1. Lean Logic
   1. Lean Production Defined
      
      
2. The Toyota Production System
   1. Elimination of Waste
      1. Value Stream Mapping Defined
      2. Group Technology Defined
      3. Quality at the Source Defined
      4. Uniform Plant Loading (heijunka) Defined
      5. Kanban and the Kanban Pull System Defined
   2. Respect for People
      
      
3. Lean Implementation Requirements
   1. Lean Layouts and Design Flows
      1. Preventive Maintenance Defined
   2. Lean Applications for Line Flows
      1. Total Quality Control (TQC) defined
   3. Lean Applications for Job Shops
      1. Level Schedule Defined
      2. Freeze Window Defined
      3. Backflush Defined
   4. TQC (total quality control
   5. A Stable Schedule
   6. Work with Suppliers
      
      
4. Lean Services
   
   
5. Conclusion

Case: Toyota, Ford, GM, and Volkswagen - Some Differing Opinions about Working with Suppliers

Case: Quality Parts Company

Case: Value Stream Mapping Approach

Lean production is based on the logic that nothing will be produced until it is needed. Need is created by an actual demand for the product. When an item is sold, in theory, the market pulls a replacement from the last position in the system or final assembly. This triggers an order to the production line which generates orders at upstream work stations. Lean demands high levels o quality at each stage of the process, strong vendor relations, and a fairly predictable demand for the end product.

In the 1990's many companies adopted the term lean in place of JIT (or just-in time management) to emphasize the goal of systematically eliminating all waste throughout their operations. Today JIT has come to refer mainly to the production scheduling aspects including pull systems, which underlie the lean philosophy.

In Japan, lean production principles have been used to isolate the elements of waste in an organization. The Japanese practice a great respect for people and depend on the personnel to identify and eliminate sources of waste, excess, and inefficiency. The basic elements of lean are a focused factory with networks following the strategy of reducing waste, the use of group technology or teams for problem-solving, quality at the source so no time and energy and materials are wasted on less than perfect quality products, JIT production, uniform plant loading, Kanban production control systems, and minimized setup times.

Value stream mapping is a network of steps from beginning to end that provides the result for the customer. It is widely used as a means of eliminating waste in a process. The key is to concentrate on moving all waste in the process which includes all non-value added activities. Waste should be identified in the factory as well as in other areas including the office and all physical, procedural, and technical operations.

Group technology where similar parts are grouped into families for production within a work cell eliminates movement and wait times between operations and supports lean practices by reducing inventory and the number of employees required.

Other principles of lean include quality at the source or stopping the process or line immediately when something goes wrong. Workers become their own inspectors and are responsible for quality. JIT production is producing only what is needed when it is needed and no more. To eliminate large variations in production schedules, uniform plant loadings are important. Setting a firm monthly production plan and freezing the output rate will provide a stable production environment. Kanban control systems can be used as signaling devices to regulate JIT flows. Respect for people is also part of lean implementations as is on-going preventive maintenance to ensure machines and equipment are kept in top working order.

Just as customers and employees are key components of the Lean system, vendors are also important to the process. Lean is also applicable to service industries. Successful service applications include organizing problem-solving groups, upgrading housekeeping and quality, clarifying process flows, eliminating unnecessary activities, and developing supplier networks.