Article | January 31, 2022
Every industrial facility generates waste in some form or another. However, not all waste has to be physical; some can appear within the processes that occur throughout the manufacturing cycle. It is critical that you adopt strategies that enable you to generate less waste.
“Lean is a way of thinking, not a list of things to do.”
– Shigeo Shingo, a Japanese Industrial Engineer
Lean manufacturing is a method for optimizing and simplifying the way a company operates and interacts with its surroundings on a strategic level. Additionally, it is an efficient method of decreasing and managing existing waste within an organization.In this article, we'll look at the eight types of waste in lean manufacturing and the lean tools that may help reduce them and improve the precision and customer focus of your business operations.
How to Eliminate the 8 Types of Waste in Lean Manufacturing
Transport
Transport is a prominent example of lean manufacturing waste. It may be from machining to welding, or from a factory in China to an assembly line in America. This transportation adds no value to the product, does not alter it, and does not satisfy the customer. Transport waste may cause your firm to lose money rapidly; you must spend on material handling equipment, employees, training, safety precautions, additional space for material transportation, etc. Transportation requires strategic planning and logistical assistance to be lean and optimum. Transportation performance should be monitored routinely using analytical measures and KPIs.
For example, Toyota's Toyota Production System (TPS) has developed the tools and practices of Lean Manufacturing, and many of its suppliers are located near to their factories, which helps them reduce the transportation waste of their business. To start applying lean thinking to transportation management, you must first understand transportation expenses, which are divided into unit and productivity costs. Focus on long-term solutions that reduce overall mileage, trailer use, waiting times, and adherence to routing guides. Value stream mapping can help locate transportation waste. With value stream mapping, processes are documented and evaluated in terms of customer value. Any transportation that cannot be connected to value is reduced or eliminated.
Inventory
One of the main benefits of current Point of Sales (POS) and production technologies is that companies may produce things only when there is demand. Inventory waste is no longer an unavoidable issue. When this type of lean manufacturing waste occurs, it is usually the result of excessive production or a process breakdown. Order management and inventory monitoring solutions assist in decreasing inventory waste. Creating real-time inventory visibility and accuracy requires the use of a computer-based system, such as ERP software.
Additionally, it has been demonstrated that scanning barcodes significantly reduces errors associated with manual procedures. This type of solution offers a far more detailed and fast inventory tracking strategy. Moreover, an active cycle counting program is critical for a manufacturing company's inventory management to improve.
Movement/ Motion
Movement/motion waste is the unnecessary transport of objects. Motion waste, on the other hand, also refers to unnecessary human actions or movements. Motion waste is commonly caused by unoccupied or untidy workspaces. To address motion waste, lean practitioners invented the 5S method. It decreases workplace inefficiency and motion waste. Each of the five steps in the 5S technique begins with the letter S, which are:
Sort: Removing unnecessary material from each work area.
Set in Order: Set the goal of creating efficient work areas for each individual.
Shine: Maintaining a clean work area after each shift helps in identifying and resolving minor concerns.
Standardize: Documenting changes to make applications in other work areas more accessible.
Sustain: Repeat each stage for continuous improvement.
Waiting
Waiting time occurs when two interrelated processes are out of sync. This may include waiting for parts, instructions, labor, or repairs. Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a comprehensive approach that helps to eliminate waiting by reducing equipment downtime. It emphasizes empowering operators by assisting them in maintaining their own equipment. This method promotes shared accountability and increases the involvement of frontline workers.
Over-production
Overproduction happens when there is a surplus of goods produced. Overproduction is a major source of waste in the 8 wastes examples of lean. It is costly, reduces quality, and generates other wastes such as inventory and transportation. Kanban is another lean manufacturing approach designed to decrease overproduction waste. Kanban is a Japanese word that means “visual board”. As the name suggests, this approach initiates action based on visual clues. It is a "pull" method that addresses demand rather than anticipating it. Additional inventory is generated only when existing inventory is "pulled" from stock.
