What is lean technology. Lean manufacturing to optimize processes and jobs Lean production principles

The date: 14.07.2022

This question is asked by entrepreneurs in the industrial sector, the production of material goods. And the answer will be useful for the service sector, IT and social projects.

Lean Management (also called "lean manufacturing methodology"), like the philosophy of Kaizen and others, can be applied to every business and process. Because everything can be optimized. This is a way of thinking and productive action, and not just a tactic from a couple of algorithms.

Lean production is

There are many synonyms: lean manufacturing, lean management, lean thinking... even lean transformation. Thinking and transformation (in English, the word “transformation” itself can mean lean methodology on its own) as a philosophy and theory of doing business, production and management as a practice.

The words reflect the idea as well as just-in-time production, implemented by Toyota as the first ever example of the lean method and the continuous improvement of the assembly line production of cars. Taiichi Ohno is a lean engineer after World War II.

His postulates:

waste disposal,
stock reduction,
productivity increase.

While Henry Ford kept resources “ahead of demand” on his production line, Toyota partnered with suppliers and actually made cars to order.

Many industrial startups start with transformation, applying methods and tools from the start of production to the last stage of customer support. A multi-year business can also shift from the old “regime” to a new way of thinking, although this requires perseverance and patience from the leaders. This path is more profitable in the long run.

It's amazing how the lean manufacturing system changes the hierarchy in the company structure. Instead of managers and staff, a community is formed multidisciplinary staff. All company resources, even human ones, are fully utilized, everyone can suggest an improvement, everyone can test their idea in practice, and everyone is responsible for the overall result. This flexibility allows you to make changes instantly, and therefore respond to customer requests, attacks by competitors and market unrest.

What is Lean Management

In a primitive way Lean or lean manufacturing is a methodology that eliminates all obstacles to production. Waste of time and resources spoils the result. If the process can be done faster, better and cheaper- it should be done right now.

The revision of work algorithms takes place in two stages:

Analysis. To understand whether the current order works well in the company, analyze all processes and draw up a diagram. Call center scripts, algorithm for accepting applications, logistics, work with returns in an online store; technical support scripts, processing requests in the bug tracker, rolling out updates in a product IT company. Write down the entire procedure identify bad spots yourself or use programs (any software for visualizing algorithms, bottlenecks, resources and time).
Alteration. If you find “vulnerabilities” such as coordination problems, lack of resources, or outdated bureaucratic processes, suggest an alternative. The alternative doesn't have to be, and doesn't even have to be, an innovation, a radical change, or a perfect solution. Just a way to do better. You can iterate through the options proposed by the team. Not just in my head, but in practice. No one knows in advance what will be useful in your project. The benefits and costs of each alternative are reviewed based on practice. The best option is implemented definitively.

And these two stages are constantly repeated. Lean manufacturing never gets done. It's endless improvement in the little things. With Lean, there are no big innovations, only continuous improvement in small steps.

For director

The main task of the manager is the profitability of the company. One way to achieve this will be to solve problems and reduce production costs, and the other is to focus on creating "values" for the client in a product or service. The most interesting thing is that by correctly determining the value for the client, you can direct the team’s efforts and material resources only to the important and reduce costs for the unimportant.

That is, Lean helps to save money without losing quality and to throw out ultimately useless processes from the company's work algorithm.

For example: a customer needs woodworking machines.

What is really important for the buyer? Price, functionality and delivery are important to everyone. But there are clients price oriented(budget models of machines are cheaper) and quality oriented(machines that allow you to make complex and exclusive carving projects). They all want to get the machine to the workshop quickly and accurately.
What can be optimized or improved? Raise the quality to raise the price is justified. To choose licensed products with certification in a language known to the consumer, you can conduct briefings. Provide delivery with the help of a reliable logistics agency with which favorable conditions for cooperation have been established.
What to remove? It is worth removing all the actions that interfere with the work. There is a car repair plant with geographically distributed workshops. Every day, his managers gather in the main building for a planning meeting to agree on a list of work. If you introduce a unified case management system, you can get rid of the daily loss of time from planning meetings, which is 7 hours for each shop manager per week.
What to do and in what order to get loyal customers? In the eyes of the client, the purchase algorithm looks like this: first, accurately determine the model of the machine, then the method and address of delivery. Asking the client to log in and enter the address before choosing the product will not be pleasant for the client. If the address is entered after the online consultant in the pop-up window helped to choose the model, configuration and other nuances, the client already feels trust and is satisfied. Value for the customer is met, tasks are completed in time. The company also has an algorithm - you can not send an order until it is paid. This is fair and eliminates problems with disappointed expectations on both sides.

The goal of the director in the Lean methodology: to bring the process of production, sale and delivery of goods to the client to idealized perfection. At the same time, the focus is on the benefit of the client, not the company. The benefit of the company becomes a co-success by saving time and resources in production and increasing profits.

For staff

What is lean manufacturing for employees of a factory or an IT help center of a company? The right methodology saves raw materials, improves working conditions and helps workers earn more.

Lean in the enterprise must also be properly implemented. If you use the method thoughtlessly, then the manager can:

wanting to save money - buy low-quality components
rearrange the equipment in the workshop to reduce the distance between the conveyors, but forget about the length of the power cables
prescribe a calendar of experiments and prohibit unplanned creative
launch fines for breaking work tools, but do not check their quality and condition
add your choice.

The Lean methodology welcomes the constant exchange of ideas between employees.

If the methodology is accepted in the team, then any worker of the plant can offer the director his idea of improving the work process. Because the employee who directly performs the workflow sees much better where and what can be improved in this process. With the constant introduction of such proposals, the plant, of course, increases its efficiency.

And the worker will be rewarded if the idea is useful. He will receive carte blanche for the implementation and practical testing of his idea. Trial and error is the only way to find the right path, and Lean recommends trying and improving constantly.

For example, a convenient mobile organizer will reduce the number of missed deadlines and increase the speed of the marketing and design departments. Implementing it in the company will save time, and therefore lean production.

For the company

Both the head of the company and the ordinary project executor create the value of the product for the client by their actions. All efforts are aimed at this only.

Benefit for the client does not arise in some moments- the fact of choosing a product, accepting an order, picking in a warehouse or delivery date.

Value is created by a stream of result-oriented processes:

an online consultant helps you choose the size, model and color;
when placing an order, you can choose the method of payment by credit card or cash to the courier;
the kit comes with a guarantee, a coupon for a replacement or return, gift cards or an invitation to a thematic event;
you can name the date and time of delivery, call the courier or select a specific network store for pickup.

The non-linearity of the work of the entire company allows you to simplify flows, change their algorithms in such a way as to gain savings, increase value at the same cost, or significantly reduce the percentage of marriage and returns.

