Lean Manufacturing Tools

Course details

The concept of Lean Manufacturing was developed in the early 1990s from studies of the Toyota Production System. It focuses on eliminating waste in processes, waste being anything that impedes the flow of product as it is being transformed in the value chain. Lean Manufacturing, to coin a phrase means ‘getting product to where it is needed, when it is needed, in the quantity needed’. Quality problems, buffer stock, unreliable machines, inefficient process layout, all impede flow in the value chain. Lean Manufacturing uses a variety of tools focusing on the elimination or reduction of these issues.

Course is designed to give the delegates a detailed knowledge of the key tools of Lean Manufacturing such that the delegate will be in a position to help transform their organisation into a leaner and more competitive enterprise. The workshop presents the concepts, tools and techniques involved in the practical application of Lean Manufacturing Tools using a series of easy to understand modules and exercises.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this training course, delegates should be able to:

• Conduct lean improvement activities in their own areas of responsibility
• Assist senior management in implementing Lean Principles in a wider manufacturing environment

Who Should Attend

This course is intended for personnel working within manufacturing and manufacturing support functions (such as Materials, Quality, and Engineering). The course is aimed at Engineers, Technicians, Production Supervisors/Line Leaders, and Materials/Supply Chain/Logistics Supervisors. Each delegate will be required to identify a lean opportunity within their organisation and complete a lean improvement project as part of this course.

Course Programme

Day 1

Unit 1 – Lean Thinking

• History of Lean Manufacturing
• Differences between Lean Manufacturing and Mass Production
• The 5 Lean Principles
• Understanding Value (in the eyes of the customer)
• Recognizing the 7 wastes

Unit 2 – Takt Time and Standard Work

• The benefits of a Standard Work System
• The elements of Standard Work
• Conducting Process Observation to determine element cycle times
• Configuring Standard Work for minimum use of labour, materials and equipment
• Documenting results on a Standard Work Chart

Day 2

Unit 3 – Lean Material Systems and Kanban

• The benefits of a Kanban system
• Selecting an appropriate Kanban system
• Setting up a Kanban systems (calculating the number of cards required)
• The benefits of a Timed Delivery route

Unit 4 – Improvement Cycles

• Understanding the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) improvement cycle
• Selecting appropriate improvement tools
• Distinguishing between Root causes, Direct causes and Contributory causes
• Identifying appropriate Corrective and Preventive actions
• Construct a problem definition and SMART objectives
• Differences between Incremental and Breakthrough Improvement

Unit 5 – Value Stream Mapping

• The benefits of Value Stream Mapping
• The four stages of Value Stream Mapping
• Selecting appropriate products/product families
• Creating the Current State Value Stream Map
• Assessing the Current State Value Stream Map
• Developing the Future State Value Stream Map
• Creating an action plan to achieve the desired improvements

Day 3

Unit 6 – Lean Foundations

• The benefits of Workplace Organisation
• Implementing 5S Workplace Organisation
• Implementing appropriate Visual Control Systems
• The benefits of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
• Understanding the elements of the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) metric
• Implementing a basic Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) system to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)

Unit 7 – Quick Changeovers (The SMED System)

• The benefits of a Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) System
• The four stages of SMED
• Implementing SMED to reduce Changeover time

Unit 8 – Kaizen Events

• The benefits of a Kaizen Events
• Appropriate situations for a Kaizen Event
• Selecting appropriate team-members
• Identifying Kaizen Event goals
• Participating in a Kaizen Event

Unit 9 – Quality, Mistake-proofing and Line Layout

• Understanding the interaction between quality and lean manufacturing
• The principles of Mistake-proofing
• Selecting appropriate mistake proofing devices
• Selecting or devising an appropriate line layout to minimise waste