Over-processing
When simple processes are replaced by complex ones, this is known as over-processing. Excessive processing might entail the addition of features to products that buyers do not require. The employment of expensive equipment that isn't strictly necessary is another example of excessive processing. Value stream mapping may be quite beneficial for locating instances of excessive processing. It assists manufacturers in developing a sound action plan to leverage their available resources while also ensuring that materials and time are spent efficiently.
Defects
Defects in manufactured products are expensive to repair since the damaged product must be scrapped or re-made, interrupting the manufacturing process. Lean manufacturing approaches strive for a zero-defect output by recording problems, determining their causes, and adopting corrective action. There are several strategies for identifying and eliminating defect wastes; nevertheless, lean manufacturing seeks to prevent them from developing in the first place. This defect prevention is accomplished through a variety of techniques ranging from automation / Jidoka (machines with "human" intelligence that can detect when a non-standard event has occurred) to Pokayoke devices that detect if a product is defective, either preventing the process from running or highlighting the defect for action.
Implementing standard operating procedures (SOP) and training to guarantee that the proper processes are used and standards are fulfilled is, once again, the greatest solution for overcoming defective waste. Defects are an obvious waste. The cost of materials and labor utilized to create a product gets wasted. The waste from faulty products is aggravated by returns, lost goodwill, and wasted customer support activities.
Untapped Talent
Employees are the most significant resource in any organization. The lean waste of untapped talent is just what it sounds like: not leveraging your precious resource, your personnel, effectively or at all. This produces waste by leaving value on the table that your workers may provide through unrecognized abilities or talents. Recognizing and utilizing your team's abilities, expertise, and talents is critical to business success. Employees are your most precious resources, and not fully using them wastes time and money. Inappropriate task assignments are one typical source of talent waste.
Additionally, unnecessary administrative chores, poor communication, ineffective leadership or teamwork, and inadequate training are further untapped talent lean wastes examples. The greatest method to reduce talent waste is to empower employees rather than micromanage them. Many unseen abilities and talents emerge when employees feel empowered, making it simpler to identify and develop accessible talent. Following are a few ideas that can be adapted to any workplace:
Refine training programs.
Set up process management checklists that allow for flexibility.
Create remote monitoring systems to reduce micromanagement.
Hold frequent team meetings so they may express their views and ask questions.
How Did Nike Benefit from Lean Manufacturing?
According to the company's FY10/11 Sustainable Business Performance Summary, the supply chain has run more effectively after adopting a lean strategy. They termed it "better manufacturing" as it eliminated wasted resources and time. As part of its sustainability mission, the study noted, the corporation attempted to remove waste, wasted time, and materials from its processes.
According to the survey,
Failure rates were 50% lower in contracted factories that used the lean strategy than in companies that did not.
It was shown that lead times for deliveries from lean manufacturing were on average 40% shorter.
Lean factories have also claimed gains in productivity of 10% to 20% and a 30% decrease in the time required for launching a new model.
Final Words
We've discussed the lean strategies to deal with the eight forms of waste in manufacturing. Identifying the lean manufacturing types of waste is critical for evaluating business loopholes and overcoming impediments to company growth.
Despite the industry’s transition journey from 1.0 to 4.0, many manufacturing professionals agree that lean manufacturing is still applicable today for running a business with the least amount of resources necessary to thrive. It is ideal for businesses looking to stay ahead of emerging industry trends, such as new technology and associated workforce shifts. By using Lean concepts, technologies, and digital operations, businesses may increase their agility and customer focus.
FAQ
How is lean different from Six Sigma?
Lean aims to reduce waste, speed up operations, and improve flow. Six Sigma lowers variation and lean decreases waste. Six Sigma targets 3.4 defects per million opportunities, whereas lean emphasizes speed.
What are the five principles of lean manufacturing?
According to Womack and Jones, there are five key lean principles: value, value stream, flow, pull, and perfection.