In addition to the pure value and the absence of defective copies, it is important for the client customization product, especially in the consumer segment. If a company can rebuild its conveyor without significant losses, produce different or new models of goods, then it will definitely win in the competition. Even make prefabricated customized kits from basic parts or to provide exclusive sets to order - already a tangible superiority in the market.

Muda, mura, muri it

So in the Lean methodology they call waste or spending. Anything that needs to be removed. Anything that doesn't add value to the customer. Muda, mura, muri are Japanese words that have taken root in English business slang.

Waste, useless waste. consequences of mismanagement.

* Muda, which are added in some classifications.

- causes of muda. Irregularity and discrepancy of the load, overload.

Seasonal, regular, advertising-driven consumer demand has its own rhythm, clock frequency (week, month, quarter). We analyze ups and downs in demand, in-demand and unprofitable goods from the lineup. We predict, distribute the load and tasks.

- inexpediency. Unreasonable difficulties in work.

Mouri	In industry
Non-core work	Put the sales manager on the conveyor belt of the shop. Appoint a third wife as a gift as a factory director.	Performing tasks that are not related to the position held and developed skills. Send layout designer to call-center.
Poorly stocked workplace	One set of tools for 4 installers.	The trainee has a laptop, but it does not have an antivirus and specialized programs necessary for the work. The designer has an outdated pirate photoshop.
Fuzzy Instructions	Abstract order requirements, measurements by eye.	“Make the layout more cheerful, and the buttons are just wow!”
Lack of tools and equipment	One printer in the director's office, the accounting department constantly runs to print to him.	A programmer is hired with his own laptop and I oblige him to carry it to the office, since it is impossible to buy and equip him with a stationary.
Lack of proper maintenance / unreliable equipment	An obsolete conveyor belt, the maintenance of which is overdue by six months to a year.	The sysadmin does not organize or sign cables in the server rack. The time for troubleshooting is multiplied several times.
Untrusted processes	Untested processing technologies for raw materials, abstractly proven accounting methods and dubious ideas in production.	Monkey testing as the only and sufficient way to test programs for bugs (errors).
Poor communication and connection	Poor audibility in the walkie-talkie on the territory of the workshop. Fighting with the director's secretary when it is important to urgently report an emergency. Bureaucracy.	2 mobile numbers, 8 messengers, 3 emails and 5 social networks to get approval for the task.

The essence of Lean Transformation is to remove all muda, muri, and mura. Understanding their cause-and-effect relationship, you can focus on the origins of the problems, so that later you do not remove every little thing.

Benefits of Lean Methodology

A skeptic will say, why do we need a lean transformation, if you can simply apply a couple of standard instructions for combating marriage from GOSTs or reduce paper waste on bureaucracy in the enterprise? Lean methods as a tool are strong, but without understanding the philosophy and structure, it will not be possible to fully implement them.

It's like the university knew-passed-forgotten. After the exam, only “fuh!” will remain in my head. and there is nothing to put into practice. In the same way, once according to the instructions, having introduced a couple of algorithms that reduce costs or deadlines for completing tasks, lean manufacturing cannot be created. Lean is about constant change. Even once a year to carry out modernization does not mean to actually implement the methodology.

All essence in experience and practice. Only after personal experience, testing theories and collecting data can new stages of experiments be analyzed and developed. Set yourself such a cycle as the norm of the implementation of corrections, the fight against muda, mura and muri.

To initially launch a project using the lean methodology, you need to:

collect all the information about the future task,
segment it into subtasks, develop and test them separately,
calculate all deadlines and budgets based on the collected experience of competitors or your own past projects (rely only on real data instead of abstract theories

Lean Manufacturing Principles

Based on all the muda, mura and muri, there are exactly 10 principles of lean manufacturing:

Eliminate garbage
Minimize inventory
Maximize Flow
Production depends on consumer demand
Know customer requirements
Get it right the first time
Empower workers
Build a system with easy replacement of its parts
Build partnerships with suppliers
Create a culture of continuous improvement

There are also three basic business objectives. They guide the transformation of the entire company:

Target. What customer problems does the company solve, the ultimate value for the consumer?
Process. Criteria for evaluating each value stream? Checking algorithms and chain links, combating waste, inappropriateness and overload. Each step is valuable, real, affordable, adequate and flexible, and the flows and influences are uniform.
People. How to allocate responsibility for each process and production flow? To assign a person not to a position, but to a process entrusted entirely? The Task Manager shapes value creation in terms of business goals and actively implements Lean Transformation.

For individual career development, the same basic three tasks look like this:

What is goal my job?
Process to generate the best results in the most efficient way?
Who are those people with which I create value?

The concept of "kaizen" helps to answer these questions.

Kaizen Philosophy Principles - Continuous Improvement

Term kaizen- consists of two Japanese characters カイゼン: kai - changes and zen - good. Change for the better, continuous improvement, transformation for good... It is difficult to say whether this is a theoretical teaching of philosophers or a practical method of management. Kaizen is a symbiosis of both concepts, allowing subordinates to offer and quickly test their ideas to improve the work of the enterprise. Lean transformation comes from the practical part of kaizen, and is based on its philosophy.

Kaizen rests on five pillars:

Equitable interaction all levels (management, managers, workers) and direct communication between them
Individual discipline
Healthy moral condition team and each individual
Mugs quality
Offers on improvements to everything from the workplace and the assembly line to the way the company performs.

Read more about kaizen in the next article.

Lean Manufacturing Implementation Algorithm

According to James Womack, founder of the Lean Enterprise Institute and author of a number of books on transformation:

Choose a leader - a responsible agent of change
Get knowledge about lean and kaizen from a trusted source
Find or create a crisis - a problem that needs to be solved immediately
Experiment, practice, analyze the results immediately - do not get carried away with the development of a strategy (proven by the Wright brothers)
Build real and desired value stream maps. They must be different
Ensure results are transparent to all staff
Reduce cycle time (flow acceleration)
Implement kaizen and continuously develop the company (value creation on the shop floor moves to administrative changes)

Here's how to get started with lean manufacturing. Possible tools:

Value Stream Mapping
Pull production
Kaizen
Poka Yoke
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
Just In Time (JIT)
Visualization
U-cells

Examples of implementing lean manufacturing

The competitiveness of a company often depends on certain criteria. Fast delivery of delicious pizza will beat just delicious pizza. Car customization at an official car dealer is more interesting than the standard basic configuration. And detailed results of private medical tests are always better than scanty extracts from the district clinic.

You can provide an advantage over competitors (speed, customization, research quality) by continuously improving the project management system, as many companies in the world do.

Successfully implemented lin:

in the USA: Toyota, Alcoa, Boeing, Pella, Emerson Electric, Jacobs Equipment Company (Danaher)
in Europe: Motoman Robotec, Unior, Iskra Asing, Volvo, Metso, Nuon
in China: Lenovo, Suntory
government and municipal departments in many countries.

