Lean Systems Definition:

A systematic approach to the identification and elimination of waste and nonvalue added activities through employee development and continuous
improvement in all products and services.

Lean manufacturing is the term most commonly used to describe the Toyota
Production System (TPS).
The Toyota Production System (TPS) is an integrated sociotechnical system, developed by Toyota, that comprises its
management philosophy and practices. The TPS organizes
manufacturing and logistics for the automobile manufacturer,
including interaction with suppliers and customers. The system is
a major precursor of the more generic "lean manufacturing.
The main objectives of the TPS are to design out overburden
(muri) and inconsistency (mura), and to eliminate waste (muda).

In the above figure, we have the TPS house. At the base, we have operational
stability, which means creating consistency in methods and tasks, equipment,

workplace organization, and output of work. There are two pillars that we speak of
as well. Just-In-Time means providing the next downstream customer with what they
need when they need it and in the right quantity. Built in Quality or Quality at the
Source, the second pillar, essentially means never knowingly passing defective
product or information to the next downstream customer. These concepts, combined
with respect for people and a culture of continuous improvement, lead to the best
quality, lowest cost, and shortest-lead-time products and services.

The Five Principles of Lean

The 5 principles of lean thinking that lean manufacturers employ are, according Jim Womack and
Daniel Jones in Lean Thinking:
1. Specify Value.
2. Identify the Value Stream.
3. Make Value Flow.
4. Let the customer Pull.
5. Seek Perfection (Continuous Improvement of Quality and Productivity).

Lean Concepts and Tools

There are many tools and concepts that lean companies employ to support the above principles and
eliminate wastes muda(Overproduction, Transportation, Unnecessary Inventory, Inappropriate
Processing, Waiting, Excess Motion, Defects) including:

Takt Time - The heartbeat of the customer; the average rate at which a company must produce
product or execute transactions based on customer requirements and available working time.

Standardized Work - A description of methods, materials, tools, and processing times required
to meet takt time for any given job.

One Piece Flow or Continuous Flow - A methodology by which product or information is

produced by moving at a consistent pace from one value-added processing step to the next
with no delays in between.

Five Why's - A thought process by which the question "why" is asked repeatedly to get to the
root cause of a problem.

Quick Changeover / SMED - A 3-stage methodology developed by Shigeo Shingo that reduces
the time to changeover a machine by externalizing and streamlining steps. Shorter changeover
times are used to reduce batch sizes and produce just-in-time.

Mistake Proofing / Poka Yoke- A methodology that prevents an operator from making an error.
Japanese term which means mistake proofing. A poka-yoke device is one that prevents
incorrect parts from being made or assembled, or easily identifies a flaw or error.

Heijunka / Leveling the Workload A technique to facilitate Just-In-Time (JIT) production, it

means production leveling (finding and keeping average production volumes) and is used to
smooth out production in all departments as well as that of the supplier over a period of time.

Heijunka is also important when it comes to sequencing production. For example, were the factorys
ordering system to send batches of high specification models down its assembly line at the same time,
workers would be required to manage lots of complex build tasks not present in less well equipped cars.
The Toyota Production System uses Heijunka to solve the former by assembling a mix of models within
each batch, and ensuring that there is an inventory of product proportional to the variability in demand.

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) - A team-based system for improving Overall Equipment
Effectiveness (OEE), which includes availability, performance, and quality.

JIT stands for just in time, is system in operation management under which the production
is made as per the demand at a particular moment.

There is no prior production for any anticipated demand. This was pioneered by Toyota at their
facility.
The aim is to reduce non profitable activities and make the manufacturing system more flexible,
eliminating the associated costs of carrying and maintaining the inventory. There is no scope for
Inventory what so ever.

JIT II is similar to JIT with a difference that SUPPLIER-CUSTOMER relations are further
strengthened.

There is a representative of the supplier present with the customer who is present atthe site and
keeps a check on the demand of the customer.This in-plant representative is authorized to purchase
material for the customer.

Kaizen is a Japanese word made from Kai (make change) and ZEN (make good); so, it
stands for a change for good/betterment. It has been another philosophy that churned out
of the TOYOTA Company.

The philosophy is that of continuous improvement with an aim of eliminating WASTE. It can have
pre-determined time duration for the achievement of completion.

It also aims at the unnecessary usage of manpower, curbing of expenditure and optimum utilization
of the floor space.

Kanban is a system which enables a manufacturing facility to estimate as to What to

produce, how to produce and when to produce.

Kanban is a signaling system used for controlling production in a pull based lean system. This tool is
used to make the production system a pull based system rather than a push based system. Kanban
helps to smoothen the flow of work , eliminate wastes in the value stream and improve its quality.
There are different elements used as Kanban: cards, squares, container, colored golf balls etc
Kanban containers are empty containers which are used as the signaling device in the JIT
production system. The empty container is sent to the factory floor, which indicates the need to fill
it. The amount by which it has to be filled up is indicated by the number of containers that are sent
to the production line.

Five S - 5S is a five step methodology aimed at creating and maintaining an organized visual
workplace. One way to describe 5S is to call it good housekeeping. The five Ss are: sort, set in
order, shine, standardize, and sustain6).

Sort. Sort means to sort what you need for your job from what is not needed and get rid of the latter.
Set in order. Organize, identify and arrange everything in a work area.
Shine. Regular cleaning and maintenance.
Standardize. Make it easy to maintain - simplify and standardize.
Sustain. Maintaining what has been accomplished.
.