What is the objective of lean manufacturing?
Companies looking for ways to enhance efficiency and reduce waste should adopt lean thinking. The ultimate objective of lean manufacturing is to manufacture excellent goods that satisfy customers while using minimal resources.
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Article | May 5, 2022
Digital twins appear to be beneficial in cutting expenses for many industries. A growing number of companies in the manufacturing industry, as well as healthcare, oil & gas, and other industries, are using digital twin features to better understand and respond to changing business conditions.
Digital twins can be used to save costs at numerous levels or segments of your business. Their use raises awareness of situations and helps businesses make better decisions. This technology has been applied to:
Change to standard care and conditional support in the railways
Use predictive care to foresee major impacts on the oil and gas industry
Monitor patients in real-time to improve comfort and avoid life-threatening scenarios
So, how do digital twin solutions assist manufacturers in cutting production costs?
Digital twins enable manufacturers to detect early mechanical defects, allowing for faster or cheaper repairs. Companies can save money by adapting to changing circumstances. For example, a corporation may automatically plan repairs to minimize performance impact.
Many companies use digital twins to cut expenses in various operating scenarios. In this article, we will look at situations to help recognize the benefits of digital twins.
Why Use a Digital twin?
Better R&D
The adoption of digital twins provides more effective product research and design. It also generates large amount of data about expected performance or results in the process. This data can provide insights that enable businesses to make necessary product refinements before initiating production.
Superior efficacy
The use of digital twins can be beneficial even after a new product has been put into production. This can help mirror and monitor production processes to achieve and maintain optimal efficiency throughout the whole manufacturing process.
Product end-of-life
As far as product lifecycle management is concerned, digital twins can assist manufacturers in determining what to do with products that have reached the end of their expected life and require final processing, whether through recycling or other means. They can figure out which product materials can be gathered with the help of digital twins.
Cost Optimization in Manufacturing using Digital twin
Transportation Cost Optimization
Digital twins are commonly employed in high-value rolling commodities like trains to improve fuel efficiency and competitiveness (i.e., predictable repairs). However, in the case of passenger automobiles, cost savings have been recorded (for example, improving security maintenance at passenger doors and train wheels).
When switching from conventional to state-based prevention in stock care, the rail transport operator claimed an average 10% savings.
Oil and Gas Cost Optimization
Companies frequently utilize digital twins to simulate and analyze functions like oil metals, pipelines, and processing plants. Among the business objectives supported by forecasting adjustments, machine learning, and other analyses are an increase in automated excavation or processing processes, a reduction in off-peak hours (FTE), and downtime, and the extension of the life of high-value assets.
The oil and gas businesses claimed that historical data forecasts for building repairs had been discovered near a substantial portion of their offshore oil production. This gave them time to lead security operations. They saved a week of unplanned unemployment and production expenditures. In less than a year, their digital investment has returned twice as much as before.
Supply Chain Cost Optimization
Businesses are increasing their investment in IoT and supply chain monitoring. Utilizing modern supply chain characteristics such as digital twins can assist businesses in achieving enhanced business results.
Monitoring the location and condition of high-value assets can assist in identifying anomalies that suggest an increased risk of theft. Additionally, this technology can be utilized to determine the location of assets for the purpose of recovery. While digital twins in many of these circumstances are straightforward – simply a location – in others, the supervised data may include natural characteristics such as the temperature inside the frozen container, generator fuel levels, or ways of detecting asset depletion or interruption.
Final Word
Is a digital twin necessary for your business? Yes, most certainly. By creating a comprehensive virtual picture of a company's processes, digital twins remove the element of uncertainty from decision-making. According to Gartner, 13% of organizations utilizing IoT already have digital twins in place, while 62% are either implementing or planning to do so. Hence, do not hesitate to deploy a digital twin in your organization, as it is worthwhile to invest in a digital twin that will help you lower overall production costs in the long run.
