Eliminating mudas
1/ Muda caused by inappropriate processing: with Lean Manufacturing, using small front-picked containers reduces the length of the line, saving on general expenditure, reducing flow costs and saving time.
2/ Muda caused by defects : Defects cost the company money and time.
They require the installation of a non-productive remedial system. Disposing of rejects is even more costly. Eliminating defects means not producing them in the first place!
This means creating a suitably ergonomic environment in which components and tools are all in their correct place and within immediate reach of production operations. This reduces the likelihood of impact, dropped equipment and bad workmanship.
Working with LeanTek to design customized structures enables the volume of defects to be limited and opens the way to a natural and evolving management of any residual rejects.
3/ Muda caused by unnecessary movement : Unnecessary movement and movement at the workstation create no added value. Quite the opposite in fact: it makes the work harder and takes up space. LeanTek’s modular architecture allows workstations to be configured so that components are as close as possible to the operator’s hand.
LeanTek contributes to reducing the negative value generated by unnecessary movement. Operator productivity improves and there are fewer constraints on work as operators focus on productive tasks.
4/ Muda caused by unnecessary stock :
Stocks of finished products, semi-finished products and raw materials create no added value. Quite the opposite in fact: excessive stocks increase costs as a result of the investment required to handle them.
The Muda that results from unnecessary stock is linked to that caused by overproduction. Using a LeanTek system in association with smaller, more frequent deliveries allows companies to reduce stocks. This is achieved by installing dynamic
supermarket-style storage as close as possible to the line: the stock handler can then
take products directly from the flow racks to supply the production line. LeanTek allows stock to be sized to the strict minimum required and allows it to evolve simply and quickly.
The LeanTek contribution to eliminating this Muda is the creation of modular supermarkets, which evolve as stock reduces and containers develop.
LeanTek flexibility also delivers optimized work surfaces and ergonomic working.
5/ Muda caused by waiting :
This Muda is generated when the operator no longer has the components required to carry out his/her task: their hands are idle. The installation of a line-side system like LeanTek in conjunction with small containers removes the risk of a break in supplies.
This works through the installation of a new logistics system based on continuous flow and regular supplies. Operators can then concentrate on added value perations, whilst logistics supplies components in small trains.
6/ Muda caused by transport : Le déplacement d’un endroit à l’autre des produits ne génère aucune création de valeur. Au contraire, les transports consomment espace et capitaux.
Moving products from one place to another creates no value. Quite the opposite in fact: transport eats up space and capital. The Lean Manufacturing method requires that logistic circuits are as short as possible in the plant, between the loading bay and the supermarket and between the supermarket and the line-side.
This works through implementing a new logistics system based on flexible trains capable of distributing all the components required for production to several teams
in a single journey. The flexibility delivered by LeanTek means that wagons can be designed specifically for each component.
The implementation of this type of system cuts transport-generated Muda by a factor of 3.
7/ Muda caused by overproduction :
The introduction of a Kanban system combats waste from overproduction. LeanTek’s contribution is the creation of customizable JIT supermarkets as close to the line as possible.
