufficient resources that you cannot work with and end up throwing away.

By building a solid supply chain, you should be able to secure the best possible materials – as required for your products – at a low price.

Spend time comparing suppliers and having discussions until you find one that is right for you. You should also maintain good communication with your supply chain to flag issues ahead of time and react appropriately to provide value to customers continually.

7. Continuously seek improvement

The final principle of lean manufacturing is to strive for perfection constantly. The mission to improve your operations is never complete.

Seek to regularly review performance and find ways to do things better. This includes minimising waste and lowering cost levels while pushing quality and customer value. Repeat the processes outlined above to empower efficiency.

Doing this will also enable you to counteract new challenges and prevent waste levels and costs from creeping up without you noticing.

Conclusion

Lean manufacturing is a key trend in the industry. More and more brands and businesses are looking to incorporate its principles into their operations.

For those who do it right, lean manufacturing brings many rewards, including improved productivity, reduced waste, and enhanced customer value. The knock-on effects are sustainability, customer satisfaction and better cost management – everything a plant could want.

However, you need to put the work in to access the benefits. This means defining where value comes from in your output, designing efficient processes with high performance equipment and constantly reviewing performance to reach your best results.

If you are looking to incorporate lean manufacturing into your plant, Yamato will help with our optimised line solutions and high-performing machinery to boost productivity and minimise waste.

Get in touch today to find out how we can make your operations leaner.