Lean Apps & Tools

Implementing transformation in a modern company is easier than it was 30 years ago. There are many similar applications for Android and iOS that help you run an economical and quality-oriented business.

Lean manufacturing tools are used to motivate staff, build relationships and communication between the shop floor and management, analyze the results of the implementation of new ideas and detect waste in the work of the enterprise. Testing and experimentation, development of a pipeline system or a bug tracker for programmers - all this is software for lean methodology.

Worksection is a Saas service that has full project management functionality, a Gantt chart and several types of reports.

Gantt Chartallows you to track the relationship, chronology and responsible for the tasks. Reports show overdue tasks and over budgets.

In the tasks section “by people”, the manager can see the amount of work for each person and who is idle. It is so easy to spot misallocation of human resources.

So the fight against muda, mura and muri becomes clear and simple.

You can create a separate “team proposal” project where you create tasks to implement ideas.
Set a deadline for two weeks or a month, test the idea, discuss the process in the comments and then analyze the result.
If the idea is good, implement it completely.

Oracle

More often, company owners use programs like Oracle or virtual services for project management.

LeanApp

The most famous application - LeanApp for iOS - allows you to systematize and control all processes in the company.

Verdict

Companies are adopting lean manufacturing all over the world, but not all of them thrive on it. Many don't know how, don't understand the philosophy, or misapply learned instructions.

The essence of the methodology

waste disposal,
empowerment of employees,
stock reduction,
productivity increase.

The method is always individual, it depends on many factors - industry and market segment, target audience, product or service, priority and competitive difference of the company.

Start the fight against waste in the “narrowest” places of the workflow - where the error is critical.

Finding a crisis and solving it is much more effective than mindlessly implementing a Lean algorithm.

Lean manufacturing is an enterprise management system that helps to get rid of waste and increase business efficiency. In the article we will explain the essence of the system and talk about the key principles.

Lean Manufacturing is...

In short, this is a culture of production, and not a set of tools and methods for improving and improving work efficiency. The system is based on the constant striving to eliminate all types of waste.

The introduction of the concept of lean production implies that all employees of the enterprise are familiar with the basics of this theory, accept it and are ready to build their activities in accordance with it.

How did the system come about

The concept originated in Japan after World War II, when large-scale efforts were required to restore industry, infrastructure, the country as a whole, and resources were extremely limited. In such conditions, the founder of the concept, Taiichi Ohno, implemented his management system at Toyota factories.

Later, American researchers transformed the Toyota production system (TPS) into the Lean manufacturing system, which includes not only the developments of the Toyota concern, but also the best practices of the Ford companies, the works of F. Taylor and E. Deming.

Four steps to sustainable production. Implementation practice.

Philosophy concept

The concept is based on the assessment of the value of the final product for the consumer. Therefore, all processes occurring in the enterprise are considered from the point of view of creating additional value. The goal is to minimize processes and operations in production that do not add value to the product in order to eliminate waste.

There are 8 types of main losses:

Overproduction, littering of the warehouse of finished products.
Expectation. In the absence of an established production process, downtime occurs, this adds value to the product.
Unnecessary transportation. The less movement of material values in space, the lower the costs.
Extra processing steps that do not add significant value.
Excess stocks of raw materials and materials.
Marriage and defects. A significant loss, which is reflected in the costs and image of the enterprise.
Unrealized potential of employees. Trust and attention to people is a key element of the system.
Overload and downtime due to insufficient planning.

Regardless of the position of the company in the market and its financial performance, it must constantly improve its processes. The organization of a lean manufacturing system is not a one-time action on the principle of “set it up and everything works”, but a continuous process that lasts for years.

Read also:

What will help: understand when to abandon unprofitable or unpromising investments in order to avoid large losses.

What will help: to identify the business processes of the company that bring additional losses, and identify those responsible.

Lean Manufacturing Principles

Over time, methods of lean production management have appeared. There are more than thirty of them, but in the article we will consider the main ones - for the widest range of enterprises:

What will help: develop an effective cost optimization plan.

What will help: to determine what expenses should be cut completely during the crisis, what else can be saved, what measures to apply to optimize the company's costs.

What will help: find out the reasons for their growth and what to do to limit it.

Examples of using the concept of lean manufacturing in Russia

GAZ Group has been implementing the lean system for more than 15 years and obtained the following results:

reduction of work in progress by 30%;
increase in labor productivity by 20-25% every year;
reduction of equipment changeover time up to 100%;
reduction of the production cycle by 30%.

Since 2013, RUSAL has begun to connect suppliers to the lean production system, primarily transport companies, because logistics costs make up a large part of the cost of production. This approach resulted in savings of 15% on costs over five years.

The integrated application of lean manufacturing methods in the KAMAZ association made it possible to obtain a significant economic effect:

decrease in cycle time by 1.5 times,
release of 11 thousand pieces of large-sized containers,
reduction of inventories by 73 million rubles,
reduction of production space by 30%.

The path to success for listed companies took from 7 to 15 years. Advice for those who have started the implementation of the system - do not quit what you started if there are no results in the coming months and years.

Lean Manufacturing Technologies

1. Value Stream Mapping

Mapping - a graphical representation of the business processes of an enterprise and their further optimization (see. ). The process involves the creation of a visual and understandable map of the formation of value for the client - a product or service. As a result, you will identify bottlenecks in production and determine the path to improve the situation.

2. Pull production

The point is that each previous stage produces only what the next one orders from it. Since the last in the chain of stages is the consumer, the “pull” mechanism means maximum customer focus. The final value is a “flow into one product”, where the goods at each stage are made to order, that is, there are neither stocks of raw materials, nor work in progress, nor stocks of finished products in the warehouse. Such a mechanism is rather a utopia, but constant attention to inventory management and minimization is an effective tool to reduce costs.

CANBAN means card in Japanese. The essence of the method is that the “customer” division forms a production order card for the “supplier” division and the “supplier” supplies the “customer” with exactly the volume of raw materials, components or finished products that was ordered. CANBAN can operate not only within one enterprise, but also between several enterprises within a holding or even with suppliers. Thus, intermediate warehouses and warehouses for finished products are reduced down to zero. But the use of the CANBAN tool implies the highest degree of consistency between links in the supply chain. Another significant advantage of the system is the timely detection of defects, which are sometimes hidden in bulk deliveries. Therefore, the goal of CANBAN is not only “zero inventory”, but also “zero defects”.

4. Kaizen (KAIZEN)

The fusion of the two characters "kai" and "zen" ("change" and "good") is the philosophy of continuous improvement of business processes in general and each individual process in particular. The tool is good because it shows the general methodology for working on processes and can be applied in any area, even outside of work. The idea of kaizen is that each employee, from the operator to the head of the company, has a certain value and strives to improve the part of the process for which he is responsible.

The 5S system is one of the methods of lean manufacturing. The system describes the productive organization of the workplace and the strengthening of work discipline.

