Case Study: Lean Manufacturing

This week one of the things we studied was the Lean Systems. Lean Manufacturing focuses on minimizing waste and reducing costs through automation and improvements in operational efficiency. There are a few different types of the lean method; just-in-time inventory management, Kanban scheduling systems, 5S workplace organization, just to name a few. In the 1940’s these ideas were established by an automobile manufacturer and later accepted in many other industries as the best system. When the system is used in production profitability increases. The lean system makes it so every effort to produce the quality product and deliver the product on time is, using as little resources as feasible, product better than their competitors, at the same time reducing as much waste as possible. With lean system reducing waste and improving the efficiency of the production line it affects other parts of the company. To change the lean system takes planning because switching causes changes through the entire company including the supply chain (Markgraf, B., The Business Impact of Lean Manufacturing).

Many types of waste are easy to see, for example, a machine no longer used because it doesn’t operate correctly and has been replaced, many forms of waste include environmental products that cause employees not to be productive and something as simple as better lighting, so workers can see instructions. Production lines use consumable material and there is also defective parts and cutoffs, grinding particles. The lean system looks for ways to recycle or eliminate these. (Ingram., D., Key Issues for the Implementation of a Lean Manufacturing System). Cost savings occur from there being less raw material supplies, fewer hours, and turn the unused storage space into a