{"id":28617,"date":"2021-04-29T11:15:17","date_gmt":"2021-04-29T15:15:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/?p=28617"},"modified":"2025-10-09T16:20:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T20:20:35","slug":"how-to-deal-with-motion-waste","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/us_en\/how-to-deal-with-motion-waste\/","title":{"rendered":"How to deal with motion waste"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>One of the <a href=\"https:\/\/theleanway.net\/The-8-Wastes-of-Lean\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eight types of waste<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n<p>As Shoplogix\u2019s Martin Boersema explains in this video, motion waste tends to be the most common type of waste in a work cell\u2014but it is relatively easy to correct through <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.kainexus.com\/continuous-improvement\/6-principles-of-the-continuous-improvement-model\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">continuous improvement<\/a> initiatives such as kaizen events.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/vregisflexpipe.github.io\/video\/How-to-deal-with-motion-waste\/en\/\" width=\"100%\" height=\"800\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>How to identify motion waste<\/h2>\n<p>To identify <a href=\"https:\/\/www.logiwa.com\/blog\/motion-waste\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">motion waste<\/a>, observe the work process and take note of any movement that seems to be slowing things down. Maybe the operator has to walk across the shop to read a set of instructions, or they spend several seconds fiddling with a part.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_26243\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26243\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-26244 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Version_en_francais_d_un_tableau-01-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"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.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2049\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Version_en_francais_d_un_tableau-01-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Version_en_francais_d_un_tableau-01-768x615.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Version_en_francais_d_un_tableau-01-1536x1229.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Version_en_francais_d_un_tableau-01-2048x1639.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Version_en_francais_d_un_tableau-01-375x300.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Version_en_francais_d_un_tableau-01-1024x819.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Version_en_francais_d_un_tableau-01-1280x1024.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Version_en_francais_d_un_tableau-01-24x19.jpg 24w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Version_en_francais_d_un_tableau-01-36x29.jpg 36w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Version_en_francais_d_un_tableau-01-48x38.jpg 48w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26243\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">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.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Ask questions to find out why these extra movements are taking place. Once you determine the cause of the waste, you\u2019ll be able to come up with solutions.<\/span>It\u2019s helpful to conduct a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shmula.com\/lean-manufacturing-the-basics-of-time-studies-and-work-sampling\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">time study<\/a> on the work process to find out exactly how long it takes to execute each step. If there is fluctuation in the time it takes to perform a particular task\u2014maybe sometimes it takes 30\u00a0seconds, but other times it takes 60\u00a0seconds\u2014motion waste might be the culprit.<\/p>\n<h2>Common types of motion waste<\/h2>\n<p>Types of motion waste vary depending on the work process. In an injection molding cell, for example, the operator may have trouble keeping up with the machine\u2019s production cycle if they have to walk several feet away from their workstation to retrieve the parts they need.<\/p>\n<p>Or perhaps they can still keep pace with the machine, but the seconds they spend walking could be better spent on a task that adds value, such as performing an inspection.<\/p>\n<p>In an assembly cell, where the work is performed manually, the efficiency of the process depends on how easily the operator can carry out each step. Small issues might slow down the work\u2014maybe they have to fiddle with a part to get it to fit inside its nest, or they have to rotate their body to reach the tools they need.<\/p>\n<p>If the workspace isn\u2019t organized efficiently, employees will wind up moving around as they search for missing parts, tools, or information.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_26252\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26252\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-26253 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/bin_815x485.jpg\" alt=\"If the workspace isn\u2019t organized efficiently, employees will wind up moving around as they search for missing parts, tools, or information.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/bin_815x485.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/bin_815x485-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/bin_815x485-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/bin_815x485-375x211.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/bin_815x485-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/bin_815x485-1280x720.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/bin_815x485-710x400.jpg 710w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/bin_815x485-24x14.jpg 24w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/bin_815x485-36x20.jpg 36w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/bin_815x485-48x27.jpg 48w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26252\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">If the workspace isn\u2019t organized efficiently, employees will wind up moving around as they search for missing parts, tools, or information.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>How to reduce motion waste<\/h2>\n<p>In many cases, motion waste can be reduced by making necessary equipment more accessible to the operator. This might mean replacing a large cabinet with a tool cart that can be wheeled closer to the operator\u2019s workstation, or perhaps substituting a large bin with several smaller bins so that the operator doesn\u2019t have to reach far inside to retrieve the part they need.<\/p>\n<p>To eliminate motion waste related to searching, it\u2019s important to ensure that all equipment is stored in the right place and properly labeled; there should also be an effective communication system in place. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/us_en\/visual-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Visual management<\/a> is a lean technique that can help with this.<\/p>\n<p>Other types of bottlenecks will require their own targeted solution. If an operator is struggling to fit a part inside its nest, the nest might need to be redesigned for a better fit. If an operator has to manually insert a part at one end of a machine and then eject it at the other end, it might be worth examining whether one of those tasks can be automated.