6. Just in time (just in time)

The lean manufacturing tool involves the manufacture and supply of raw materials, parts and components no earlier and no later than the moment the need arises for these material assets. It is related to the “Pull production” described above and helps to reduce the remaining raw materials in warehouses, storage and movement costs, and increase cash flow.

7. Fast readjustment(SMED - Single Minute Exchange of Die)

The method is designed to reduce equipment downtime during changeover by converting internal operations into external ones. Internal operations are those that are performed while the equipment is stopped, external operations are those that are performed while the equipment is still running or already running.

8. Total Productive Maintenance System

The system assumes that all personnel, and not just technical employees, participate in the maintenance of the equipment. The focus lies both in selecting the highest quality and most advanced equipment for the plant, as well as ensuring its maximum performance, extending its service life through preventive maintenance schedules, lubrication, cleaning and general inspection.

9. Finding the bottleneck

Or, in other words, the search for a weak link. The tool is based on the fact that in production there is always a bottleneck that needs to be found and expanded. The search for a weak link must be dealt with periodically, this is the key to improvement.

10. Gemba. "Battle Place"

This tool is designed to constantly remind that the main action (“battle”) takes place not in the head office, but in the shops. This is a planned (regular) or unplanned (for example, due to a problem) exit of managers to production, which allows you to increase the involvement of management in the process, get first-hand information, and reduce the distance between employees and managers.

Lean

Lean(lean production, lean manufacturing - English. lean- “skinny, slim, no fat”; in Russia, the translation “thrifty” is used, there are also variants “slim”, “sparing”, “prudent”, in addition, there is a variant with transliteration - “lin”) - a management concept based on a steady desire to eliminate all types of losses. Lean production involves the involvement of each employee in the process of optimizing the business and maximum customer orientation.

Lean manufacturing is an interpretation of the ideas of the Toyota Production System by American researchers of the Toyota phenomenon.

Key Aspects of Lean Manufacturing

The starting point of lean manufacturing is customer value.

Value is the utility inherent in the product from the customer's point of view. Value is created by the manufacturer as a result of a series of sequential actions.

The heart of lean manufacturing is the process of eliminating waste.

Losses is any activity that consumes resources but does not create value for the consumer.

Losses in Japanese are called muda- a Japanese word that means waste, waste, that is, any activity that consumes resources but does not create value. For example, the consumer does not need at all that the finished product or its parts are in stock. However, under the traditional management system, warehouse costs, as well as all costs associated with rework, scrap, and other indirect costs are passed on to the consumer.

In accordance with the concept of lean manufacturing, all activities of an enterprise can be classified as follows: operations and processes that add value to the consumer, and operations and processes that do not add value to the consumer. Consequently, anything that does not add value to the customer is classified as a waste and should be eliminated.

Types of losses

losses due to overproduction;

loss of time due to waiting;

losses due to unnecessary transportation;

losses due to unnecessary processing steps;

losses due to excess inventory;

losses due to unnecessary movements;

losses due to the release of defective products.

Jeffrey Liker, who, along with Jim Womack and Daniel Jones, has actively researched the Toyota manufacturing experience, pointed out the 8th type of waste in The Toyota Tao:

unrealized creative potential of employees.

It is also customary to single out 2 more sources of losses - muri and mura, which mean, respectively, "overload" and "unevenness":

mura- uneven work performance, such as a fluctuating work schedule, caused not by fluctuations in end-user demand, but rather by the characteristics of the production system, or an uneven pace of work on an operation, forcing operators to rush first and then wait. In many cases, managers are able to eliminate unevenness by leveling out scheduling and being mindful of the pace of work.

Muri- overloading of equipment or operators that occurs when working at a higher speed or pace and with greater effort over a long period of time - compared to the design load (design, labor standards).

Basic principles

Jim Womack and Daniel Jones, in their book Lean: How to Eliminate Waste and Make Your Company Thrive, lays out the essence of lean manufacturing as a five-step process:

Determine the value of a particular product.

Determine the value stream for this product.

Ensure the continuous flow of the product value stream.

Allow the user to pull the product.

Strive for perfection.

Other principles:

Excellent quality (first sight delivery, zero defects system, detection and solution of problems at the source of their occurrence);
Flexibility;
Establishing a long-term relationship with the customer (by sharing risks, costs and information).

Lean Tools

Taiichi Ohno wrote in his paper that Toyota's production system stands on two "pillars" (often referred to as the "pillars of TPS"): the jidoka system and just-in-time.

One piece flow

Total equipment care - Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) system

Poka - yoke ("error protection", "fool protection") - a method of preventing errors - a special device or method due to which defects simply cannot appear.

Implementation Algorithm (according to Jim Wumeck)

Find a change agent (you need a leader who can take responsibility);

Get the necessary knowledge of the Lean system (knowledge must be obtained from a reliable source);

Find or create a crisis (a good motive for introducing Lean is a crisis in the organization);

Map the entire value stream for each product family;

As soon as possible, start work in the main areas (information about the results should be available to the organization's staff);

Strive for immediate results;

Implement continuous improvement according to the Kaizen system (transition from value creation processes in the shops to administrative processes).

Common Mistakes When Implementing Lean Manufacturing

Misunderstanding of the role of management in the implementation of the Lean system

Building a "System" that does not have the necessary flexibility

Starting implementation not from the “basics”

Jobs change, but habits don't.

Measure everything (collect data), but not react to anything

"Paralytic analysis" (endless analysis of the situation, instead of continuous improvements)

Go without support

Lean culture

Lean manufacturing is impossible without a lean culture. The main thing in Lean culture is the human factor, teamwork. Emotional intelligence (EQ) of employees provides significant support for this. Lean culture also corresponds to a certain corporate culture.

Efficiency

In general, the use of lean manufacturing principles can have significant effects. Prof. O. S. Vikhansky argues that the use of tools and methods of lean production can achieve a significant increase in the efficiency of the enterprise, labor productivity, improve the quality of products and increase competitiveness without significant capital investments.

Story

The father of lean manufacturing is Taiichi Ohno, who started working at Toyota Motor Corporation in 1943, integrating the best world practices. In the mid-1950s, he began to build a special production organization system called the Toyota Production System or Toyota Production System (TPS).

The Toyota system became known in the Western interpretation as Lean production, Lean manufacturing, Lean. The term lean was proposed by John Krafcik, one of the American consultants.

A significant contribution to the development of the theory of lean production was made by an associate and assistant of Taiichi Ono - Shigeo Shingo, who created, among other things, the SMED method.

The ideas of lean manufacturing were expressed by Henry Ford, but they were not accepted by business, as they were significantly ahead of their time.

Masaaki Imai was the first to spread the philosophy of Kaizen around the world. His first book Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success was published in 1986 and has been translated into 20 languages.

