Lean - an introduction
Based originally on the Toyota Production System "lean" manufacturing provides a radically different way of running manufacturing processes, equally applicable to aerospace engineering or print production. In simplistic terms 'lean' focuses on the removable of all waste, so that products are manufactured at a rate determined by the customer, with minimal inventory. Benefits include:
- Reduced human effort
- Better use of capital investment
- Improved use of time
- Lower raw materials requirements
- Efficient use of space
Lean encapsulates the teachings of many business gurus. It brings together such concepts as total quality (TQM), Just in Time, supplier integration, automation, team working, preventive maintenance (TPM), delivery frequency, selling techniques and agile manufacturing.
At Vision in Print, we use a five-step process to help printers adopt the principles of 'Lean' to deliver higher productivity, performance and profit.