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_26258\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26258\" style=\"width: 815px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-26259 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/mouvements_815x485.jpg\" alt=\"In many cases, motion waste can be reduced by making necessary equipment more accessible to the operator.\" width=\"815\" height=\"485\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/mouvements_815x485.jpg 815w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/mouvements_815x485-768x457.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/mouvements_815x485-375x223.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/mouvements_815x485-24x14.jpg 24w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/mouvements_815x485-36x21.jpg 36w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/mouvements_815x485-48x29.jpg 48w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26258\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">In many cases, motion waste can be reduced by making necessary equipment more accessible to the operator.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"hs-cta-embed hs-cta-simple-placeholder hs-cta-embed-194948331949\"\n  style=\"max-width:100%; max-height:100%; width:1000px;height:279.1875px\" data-hubspot-wrapper-cta-id=\"194948331949\"><br \/>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com\/web-interactives\/public\/v1\/track\/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLL%2BXsJCNjEFBVP5XZQjpQrSY%2Bkzaxw6smCrKDyyvPR2Cihf0j8K6OqwpaAgoBHpH2nnrbRkM5YSkSta8HPYyKLVX1U%2BhKn8TLrNgSE9gh4L8DlkjmjkpQF5tJm4daFknoUxtxe1Jih3CqH9y3mugYBx88JabIiimZUeHAmryFA6Yq1SKQYeRui9StH1pAaTUfki7OkT1RBXjhsa&#038;webInteractiveContentId=194948331949&#038;portalId=2641120\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><br \/>\n    <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Master the Basics of Lean with 5S Discover how this simple yet powerful method can transform your workspace by reducing waste, improving flow, and building long-term efficiency. &nbsp;\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/2641120\/interactive-194948331949.png\" style=\"height: 100%; width: 100%; object-fit: fill\"\n      onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" \/><br \/>\n  <\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>How motion waste impacts employees<\/h2>\n<p>Employees who have to make a lot of unnecessary movements while performing a task often experience fatigue, sore muscles, and sometimes even injury. Some people may not realize the <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.worximity.com\/en\/industry-4_0\/3-ways-to-solve-the-motion-waste-problem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">extent to which excessive movement affects them<\/a>; they might think that a second or two of bending or lifting isn\u2019t a big deal.<\/p>\n<p>However, when solutions are implemented to reduce motion waste, most employees notice that they are less tired, especially at the end of the work week.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_26249\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26249\" style=\"width: 815px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-26250 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/smallbins_815x485.jpg\" alt=\"To eliminate motion waste related to searching, it\u2019s important to ensure that all equipment is stored in the right place and properly labeled\" width=\"815\" height=\"485\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/smallbins_815x485.jpg 815w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/smallbins_815x485-768x457.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/smallbins_815x485-375x223.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/smallbins_815x485-24x14.jpg 24w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/smallbins_815x485-36x21.jpg 36w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/smallbins_815x485-48x29.jpg 48w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26249\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">To eliminate motion waste related to searching, it\u2019s important to ensure that all equipment is stored in the right place and properly labeled<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Part of continuous improvement is training employees to spot motion waste and working together to find the right solutions, but it\u2019s also essential to educate managers about the problem.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, they will be the ones implementing the improvements that will make a significant difference in their employees\u2019 quality of life.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-25918\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/02-Presentation_Guest_speaker-ANG.jpg\" alt=\"Martin Boersema\" width=\"1000\" height=\"595\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/02-Presentation_Guest_speaker-ANG.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/02-Presentation_Guest_speaker-ANG-768x457.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/02-Presentation_Guest_speaker-ANG-375x223.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/02-Presentation_Guest_speaker-ANG-24x14.jpg 24w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/02-Presentation_Guest_speaker-ANG-36x21.jpg 36w, https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/02-Presentation_Guest_speaker-ANG-48x29.jpg 48w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>About Shoplogix<\/h2>\n<p>With its industry-leading smart factory platform, Shoplogix helps manufacturers reduce operating costs and maximize profitability by unlocking hidden production performance improvements. Headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, the company has an international presence, with offices around the globe.<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NDQvmd4iiXA\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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\u2019s Martin &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/us_en\/how-to-deal-with-motion-waste\/\">Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":26265,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","_eb_data_table":"","cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[325],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28617","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lean-manufacturing"],"acf":[],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/us_en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28617","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/us_en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/us_en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/us_en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/us_en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28617"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/us_en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28617\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/us_en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/us_en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28617"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/us_en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28617"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flexpipeinc.com\/us_en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28617"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}