At first, the concept of lean manufacturing was applied in industries with discrete manufacturing, primarily in the automotive industry. The concept was then adapted to the conditions of continuous production. Gradually, the ideas of lean moved beyond production, and the concept began to be applied in trade, the service sector, utilities, healthcare (including pharmacies), the armed forces and the public sector.

In many countries, the spread of lean manufacturing is provided with government support. In the period of the highest competition and the escalating crisis, enterprises around the world have no other way than, using the best world management technologies, to create products and services that satisfy customers as much as possible in terms of quality and price.

Regular international and regional conferences contribute to the dissemination of Lean ideas. One of the largest platforms for the exchange of best practices in lean manufacturing in Russia is the Russian Lean Forums (since 2011 - the Russian Forum "Development of Production Systems"), which have been held annually since 2006.

Examples of using

Lean map. The deployment of the concept of lean manufacturing in Russia is presented on the Lean-map - the world's first map of lean manufacturing. The Lean Map, created by ICSI and the Leaninfo.ru Blog, highlights companies that, according to available information, use lean manufacturing tools, as well as lean people - that is, people who are famous, have significant experience in lean manufacturing and are active in spreading lean ideas. The map is constantly updated, mainly thanks to user information. Upon application with confirmation, any organization using lean manufacturing methods can be marked on the map.

The world's largest companies are successfully using Toyota's experience: Alcoa, Boeing, United Technologies (USA), Porsche (Germany), Tool Rand (Russia) and many others.

Lean Logistics (Lin logistics). The synthesis of logistics and the Lean concept made it possible to create a pull system that unites all firms and enterprises involved in the value stream, in which partial replenishment of stocks in small batches takes place. Lean Logistics uses the Total Logistics Cost (TLC) principle.

Lean manufacturing in medicine.. According to expert estimates, approximately 50% of the time at the medical staff is not used directly on the patient. A transition to personalized medicine is ahead, in which the patient receives care "at the right time and in the right place." Medical facilities should be located so that the patient does not have to spend time on numerous transfers and waiting in other places. Now this leads to significant financial costs for patients and a decrease in the effectiveness of treatment. In 2006, at the initiative of the Lean Enterprise Academy (Great Britain), the first conference in the EU on the problem of implementing Lean in the healthcare sector was held.

Lean mail. In the Danish Post Office, within the framework of Lean Manufacturing, a large-scale standardization of all offered services has been carried out to increase labor productivity and speed up mail forwarding. For the identification and control of postal services, "maps for the in-line creation of their value" have been introduced. An effective motivation system for postal employees has been developed and implemented.

Lean office. Lean manufacturing methods are increasingly being used not only in manufacturing, but also in offices (lean office), as well as in local and central governments.

Thrift House. The use of lean technology in everyday life makes it possible to make life environmentally friendly, to reduce energy costs to a minimum level. The passive house is a typical example of lean living. A passive house, or rather an energy-efficient house, is a house in which heating costs are about 10% of normal energy consumption, which practically makes it energy-independent. The heat loss of the Passive House is less than 15 W. hour / m² per year (for comparison, in an old building 300 W. hour / m² per year), and the need for a slight heating of the house occurs only at negative outdoor temperatures. Passive house at a frost of minus 20 cools down by 1 degree per day.

Downsides of Lean Manufacturing

It should also be noted that the introduction of lean manufacturing has certain negative aspects. In practice, a fairly large number of companies practicing lean manufacturing following Toyota make extensive use of so-called labor. temporary workers working on short-term contracts, who can be easily fired in the event of a reduction in production. For example, in 2004, Toyota employed 65,000 permanent workers and 10,000 temporary workers.

see also

Toyota: 14 Business Principles

Lean Design

Notes

Literature

Womack James P., Jones Daniel T. Lean production. How to get rid of losses and achieve prosperity for your company. - M.: "Alpina Publisher", 2011. ISBN 978-5-9614-1654-1

Womack James P., Jones Daniel T., Russ Daniel. The machine that changed the world. - M.: Potpourri, 2007. ISBN 978-985-483-889-2

Golokteev K., Matveev I. Production management: tools that work., - St. Petersburg. : Peter, 2008. ISBN 978-5-91180-599-9

Taiichi Ohno. The Toyota Production System: Moving away from mass production. - M: IKSI Publishing House, 2012. ISBN 978-5-903148-39-4

Shigeo Shingo. A study of the Toyota production system from the point of view of the organization of production. - M: IKSI, 2010. ISBN 978-5-903148-35-6

Pascal Dennis. Sirtaki in Japanese: About the Toyota Production System and Beyond ISBN 978-5-903148-04-2

Yasuhiro Monden. Toyota management system. - M. Publishing house IKSI, 2007, ISBN 978-5-903148-19-6

Liker Jeffrey. Tao Toyota: 14 principles of management of the world's leading company - M.,: "Alpina Publisher", 2011. ISBN 978-5-9614-1590-2

Shook John, Rother Michael. Learn to See Business Processes: The Practice of Value Stream Mapping (2nd edition). - M.: "Alpina Publisher", 2008. ISBN 978-5-9614-0621-4

George L. Michael. Lean + Six Sigma. Combining Six Sigma quality with Lean speed. - M: Alpina Publisher, 2007 ISBN 978-5-9614-0636-8

Mary Poppendyck, Tom Poppendyck. Lean software manufacturing: from idea to profit. - M .: Williams, 2010. ISBN 978-5-8459-1538-2

Mark Graban. Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Satisfaction ISBN 978-1-4200-8380-4

Links

Specialized Resources:

Herald Lin - Newspaper and online magazine about lean manufacturing

Lean manufacturing and lean technologies - Everything about lean manufacturing tools, Kaizen philosophy, experience and perspectives of Lean in Russia

Lean Books - ICSI Publishing

Kaizen Blog - Lean Materials

Practical Blog on Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement

State advanced training courses in the field of lean manufacturing

Education:

The Russian Lean School is a complex of educational services, including certification courses, additional professional education, kaizen tours, trainings and seminars by leading foreign and Russian experts. Organization and conduct of excursions

MBA-Production Systems - MBA-Production Systems program at the Graduate School of Business of Moscow State University named after MV Lomonosov. State Diploma

The Orgprom group of companies is a leading Russian provider providing a full range of services for the development of lean manufacturing

- Lean Practice Institute. State Diploma

Lean and ISO Certification - Relationship between ISO and Lean Systems.

Unions, social movements, public organizations:

Interregional public movement “Lin-forum. Lean Manufacturing Professionals” unites the efforts of all lean manufacturing enthusiasts. Has over 900 members

Important articles and materials:

Lean improvement and management balancing

read

Lean production, or lean production, is being confidently implemented by many Russian enterprises. In 2017, a series of GOSTs on lean manufacturing was released, but not all specialists are familiar with this concept. For young professionals and companies looking for the best way to improve efficiency, the material can become a guide to the world of lean production.

