Jan
12
It’s Time to Get Leaner
Filed Under lean, toyota production system | Leave a Comment
2008 has been a year that rocks the financial world and also the whole economy of the world. The big 3 automobile makers in US are in trouble and even Toyota is also encountering the first loss after 71 straight years of profit. So, what are you going to do in this new year 2009?
Are you going to just sit down and wait for a miracle to happen?
Are you going to just complain about the bad market that we have now and whose fault is that?
Or, we can focus our resources and energy to relook at our process, people and system for opportunities to improve. Since the market is slower, we will have more time to actually do some Continuous Improvement or Kaizen work that we have put aside especially when you are busy.
First, I think you should train your people about basic Lean Principles and get them to start looking for and eliminate wastes. Bear in mind that, when we grow over time we tend to add in a lot of process and red tapes and that is why we grow “fatter and fatter”. So, now it is time to relook and sometimes, re-develop your process to make you stronger and better.
If you wan to learn more about Lean, we have resources that can help you implement Lean in your organizations. Just click HERE to register and you can download the resources in our members’ resources page and if you do help us to spread the news about this website, you are also able to download our recorded workshop on “Discover the Secret of Toyota Success” (worth $197).
Nov
12
Funny Toyota Commercial
Filed Under funny, toyota commercials, toyota way | Leave a Comment
Let’s have a break. Here’s a funny Toyota commercials video. Check it out…
Nov
10
Why Others Benchmark Toyota?
Filed Under toyota production system, toyota way | 2 Comments
Is Toyota really good? And, why does so many companies want to benchmark after Toyota? Below is a news clip about the Toyota Way. Check it out…
Have you seen how Toyota’s employees respond to the change and they are not afraid if their current responsibilty is removed for the sake of creating more value to the customers? I would like to hear your comments.
Nov
9
Want to Visit Toyota Plant?
Filed Under toyota factory, toyota plant kentucky, toyota production system | Leave a Comment
If you know the Origin of Lean then you the relationship between Lean and Toyota. In fact, Lean is modeled after Toyota Production System. And, if you want to learn Toyota Production System, you must at least understand how their they run their production. I am lucky to have the opportunity to visit one of the Toyota factory and I am so impressed with how they run their operations, not only in the production area but how they train and develop their people.
I know it is costly for everyone to visit the Toyota factory so below is the opportunity for you to take a look at how they operate in Toyota Kentucky factory.
What have you observe from the operations from the above videos? Please give us some of your comments.
Nov
8
The
standard lean manufacturing system has been referenced from the Toyota lean manufacturing system in Japan. Even the lean manufacturing system developed in North America has evolved from its beginnings in the Toyota Production System (TPS) in Japan.
In fact, many of the recognized phrases being used in the lean manufacturing systems in North America and all over the world are Japanese terms such as kanban, kaizen or andon. These Japanese terms originated from the Toyota lean manufacturing systems and have become standard and normal terms in every lean manufacturing systems available in every country.
The Heart Of The Toyota Lean Manufacturing System
Value has been the heart of the Toyota lean manufacturing system. When we say value, it means something that a particular customer desires to pay for or even buy.
As such, if there is value, then there is also non-value in the Toyota lean manufacturing system. Non value are everything that is not of value, meaning all aspects of the Toyota lean manufacturing processes are considered a waste or of no value.
Basically, the Toyota lean manufacturing system has an objective to be used as a tool in focusing all resources or energies in producing certain value-added characteristics while also identifying, acknowledging and eliminating the activities that are of no value.
The Toyota Lean Manufacturing System
The Toyota lean manufacturing is a sort of codification of several ideas into a set of workable harmonies.
First, a company who adopted the Toyota lean manufacturing system must be able to identify a particular customer and how or what is value to them. Afterwards, the Toyota lean manufacturing system will be able to guide the companies and employees to focus their energies into adding value to the goods.
By delineating the existing manufacturing process to the demands of the customer, the Toyota lean manufacturing system will be able to add value to the products or goods. in the end, the customers, the employees and the shareholders of the companies will all be satisfied.
The Waste In The Toyota Lean Manufacturing System
The Toyota lean manufacturing system faces a hindrance in its aims to improve manufacturing processes. The waste has become the focus of the Toyota lean manufacturing system although it is taught that focus and energies must be directed towards the valued goods as wanted by the customers.
Previous manufacturing processes has defined and categorized wastes as objects. The teachings of the Toyota lean manufacturing system, however, expands this view into meaning that wastes are not only objects but can be processes of the manufacturing system.
The Toyota lean manufacturing system rather defines waste in terms of the relationship between the resource and the end customers. Anything therefore that is not of interest to teh customer but incurs expense to the company is a waste for the Toyota lean manufacturing system.
Continuous Improvement In The Toyota Lean Manufacturing System
The Toyota lean manufacturing system is bent on pursuing continuous improvement for all its processes. Any redundant or looping process will have to be terminated or replaced to improve the manufacturing process.
The Toyota lean manufacturing system allows itself to be open and adaptive to any changes. By identifying what wastes are existing in the value stream, immediate and instant gains are acquired and achieved.
The Plan Of Toyota Lean Manufacturing System
The Toyota lean manufacturing system lays out a plan to increase the profitability of companies by reducing the costs that can be incurred. This is done by knowing and tagging what the customers identify as value. therefore, any processes or objects that do not align with this value or do not add value to the object is reduced or eliminated.
When a company adopts the Toyota lean manufacturing system, it knows that it can direct cost savings by eliminating wastes in the system.
Using the Toyota lean manufacturing process, companies can readily see the following improvements in their company:
1. An increased morale and productivity of the employee.
2. Satisfaction for the customer because of reduced defects on the goods and an improved delivery.
3. The goods will also be faster to market.
As was said previously, the Toyota lean manufacturing system is very much customer focused.
Nov
8
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Gets Lean
Filed Under lean, lean six sigma, six sigma | 1 Comment
Enough of all the bad news in our economy today and if we can continue to worry and complain but what do you and your organization benefits from? Why not let us focus our energy to improve our organization with Lean. Let’s listen to the following interview on whether Lean Six Sigma is able to help improve your organizations in this economy downturn.
Please do share your comments on how we can improve our organizations at this economy downturn using Lean Six Sigma strategies.