If you’re thinking of introducing lean manufacturing on the shop floor, you may have noticed that some production employees are hesitant to shift their habits. For example, they may say that their way of doing things has always generated good results or that the proposed modifications don’t apply to their current situation. Rest assured, your … Continued
The time has come for many North American manufacturers to get back to work. The situation will obviously not be the same as it was before. Ways of doing things will have to be adjusted. In the coming weeks, plants will be implementing a host of new measures to comply with new government rules, particularly … Continued
Circular manufacturing is a system for maximizing efficiency and reducing waste in a manufacturing site. In this video, Robert Simonis, principal consultant at KCE Consulting, explains the four rules of this lean technique and how they can improve the flow of any work process. Rule No. 1: The process should begin and end in the … Continued
A waterspider (Japanese: mizusumashi) is a dedicated support role in lean manufacturing responsible for keeping operators supplied with materials, tools, and information so they can focus exclusively on value‑added work. By handling non‑value‑added transport and replenishment tasks, the waterspider helps maintain continuous flow, reduce motion waste, and minimize downtime across the production line. Like during … Continued
One of the eight types of waste identified in lean methodology, motion waste is any movement during a work process that does not add value to the customer. This includes actions such as walking, bending, lifting, and reaching that slow down the process and make the task more difficult for the operator. As Shoplogix’s Martin … Continued
Kaizen is a Japanese word meaning “continuous improvement,” and it refers to the incremental steps taken to create a more efficient, optimized workplace. As the concept of kaizen has gained popularity in North America, many companies have started holding kaizen events to improve specific areas or processes, as Shoplogix’s Martin Boersema explains in this video. … Continued
Value stream mapping involves creating a detailed visualization of all the steps in your manufacturing process, allowing you to identify problems and potential improvements. It’s one of the fundamental tools of lean management, as TXM’s Normand Sawyer explains in this video. What is a value stream? The term “value stream” refers to the series … Continued
One of the principal tools of lean manufacturing, visual management is used to communicate information about your operations in a way that is easy to understand at a glance, helping to facilitate safer and more effective workflows as well as saving time and reducing waste. In this video, Leslie Pickering, co-owner of consulting firm Quadrant5, … Continued
Le Chaînon has seen its reception capacity reduced to 50% due to the pandemic linked to Covid-19. A donation of divider panels made it possible to continue to welcome and support women in difficulty in a safe environment for all. Le Chaînon is a Montreal-based organization that has been helping women in transition since 1932. … Continued
If you’re like most manufacturers, you probably still rely primarily on manual operations, which are prone to problems that can affect the entire assembly line. A great way to quickly pinpoint issues at manually operated workstations, improve response time, and reduce downtime is through an Andon system. What exactly is an Andon? The … Continued
