As businesses look to reopen and get employees back to work, there’s a highly effective technique that can help speed up the process — it’s called a Gemba Walk. The Gemba walk is an essential part of the Lean manufacturing philosophy. Its initial purpose is to allow managers and leaders to observe the actual work …
In a perfect world, machines would never break down, assembly lines would never stop, superior products without defects would be produced, product quotas would always be met, and products would be picked up and delivered on time. But, unfortunately, it’s not a perfect world. Sometimes things happen that throw production off schedule. This is where …
Charged with overseeing the operations of a plant, a plant manager spends her day juggling different responsibilities and working closely with a wide assortment of people. The best plant managers utilize a combination of manufacturing experience, attention to detail and people skills to perform effectively. What does a plant manager do? Plant managers are at …
How to be a successful plant manager in todays time? Read More »
Lean manufacturing addresses one of the worst things that can happen to any enterprise: waste. To not take full advantage of all of your resources is to lose efficiencies and, in so doing, stunt production. These neglected resources include everything from manufacturing project management tools, to the skills of the staff members. The core idea …
Every employee has a slightly different way of doing things. Each has a different background, different experience, different depth of skill, and a slightly different work process—and that introduces variation into a company’s workflow. The larger your operation, the more variation works its way into the production line. Work instructions are key to reducing variation, …
How to make good assembly line work instructions? Read More »
A lot is happening in the automotive industries. Many manufactures are pivoting towards electric cars while trying to establish new supply chains that would be more resilient in today’s changing environment. But there’s another thing happening – we are seeing the emergence of microfactories. One of the most well known examples is the electric vehicle …
Microfactories – the latest trend in manufacturing Read More »
A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out routine operations. SOPs aim to achieve efficiency, quality output, and uniformity of performance while reducing miscommunication and failure to comply with industry regulations. But who will be the one to write standard operating procedures? Who …
Who writes standard operating procedures (SOPs)? Read More »
If you’ve ever had to write instructions for a how-to, you know how difficult it can be to be clear, concise, and follow a logical order. If you’ve never had to do that, consider yourself lucky and read on! Here are some tips for writing clear, concise, logical and effective work instructions. Write clear work …
Unless you use terms like “SOPs,” “work instructions,” and “job aids” regularly, you could be forgiven for thinking these are all the same. The reality, however, is that there are a number of different types of directional materials and guidelines that govern the way companies, business segments, and individual employees work, and each provides value …
Standardized Work Instructions (SWI) are instructions designed to ensure that your manufacturing processes are consistent, timely, and repeatable. Often the standard work instructions are printed and posted near the operator’s work station. Standard work is a written description of the safest, most efficient, and highest-quality method to perform a given task or process. But can …
Getting started with standard work instructions for fabrication Read More »
