About the Course

The Concept of Lean Waste

Reduce waste and streamline value flow

Businesses are continuously seeking methods to enhance efficiency and improve quality. To operate at peak performance, it is essential to minimize or eliminate waste from processes and enhance production flow. This course will teach you Lean strategies to reduce waste by identifying which operations add value and which do not. You will delve into the concept of continuous flow and learn how to balance work processes for more efficient production flow. You'll define what constitutes waste, where it occurs, and its causes. You'll also explore aspects of Muda, continuous flow, line balancing, value and non-value-add, and practical Lean techniques for enhancing Operations Management.

What is waste in Lean Manufacturing?

A fundamental principle in lean methodology is the elimination of waste within an operation. In any business, waste is a significant drain on profitability. Lean waste can manifest as time, material, and labor, but it can also relate to the use of skill sets and inadequate planning. In lean manufacturing, waste is any cost or effort expended that does not transform raw materials into a product the customer is willing to pay for. By optimizing process steps and eliminating waste, only genuine value is added at each stage of production.

Currently, the Lean Manufacturing model identifies 8 types of waste within an operation; seven were originally identified when the Toyota Production System was developed, with an eighth added when lean methodology was adopted in the Western World. Seven of the eight wastes are related to production processes, while the eighth waste pertains to management’s ability to utilize personnel effectively.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN to

1. classify production activities as value-add, non-value-add, or necessary non-value-add.

2. Identify strategies for eliminating waste from overproduction and inventory.

3. identify strategies for eliminating waste from motion, waiting, and transportation.

4. identify strategies for eliminating waste from overprocessing and defects.

5. match cycle time and takt time to their descriptions.

6. Identify the final three steps for balancing a production line.