Lean Manufacturing vs. Six Sigma: A Detailed Comparison
Organizations constantly seek methodologies to accelerate their efforts to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve quality. Two dominant approaches have emerged: lean manufacturing and Six Sigma. This has further birthed another concept: lean manufacturing vs. Six Sigma, which one should your business opt for? While both aim to optimize business processes, they differ significantly in […]
What Are Two Key Characteristics of Lean Manufacturing?
Lean manufacturing is known for transforming production systems worldwide because of its focus on efficiency. But have you ever wondered what two key characteristics of lean manufacturing serve as the core of the lean philosophy? Lean manufacturing is defined by two main characteristics: Waste reduction and continuous improvement, or Kaizen. These two pillars have revolutionized […]
A3 Problem-Solving: Fight the Root Cause
Running businesses and dealing with problems go hand in hand. Despite careful planning and preventive measures, challenges still arise. When such problems occur on the manufacturing floor, quick fixes are often prioritized. However, rushing to short-term fixes without a structured approach often leads to recurring problems. The key to effective problem resolution lies in identifying […]
Lean Manufacturing in Supply Chain: What Does It Look Like?
The first thing that every business needs to learn is that lean manufacturing matters A LOT in supply chain management. Why? Because it ultimately plays a leading role in the business’s success. Well, if that’s valid, here comes the question: What does effective lean manufacturing in supply chain management look like? The answer is simple: […]
DMAIC vs DMADV
DMAIC and DMADV are the top Lean Six Sigma practices to drive process and business improvement. DMAIC focuses on enhancing existing processes, while DMADV targets the design of new ones. Do you have issues like long cycle times, waste, or inefficiencies that are causing chaos in your manufacturing, service, or design? Lean Six Sigma’s frameworks […]
How to Implement a Pull System on the Project Portfolio Level
Knowledge-driven industries like software development, marketing, and asset management have found the concept of a pull system to be a highly beneficial strategy. Originally developed for manufacturing, a pull system is a fundamental part of lean methodologies. It is designed to optimize workflow and increase efficiency by only starting tasks when there is demand. Pull […]
How to Do Root Cause Analysis in 6 Steps?
Root cause analysis is a structured problem-solving approach used to identify the fundamental causes of issues in order to address them to prevent recurrence from the actual true cause from which the problem or issues is occuring. . Rather than just addressing the symptoms, RCA digs deeper to uncover the underlying factors that lead […]
Takt Time: What Is It And How To Measure It?
According to a recent study, manufacturers observed a 25% reduction in production time after understanding and efficiently implementing tools to correctly setup takt times in their manufacturing process. Manufacturers need to maintain efficiency in operations for a competitive edge and meeting their customer’s demand. One essential metric that manufacturers use to optimize their workflow and […]
Gross Profit vs. Operating Income: 3 Reasons to Measure Both
Gross profit and operating income are two key metrics in business finance that play a pivotal role in understanding a company’s financial health. While entrepreneurs and seasoned business professionals focus on revenue and revenue growth, tracking these specific numbers offers much deeper insights into the viability of a business venture. Gross profit reveals how efficiently […]
Eliminating and Reduction of The 7 Wastes of Lean Production
Originated in the Toyota car manufacturing company, Lean production is an approach designed to optimize value adding processes and eliminate inefficiencies known as “waste.” These waste contribute to higher costs, decreased productivity, and lower quality output thus affecting business performance. The seven lean waste categories, also known as “MUDA” in Japanese and lean manufacturing, happen […]