What is Lean for Manufacturing?

Lean manufacturing is a set of principles that address a larger goal. The following concepts of lean each play a role in creating company efficiency and conservation. 

Automation

Automation is a concept used in lean manufacturing that seeks to make processes more efficient with automation. Automated processes guarantee consistency, which means less errors and waste overall when properly implemented. 

Minimisation of Waste

Perhaps the more obvious concept of lean strategies, minimising waste is something companies always keep in mind when lean manufacturing. This means looking for waste in all areas of the company, from employee idleness to waste of utility resources or cashflow. 

Perfect First-Time Quality 

This is the idea that if you can do certain tasks or operations perfectly on the first try, you can reduce waste. It aims to reduce wasted time, resources, and more, although methods like automation may be necessary to achieve this concept.

Continuous Improvement

A company can’t hope to remain efficient if they don’t continually strive to improve. Continuous improvement is a concept that values operational choices you can tweak and improve in the future to become even more efficient.

Flexibility

Continuous improvement is a good segue into flexibility since you need it for improvements to keep happening. A company must be flexible in its processes so it can reduce waste. For example, if you improve a process but don’t allow a way to change it easily in the future, you could be wasting a lot of time and energy.

Optimising Long Term Relationships with Vendors

Optimal vendor management is another key concept of lean manufacturing. It costs a lot of money to change suppliers at a business since turnover often means changing costs and less opportunity to get good deals. Long term relationships formed with vendors leads to opportunities to get discounts, buy in bulk for cheaper, and stay consistent with costs. 

Load Levelling

Load levelling is a way of reducing the frequent and larger fluctuations in customer demand. Companies can either level by volume or level by product. 

Pull Processing

Pull systems attempt to reduce waste by only providing what the customers need at a given time. The company will only replace products or materials as needed and once they are out of stock. This method solely meets customer demand so that money is not wasted on goods that may wait a long time to finally sell.