{"id":166090,"date":"2023-12-14T09:00:52","date_gmt":"2023-12-14T13:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fiix.wpengine.com\/?p=166090"},"modified":"2024-10-18T11:30:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T15:30:00","slug":"lean-manufacturing-what-is-it-and-what-does-maintenance-have-to-do-with-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fiixsoftware.com\/blog\/lean-manufacturing-what-is-it-and-what-does-maintenance-have-to-do-with-it\/","title":{"rendered":"The connection between lean manufacturing and maintenance"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ve talked about all kinds of maintenance strategies<\/a> here on the Fiix blog (most recently, total productive maintenance<\/a>). There are a number of ways a maintenance manager can choose to run their team\u2019s activities. But how does maintenance fit under the larger umbrella of lean manufacturing? We\u2019ll start to explore that by looking at the relationship between lean manufacturing<\/a> and maintenance.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s begin by defining the concept: Lean manufacturing aims at minimizing waste, and its premise is a philosophy, set of tools and techniques, way of thinking, and way of life. That being said, we need to understand the most common causes of waste within manufacturing first, before we understand the connection between maintenance strategies and lean manufacturing.<\/p>\n

Ten causes of production waste<\/h2>\n
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  1. Overproduction:<\/strong> This happens when something is made before it\u2019s actually needed, which can lead to excess inventory.<\/li>\n
  2. Waiting:<\/strong> This refers to the time added by a work-in-process waiting for the next stage of production.<\/li>\n
  3. Transport:<\/strong> The unnecessary movement of anything in the production process, from raw materials to works in process to finished goods.<\/li>\n
  4. Motion:<\/strong> This is considered as any unnecessary movement between locations that is done by the people involved in the production process.<\/li>\n
  5. Overprocessing:<\/strong> This refers to processing more than what is needed to produce what the customer needs.<\/li>\n
  6. Inventory:<\/strong> This means any product quantities that go beyond supporting immediate production needs.<\/li>\n
  7. Defects:<\/strong> Defects occur when there is production that is scrapped or needs to be reworked.<\/li>\n
  8. Wasted human potential:<\/strong> This is a slightly more abstract form of waste, and simply refers to any unused human potential, which is the responsibility of management.<\/li>\n
  9. Underutilized equipment:<\/strong> If machinery and equipment are not used to their full capacity, it can be considered a form of waste.<\/li>\n
  10. Lack of standardization:<\/strong> Inconsistent processes and a lack of standardized work procedures can lead to variations in product quality and increase the likelihood of defects.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Linking lean manufacturing and maintenance<\/h2>\n

    As you can see, manufacturing waste can come from virtually anywhere. So, it shouldn\u2019t be surprising that there are a staggering number of lean manufacturing concepts and tools out there for facilities to explore. In fact, there are several different tools that relate to the lean strategy, including:<\/p>\n