2 8 15/11/2018

How it all started: from crisis to concept

The history of lean manufacturing began with a crisis at Toyota. In the 1950s, a financial crisis raged in post-war Japan. It was associated with the depletion of financial and production resources. The only way for companies to survive was to improve product quality while reducing costs.

It was at this point that Taiichi Ohno, the progenitor of the concept of lean manufacturing, became the chief executive of the Toyota Motor Plant. He came up with and implemented a unique production system, which later became known as the Toyota Production System (TPS). It was based on identifying activities that added value to the customer and reduced overhead. From that moment, the golden age of Toyota began, which successfully entered the world market, conquering consumers with the value for money of its cars.

In the early 80s, Toyota cars appeared on the US market. They quickly became popular unexpectedly, capturing a fair share of the market from the big three US automakers. After that, a group of American scientists led by James P. Wumeck and Daniel T. Jones went to Japan to the Toyota plant. As a result of research on the Toyota Production System, they formulated the concept of lean manufacturing and set it out in their books, which later became bestsellers.

Although the concepts of lean production and TPS are based on the Toyota Production System and their principles are very similar, some experts distinguish them as follows: TPS is a company-specific path that is unique, and lean manufacturing is a set of methods, tools, mechanisms and philosophies that are based on this experience and can be implemented in other industries

8 types of losses

Taiichi Ohno advocated fighting waste (muda), that is, reducing any activity that consumes resources but does not add value to the end consumer. To do this, you first need to identify activities that add value. And it's not always easy. And the cost of other operations should be kept to a minimum.

Consider an example of painting a fence. The worker takes paint and a brush from the warehouse, goes to the fence, dips the brush in the paint, runs it several times over the fence, repeats the cycle, regularly cleans the brush, at the end of the shift he takes the remaining materials to the warehouse, and his boss checks the work. Of all the operations described, only brushing the fence adds value to consumers.

Taiichi Ohno identified seven main groups of losses. The eighth group was formulated by Geoffrey Liker. This type of waste has also become canonical for lean manufacturing. These are the following types:

Overproduction. The reasons for the losses of this group are the funds of the organization withdrawn from circulation, the cost of renting warehouses and the salary of responsible personnel.
Waiting in lines. The main sources of this type of loss are associated with downtime of equipment and personnel who are waiting for the delivery of the necessary components.
Transportation. These are losses associated with the cost of excessive movement of the product both in the production itself and from suppliers/consumers (depreciation of transportation equipment, logistics costs, the appearance of defects as a result of transportation).
Production processes that do not add value. These are costs associated, for example, with adding functions to the product that the end consumer does not need (a refrigerator with a built-in screen), or carrying out technical operations that do not add value to the consumer.
Excess inventories. This type of loss is associated with the cost of renting warehouses for storing products, the wages of responsible personnel, and the risks of exceeding the shelf life of stocks.
Extra movements. In this case, losses arise due to the fact that the employee spends time on unnecessary movements in the workspace, searching for the necessary tools, etc. In some areas of production, time losses can be up to 20%.
quality losses. This type of loss includes losses for the correction of defects, the disposal of irreparable defects and unnecessary quality checks of products.
Losses from the unrealized creative potential of employees. They are related to the fact that the employee performs types of work that are not characteristic of him or does something for which he does not have the ability or interest. These losses are most often due to the lack of a tool for finding and supporting the production initiatives of employees.

The main way to deal with losses, according to the concept of lean manufacturing, are the principles of pulling production and Just in time.

The principle of production pull implies that the order for each stage of production comes from the next stage of the production process (internal consumer), and everything begins with a thorough study of the needs and preferences of the end consumer (external consumer - client). But in the conditions of large-scale production, this is extremely difficult to achieve, so the outgoing signal is given by the marketing team, which promptly and continuously monitors the situation on the market. This avoids losses from overproduction.

The Just in time principle assumes that the system of planning and organization of the company's work is built in such a way that all the necessary elements enter the production process at the right time and in the required quantity. Also, this principle assumes defect-free production, since marriage can break the entire clear planning system.

To implement the concept of lean manufacturing, a wide range of methods are used.

5S

This is probably the most popular lean manufacturing method. Its essence lies in the rational and efficient organization of the workspace. It is aimed at combating losses arising from the search for the right tool, as well as from marriage due to faulty equipment or an untidy employee's workplace. In this system, the workspace is considered as an individual workplace of an individual employee (from the director to the cleaner), and the production facility as a whole.

The 5S method is based on the observance of five basic principles

Seiri - sorting

It is necessary to divide all objects in the workspace into groups:

always needed: located in the workspace;
sometimes needed: taken out of the workspace, but remain within reach;
unnecessary: must be removed.

The main idea behind this principle is that the fewer things around us, the easier it is to work.

Seiton - keeping order

For each thing and tool, its specific place must be determined. This order must be maintained. The choice of a place for tools should be carried out rationally:

a thing that is constantly used is always at hand;
things that are rarely needed should not interfere with the employee.

Most often, when implementing 5S, the outlines of things are drawn right at the workplace, and quality service employees regularly audit the workplace.

This is the most understandable principle of the 5S method. Dust and dirt cause waste and waste, and therefore affect efficiency and cost. In most cases, this principle is interpreted as regular cleaning not only of the premises, but also of the workplace. However, there are two nuances.

Not only the cleaner, but also the employee himself is responsible for cleaning the workplace.
Production should be arranged in such a way that there is as little garbage and waste as possible, and they should be localized.

Shisuske - standardization

Each employee should have at hand visual instructions for his activities. They should be minimized, understandable, visualized. Standardized inspections of process equipment in the workspace are carried out regularly.

Seiketsu - perfection

For the existence of the 5S system, it is necessary not only to maintain the already developed mechanisms, but also to constantly improve them. The production cycle does not stand still, companies change, 5S mechanisms must change with them.

Now there is a 6S system. It differs from the 5S method in the treatment of the last S. In 5S, the last point is improvement, and in 6S, discipline and habit.

Standardization

This method involves the creation of visual instructions for employees describing the main production processes. The instructions should regulate all the operations that the employee performs as briefly, clearly and clearly as possible.

The maximum length of instructions should be 3 pages, preferably less than one. It is desirable to use instructions with maximum visualization, a good example of this approach are, for example, IKEA furniture assembly instructions, Artis labor safety instructions, LEGO assembly rules.

In addition to the work instructions, the organization must describe all processes in a concise and understandable way. For this, as a rule, flowcharts are used.

All instructions should be issued according to uniform rules for the entire organization and regularly updated. Management should monitor the implementation of instructions by employees. In case of deviations, it is necessary to analyze and determine why the employee deviated from the instructions: because of the desire to simplify his life to the detriment of the production process, or he found a more optimal way to perform operations. In the latter case, his experience should be implemented in the organization, and the employee should be rewarded.