FAQ
Why is a digital twin necessary?
Digital twins are becoming vital in business. By making a digital copy of the physical assets of a product or service in an industry, digital twins help with data analysis and give people a way to check how things work before they happen. This way, they can develop a solution to any problem before it happens.
What data should be in the digital twin model?
The concept of the digital twin is based on three unique components: the physical product, the digital/virtual product, and the connections between the two.
How much does a digital twin cost?
According to some experts’ estimations, the cost of implementing a digital twin is $50,000 or less. Complex processes will necessitate a substantial investment and a lengthy implementation period to model.
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Article | December 30, 2021
Risk management in manufacturing has always been a top priority for manufacturers to avoid any unfortunate incidents. As a result, it is possible to create a more secure work environment for employees by conducting risk assessments and implementing remedies.
“If you don’t invest in risk management, it doesn’t matter what business you’re in, it’s a risky business.”
– Gary Cohn, an American Business Leader.
As of 2019, the worldwide risk management market was valued at $7.39 billion, and it is expected to rise at a CAGR of 18.7% from 2020 to 2027, according to allied market research.
Why is Risk Assessment Critical in Manufacturing?
The manufacturing industry must have a credible risk assessment and management plan to defend itself from any breaches. Risk assessment helps firms understand the dangers they face and their implications if their systems are compromised. Hence, risk assessment is very critical in the manufacturing industry.
Five Risk Assessment Principles
Identify hazards/risks - Employers must examine their workers' health and safety risks. Therefore, an organization must regularly inspect its employee’s physical, mental, chemical, and biological threats.
Identify who may be hurt and in what way – Identifying the personnel both full-time and part-time at-risk. Employers must also examine threats to agency and contract personnel, visitors, clients, and other visitors.
Assess the risks and act accordingly - Employers must assess the likelihood of each danger causing injury. This will evaluate and lower the chance at the working space. Even with all safeguards, there is always some danger. Therefore, employers must assess if danger is still high, medium, or low risk.
Get the Risks Documented - Employers with five or more employees must record the critical findings of the risk assessment in writing. In addition, register any risks identified in the risk assessment and actions to minimize or eliminate risk.
This document confirms the evaluation and is used to examine working practices afterward. The risk assessment is a draft. It should be readable. It shouldn't be hidden away. The risk assessment must account for changes in working techniques, new machinery, or higher work objectives.
5 Manufacturing Risks to Consider in 2022
Accidents at Work
Even if official safety policies and programs are designed, followed, and enhanced, manufacturers may endure workplace accidents and injuries. Risk assessment for workplace accidents assists in mitigating the negative impact on both employees and the organization.
Environmental Mishaps
Manufacturers have distinct issues regarding fuel handling and hazardous waste disposal in facilities. Sudden leaks or spills may be extremely costly to clean up and result in fines from state and federal agencies. Risk assessments for such plant accidents assist businesses in mitigating financial losses.
Equipment Breakdowns
Essential machinery throughout the production process might fail at any time, incurring significant repair or replacement costs. Therefore, it's critical to recognize that business property insurance may not cover mechanical issues.
Risk assessment and prepayment solutions protect against equipment failures without interfering with typical company operations.
Supply Chain Disruption
Dependence on your supply chain may result in unintended consequences that are beyond your control. For example, if you experience downtime on the manufacturing line due to a supplier's failure to supply materials or parts, you risk losing revenue and profitability. If a disturbance to your supply chain poses a hazard, risk management can assist you in managing it more effectively by quickly identifying the risk and providing a suitable response.
Operation Temporarily Suspended
Depending on the severity of the weather event, a factory might be severely damaged or perhaps utterly wrecked. While major repairs or rebuilding are being undertaken, recouping lost income might be vital to the business's future profitability.
Risk assessment in this area enables your organization to budget for overhead expenditures such as rent, payroll, and tax responsibilities during the period of suspension of operations.
