Comments on: The 6R Goals of Lean Manufacturing

By: Christoph Roser

Christoph Roser — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 09:35:50 +0000

Many thanks for noticing. I am always trying to push “solving a problem” over “using a method”. Glad you heard me 🙂

By: Hugh Alley

Hugh Alley — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 01:36:18 +0000

The most important sentence in your post is the second last one: “Some people in lean want to implement methods, but in my view the goal in lean is to solve problems, and the method does not matter as much as long as it helps you to improve.” We have to remember that Toyota, who many are trying to emulate, was not trying to invent a system. They were trying to methodically solve difficult problems, and over time, invented practices that helped them do it. It was the methodical, systematic effort to make improvements that was the genius… not the methods they settled on – for the moment!

By: Christoph Roser

Christoph Roser — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 09:33:43 +0000

And that is why Toyota tries to get suppliers close to their plants, especially for large and/or expensive parts.

By: Andrey Abutin

Andrey Abutin — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 15:15:23 +0000

Just in Time and inventory are two concepts that need a serious second look now that the pandemic has shown how quickly and how badly things can fall apart in case of disruptions. Excessive inventory is not good, BUT too little inventory that leaves no breathing room in case of hiccups is much, much worse.

Two hours max of inventory may work great when you have dependable suppliers literally across the street that can consistently deliver in less than 15 minutes from the pull, but two weeks niffer (or more!) is just common sense when your supply chain stretches over the oceans as is common for western plants.

A couple years ago, I used to take medication that I would order from a pharmacy somewhere in the Pacific and I had a simple pull system. Each pack was about a month and a half supply and the usual delivery time was about two weeks. My system was to have one open pack, and one unopened pack on hand. When a pack is opened, place the order for the next one. One time I switched to a vendor in India, and all I had to do was simply increase the buffer size by 1.

By: Gerhard Kessler

Gerhard Kessler — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 21:13:16 +0000

I like your comment about the printed cardboard packages. I have seen it multiple times, that such an order you refer too comes in several times a year from that client. In my opnion, as along as it is not driven by a strict lot# number they have printed on the box, you should store the overproduction (on your own risk) for the next order coming in.
Very often your production planners know the needs of the client much better as the client himself- but this needs good communication with the saless departement .