This method is aimed at reducing the variability of the workflow, reducing the number of defects, as well as facilitating the process of adaptation of new employees to the production process.

Poka Yoke

The name of this method is translated into Russian as "protection from missteps" or "protection from a fool." It is aimed at creating such conditions under which it is simply impossible for an employee to make a mistake, that is, at the maximum possible exclusion of the “human factor”.

This method is purely practical, so there are no general principles for it. To understand the idea, here are a few examples:

The use of structural elements that make it impossible to incorrectly assemble the entire structure. For example, the shape of SD or flash cards does not allow them to be inserted into the media on the wrong side.

Color marking of elements during production. Elements that must be interconnected are marked with the same color. For example, a wire and its connector are marked in the same color: red to red, yellow to yellow.

Automated control system. Creation of a system that will not let an element pass to the next production site if it has a defect. For example, on a conveyor line, a worker must connect two parts with four screws through holes. After this procedure, a photocell is installed on the tape, and if one of the screws is not fastened, this element does not pass further.

This method is also used to prevent industrial injuries. For example, on a conveyor belt for cutting a furniture board, an employee needs to press two buttons with both hands. This is done so that the employee cannot try to correct the furniture board with one hand while the cutter is running. As soon as he releases one of the buttons, the cutter stops.

The application of this method is unique for each individual organization, but it cannot be ignored.

Kanban

This is the main method for implementing JIT and pull production. Initially, these were cards that an employee on the production line handed over to his internal suppliers when he ran out of the elements needed for production. Now the performer does not need to transfer cards, this is done by an automated system.

Taiichi Ohno formulated the basic rules for using the kanban method:

No one can manufacture parts without receiving an order for them.
A kanban card must be attached to any part or batch of parts.

Using the kanban method allows you to:

obtain information about the place and timing of receipt and transportation of products;
prevent overproduction;
prevent the appearance of defective products by identifying at which stage defects occur.

Rapid changeover method (SMED)

This method is purely practical and unique for each industry. Its main task is to reduce the time for equipment changeover. This will allow the production of parts in small batches, which in turn will initiate the application of the principles of pulling and JIT. It is impractical to describe in detail the technical solutions of this method, since in most cases they are unique for each enterprise.

Reference

The most popular, but not all methods and tools of lean manufacturing are considered above. Among those not included in the review:

6 sigma is a methodology aimed at creating defect-free production.

Kaizen is a system of continuous improvement of processes in an organization.

Bottleneck analysis is a methodology aimed at finding and eliminating the so-called bottleneck in production.

Five "why?" - a method of finding solutions to problems that have arisen.

A value stream map is a tool that allows you to identify activities that add value to products for the end consumer.

Total Equipment Maintenance (TPM) is a methodology aimed at increasing the life and efficiency of equipment.

Visualization of production - this method is aimed at informing employees about the state of production by simple visual means, and others.

Although all the above methods were developed for manufacturing companies, the concept of lean manufacturing is widely used in the service sector, for example, in logistics, medicine, and the IT sector.

The production process of a modern enterprise is a complex mechanism for the transformation of semi-finished products, raw materials, materials and other objects of labor into finished products that meet the needs of society. The main task of the production system in this case is the continuous improvement of the “value stream” for the consumer, which is based on a rational combination in time and space of all the main, auxiliary and service industries. This allows you to produce products with minimal labor costs and the economic indicators and results of the production and economic activities of the enterprise depend on this, including the cost of production, profit and profitability of production, the amount of work in progress and the amount of working capital.

At the same time, one of the main issues in many enterprises is the issue of the efficiency of production processes in terms of the duration of the production cycle. There is a need to spend a lot of effort on coordinating all auxiliary and service industries for the uninterrupted supply of the main production with raw materials, electricity, as well as timely maintenance of equipment, warehousing, and transportation. The situation with the failure of equipment at one technological stage leads to the likelihood of stopping the entire workshop. Hence, the organization of an uninterrupted efficient production cycle at the enterprise is of particular relevance and importance for optimizing costs and achieving the best final results.

The efficiency of production in most enterprises is directly related to the complexity and duration of the production cycle. The longer this cycle, the greater the number of auxiliary and service industries involved in it, the less efficient is the production as a whole. This pattern is explained by the obvious need to spend a lot of effort on coordinating all actions to ensure the uninterrupted supply of the main production with raw materials, energy carriers, maintenance of equipment, transportation and storage of products, loading and unloading. Equipment failure at one technological stage can lead to failures in the operation of the entire production, up to its complete stop. Thus, it becomes especially important to improve efficiency and achieve the best results by addressing the problem of the stable functioning of the entire production system.

One way to solve this problem is to introduce a system Lean-technologies ("Lean production"), which is designed to optimize production processes, constantly improve product quality while constantly reducing costs. The system is not just a technology, but a whole management concept that involves the maximum orientation of production to the market with the interested participation of all the personnel of the organization. The experience of introducing the described technology, at least in the form of separate elements, at enterprises of various industries has shown its promise, as a result of which there is no doubt that it is necessary to study this experience and further expand the scope of its application.

The economic essence of Lean technologies

As an economic definition, production is a system for converting raw materials, semi-finished products and other objects of labor into finished products that have consumer value for society. The main task of the production system is to continuously improve the process of creating value for the consumer through a rational combination in time and space of all the main, auxiliary and service industries. Thus, saving time, material and labor resources is achieved, the cost of production decreases, the profitability of production increases, all economic indicators of the production and economic activity of the enterprise improve.

With the development of industrial relations, the systems for managing production processes are also developing and improving. One of the latest was the Lean manufacturing system, based on the principles of efficient resource management, attention to the needs of the customer, concentration on the problem of eliminating all types of losses, and the full use of the intellectual potential of the enterprise's personnel. One of the main goals of the system is cost reduction, management of a manufacturing enterprise based on a constant desire to eliminate all types of losses.

The concept of "Lean production" combines the optimization of production processes, aimed at continuous improvement of product quality while constantly reducing costs, with the involvement of each employee in this process. The concept is maximally focused on market conditions of management.

Over the past twenty years, a new productivity paradigm has been increasingly applied in world practice. It originally originated in Toyota and was called - Toyota Production System (TPS). It is focused on growth in a post-industrial economy, when instead of mass production based on guaranteed demand, there is a need for a diversified production that can satisfy individual customer needs, operating in small batches of various goods, including piece products. The main task of such production was the creation of competitive products in the required quantity, in the shortest possible time and with the least expenditure of resources.

The production meeting the new requirements was called “lean” (lean, lean production, lean manufacturing), and the enterprises that increased the operational efficiency of their production due to the introduction of the new system were called “lean” (lean enterprise).

Lean businesses differ from others in the following ways:

1. The basis of the production system of such enterprises is people. They are a creative force in the process of manufacturing competitive products, and technologies and equipment are only a means to achieve the set goals. No theory, strategy, technology will make an enterprise successful; this will be achieved only by people on the basis of their intellectual and creative potential.

