Lean Manufacturing Case Study

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Lean Manufacturing is a systematic method that is used to eliminate waste or “Muda” within a system. Companies that are falling short on profits or that are inefficient, will usually hire firms that can come in and transform them into a lean organization. In order for the firm to be successful they will need the full cooperation from the leadership and employees. This is not a quick process because it requires intense concentration in all areas and aspects of the company and can take years to complete.
When getting started the first step of developing lean manufacturing is to discover a change agent. A change agent is someone in the company that the firm deems to be the most qualified to help lead the change from within. If they are unable to find this person the company may not be ready for such a drastic change. Next the change agent and senior …show more content…

Anytime there is a crisis in the company the change agent will have the best chance of implementing the necessary changes to improve manufacturing. For example, the company may have a set budget and due to inefficient manufacturing are over or in danger of going over the budget. Drastically needing a solution management may be more inclined to listen to the change agent and accept his changes. Mapping value streams is a critical step in finding Muda. By investigating every product family and mapping their sequence step by step a change agent can determine if there is any lost time or waste of resources. Also he or she should identify any issues with the suppliers and customers. Another important step is

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