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Brief History
Short
Summary
Lean
Benefits
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Indeed
“Lean Manufacturing” has become a buzzword in many
industries, but the word "manufacturing" is misleading and has often
been misinterpreted at first glance. Many executives think
this term is indicative that all the opportunity for improvement and
thus all the responsibility lies within the manufacturing department.
But look at what Taichii Ohno says about the system… |
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“This
is the manufacturing system
developed by Toyota which pursues optimum streamlining
throughout the entire system through the
thorough elimination of Muda
(waste), and aims to build quality in at the manufacturing process
while recognizing the principle of cost reduction.It
also includes all the accompanying technology necessary to accomplish
those aims.” T.
Ohno |
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It is
important to realize that the name, “Toyota Production
System”, does not indicate a focus on manufacturing but
encompasses all of the business elements including all support systems
necessary to achieve the production goals which have been so widely
publicized. By understanding the breadth and depth of TPS, it
easy to see that Lean Manufacturing is really a system-wide change
program and a new business model. |
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on, many companies that tried to duplicate the results of TPS were
unsuccessful, largely because they implemented only the
elements relating specifically to the shop floor. The
companies that have seen Lean success are the ones who have realized
that Lean affects all dimensions of the business. In order to
successfully transform a traditional business system to a Lean
Enterprise, changes must take place across four key dimensions at each
step along the process. Some of the dimensions are more
greatly affected and more critical to success at the early stages while
the others play a bigger role as the system matures. |
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The Lean
Manufacturing System follows a general framework in which all elements
can be grouped into three main categories each as important to success
as the others: |
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| These
are the overarching ideals and beliefs that drive all actions in the
Lean System |
| These
are the means by which the physical system is implemented, maintained,
and improved upon |
| These
include all of the support functions which keep the Lean System running
smoothly at peak efficiency |
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