2. Lean manufacturing systems enterprises are focused on complete elimination of losses and continuous improvement of all processes. All employees of the company from workers to senior management are involved in the daily work to prevent all possible types of losses and continuous improvement.

3. The management of the enterprise makes decisions, taking into account the prospect of further development, while momentary financial interests are not decisive. The management of such companies is not engaged in useless administration - command, unreasonably tight control, evaluation of employees using complex systems of various indicators, it exists for the reasonable organization of the production process, timely detection, solution and prevention of problems. The ability to see and solve problems in one's workplace is valued in every employee - from senior management to workers.

The key tools of the Lean system to improve productivity are:

5S system- a management technique designed for the effective organization of the workspace. The name comes from Japanese words starting with S, which in Russian can also be picked up analogues starting with the letter C, these are:
- 1) Sorting items and / or documentation in the workplace according to the degree of their need and frequency of use, eliminating all unnecessary;
  2) Systematization, when each item must be located in a certain easily accessible place;
  3) Maintaining cleanliness and order;
  4) Standardization of the workplace ordered by the previous procedures;
  5) continuous improvement of the developed standard.
- These simple and, at first glance, insignificant procedures, however, affect labor efficiency, eliminate the loss of things and time, reduce the likelihood of fires and other emergencies, and generally create a favorable microclimate in the workplace.
Standardized work- a clear and maximally visualized algorithm for performing a specific activity, including standards for the duration of the cycle of operations, the sequence of actions when performing these operations, the amount of materials and items in operation (stock level).
Methodology "Breakthrough to the flow" is to equalize and increase the efficiency of the production flow by creating fixed production cycles. In each of the selected cycles, the principles of standardized work discussed in the previous paragraph are implemented.
The concept of TPM (eng. Total Productive Maintenance)- system of general maintenance of equipment. This system implies a combination of equipment operation with constant technical maintenance. Thanks to the constant monitoring and maintenance of equipment in working (serviceable) condition by production personnel, the level of losses caused by breakdowns, equipment downtime due to repair work, including scheduled ones, is reduced, which ensures the highest efficiency throughout the entire life cycle of the equipment. At the same time, the forces of the repair personnel are freed up for solving more important tasks.
SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die) system- technology for quick changeover of equipment. In the process of equipment changeover, two groups of operations can be distinguished - external, which can be carried out without stopping the equipment, for example, preparation of tools and materials, and internal, which require a break in the operation of the equipment. The essence of the system is to transfer the maximum number of internal operations to a group of external ones, which becomes possible due to the introduction of a number of technological and organizational improvements.
Pull production system is an approach to the organization of the production flow, excluding losses associated with overproduction or waiting for the completion of the previous stage of work. Each technological operation, as it were, "pulls" the required amount of products from the previous one and transfers it to the next one. As a result, neither surpluses nor shortages occur in the production process.
System for submitting and considering proposals provides all employees with a clear mechanism for implementing improvement proposals and provides for measures to encourage employees to submit such proposals.

The integrated use of Lean-tools makes it possible to achieve a significant increase in labor productivity without significant investments, practically only at the expense of the company's internal reserves. In fact, the Lean concept is a certain approach to all issues of organizing production, which allows not only to implement innovative technologies that increase labor productivity and production efficiency, but also to create conditions for the formation of a corporate culture based on the general participation of personnel in the process of continuous improvement of the company's activities.

The Error Prevention Process Used in Lean Systems

A widely used error prevention technique used in Lean systems is the Poka-yoke technique.

Poka-yoke- (poka - an accidental, unintentional error; yoke - error prevention), (eng. Zero defects - Zero error principle) - a principle that consists in searching for the causes of errors and creating methods and technologies that exclude the very possibility of their occurrence. If it is impossible to do the work in other ways than the correct one, and the work is done, then it was done without errors - this is the fundamental idea of the method.

Various defects in products may occur due to human forgetfulness, inattention, misunderstanding, negligence, etc. Such errors are natural and inevitable, and from this angle they must be considered in order to find ways to prevent them.

The error prevention technique provides for:

creation of prerequisites for defect-free work,
implementation of defect-free work methods,
systematic elimination of errors that have arisen,
taking precautions and implementing simple technical systems to prevent employees from making a slip.

The Poka-yoke method, used in conjunction with other lean manufacturing tools, ensures that the finished product is defect-free and therefore the manufacturing process runs smoothly.

Increasing the efficiency of enterprise management through Lean technologies

In general, the use of Lean principles can provide significant effects(in times):

productivity growth - 3-10 times;
downtime reduction - 5-20 times;
reduction in the duration of the manufacturing cycle - 10-100 times;
reduction of warehouse stocks - by 2-5 times;
decrease in marriage cases - by 5-50 times;
speeding up the entry to the market of new products - by 2-5 times.

Best foreign and Russian practice implementation of lean manufacturing tools gives such results:

Electronics industry: reduction of production process steps from 31 to 9. Reduction of the production cycle from 9 to 1 day. Release of 25% of production space. Savings of about 2 million dollars for six months.
Aviation industry: reduction of the lead time from 16 months to 16 weeks.
Automotive industry: 40% increase in quality
Non-ferrous metallurgy: 35% increase in productivity.
Overhaul of large-tonnage vessels: release of 25% of production space. Reducing the time of one of the main operations from 12 to 2 hours. Saving about 400 thousand dollars in 15 days.
Assembly of automotive components: release of 20% of production space. Refusal to build a new production building. Savings of about $2.5 million per week.
Pharmaceutical industry: reduction of waste from 6% to 1.2%. Reducing electricity consumption by 56%. Savings of 200 thousand dollars annually.
Consumer Goods Manufacturing: 55% increase in productivity. Reducing the production cycle by 25%. Reducing inventory by 35%. Savings of about 135 thousand dollars per week.

In general, today there is a shortage of professionals on the Russian market who have experience in optimizing production processes through the introduction of “lean manufacturing” technology. Lean considers any production from the point of view of process optimization by all employees of the company. This global approach hides the main complexity of the "lean production" methodology, since a specialist in this field must combine the skills of a teacher and a leader, a forecaster and an analyst.

Conclusion

Lean manufacturing (lean production, lean manufacturing) is a concept of managing a manufacturing enterprise, based on the constant desire to eliminate all types of waste. Due to the deployment of a Lean-system (a system of lean production) at the enterprise, it is possible to implement an innovative approach to increasing labor productivity in practice. In fact, the Lean concept is a certain system of views on the organization of production, a kind of production paradigm that allows you to implement a number of innovative engineering methodologies to improve production efficiency (including labor productivity) and create conditions for the transformation and formation of a corporate culture based on universal participation of personnel in the process of continuous improvement of the company's activities.