Reducing Waste and Streamlining Value Flow Using Lean

Course details

Eliminating waste is one of the most effective ways to increase the profitability of any organization. Processes either add value or waste to the production of a product or service. The seven wastes originated in Japan, where waste is known as muda. Seven types of waste were originally identified by Toyota's Chief Engineer Taiichi Ohno. Identifying and eliminating these wastes is one of the core principles of Lean Manufacturing. In order to eliminate waste, one must know what waste is, where it exists, and what causes it. There are practical and simple strategies for dealing with each type of waste, thereby reducing harmful effects on a company and improving overall performance and quality. This course will introduce the learner to some of the Lean tools used for identifying wastes and streamlining the value flow and how these can be used in organizations. The course will examine various aspects of muda, continuous flow, line balancing and the concept of value and non-value-add. Examples will be provided throughout the course reflecting these tools applied in both manufacturing and service environments.

• classify production activities as value-add, non-value-add, or necessary non-value-add
• identify the criteria for value-add activities
• recommend strategies for eliminating waste in a work setting, given a scenario
• use line balancing calculations to achieve continuous flow in a given workplace