Final Words
Risk management is critical in manufacturing because it enables manufacturers to comprehend and anticipate scenarios and create a well-planned response that avoids unnecessary overhead costs or delays in delivering the production cycle's final result. Manufacturing risks are undoubtedly not limited to the risks listed above and may vary according to the nature of the business and regional environmental conditions. Therefore, create a well-defined strategy to overcome threats in your business and be productive at all times.
FAQ
How are manufacturing business risks classified?
In most cases, the business risk may be categorized into four types: strategic risk, regulatory compliance risks, operational compliance risks, and reputational risks.
Why should a manufacturer conduct a risk assessment?
Every manufacturing employment has risks for injury or illness. But risk evaluations can significantly minimize workplace injuries and illnesses. In addition, they assist companies in discovering strategies to reduce health and safety risks and enhance knowledge about dangers.
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Article | November 1, 2021
Manufacturing processes will undergo significant transformation in 2022 as a result of advanced manufacturing technology. The changing manufacturing industry is full of digitization to improve processes, products, productivity, and business revenue.
Manufacturers must realize the advantages of advanced manufacturing and learn to enhance their production processes to increase their manufacturing plant's productivity. Once you understand the heart of your business and where to integrate technology, you're halfway to success.
The manufacturing industry's top professionals have also recognized the technology shift and are supporting upskilling in the manufacturing business. Mr. Matt Mong has said in his interview with Media7,
“Once you start to look at yourself in the right way and realize that projects are at the core of your business, it is easy to see how you should use technology to support your business.” – Matt Mong, VP Market Innovation and Project Business Evangelist at Adeaca
Importance of Advanced Manufacturing
Adopting innovative manufacturing technologies has several advantages that grow its acceptance and relevance among manufacturers across industries. The following are the most significant advantages of advanced manufacturing.
Amplifying the product and process quality
Improvement in productivity
Encourages new ways to innovation
Decreases production time
Considering the factors above that contribute to the production process becoming more efficient, productive, and revenue-generating, advanced manufacturing will continue to dominate the manufacturing business in 2022.
Top Five Technologies That Are Advancing Manufacturing in 2022
To better understand the current trends in manufacturing technology, let us comprehend the technologies that are advancing the manufacturing industry. Additionally, discover how these technologies help manufacturers to advance their manufacturing processes.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing in manufacturing is used for marketing, product development, inventory management, and productivity management. It stores software and commercial data via internet connections. Cloud computing is becoming a prevalent technology because it enables manufacturers to improve communication and manage the entire production cycle effectively.
According to MarketsandMarkets' study, the global cloud computing market will also increase to 832.1 billion dollars by 2025, growing at a 17.5 percent annual rate in the following years.
Benefits of Cloud Computing
Fewer technical issues when compared to traditional software use
Cost savings because no in-house servers are required
Cloud computing enables easy scalability for your developing firm
Cloud computing provides centralized control and access from any device
How did McDonald's use AWS cloud computing services to transform their customer service?
Additive Manufacturing
Additive manufacturing enables the fabrication of lighter, more sophisticated designs that would be impossible or prohibitively expensive to fabricate using conventional dies, molds, milling, and machining techniques. Rapid prototyping is another area where additive manufacturing thrives.
As a result, it is gaining a grip in the manufacturing business. According to Statista's market research, the additive manufacturing industry is worth approximately 12.6 billion US dollars in 2020 and is predicted to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 17% until 2023.
Benefits of Additive Manufacturing
Reduces material waste
Simplifies manufacturing processes
Additive manufacturing enables on-demand production
Increases supply chain flexibility
The finished product can be made close to the end customer
Robotics
Robots are used in manufacturing to automate repetitive tasks, resulting in a more efficient assembly line. Humans and robots work together on a variety of things as well during the production of various products. Many jobs are hazardous or necessitate many supplies, which could be harmful to the human workers themselves. So, in such instances, robots play a significant role in executing manufacturing operations.
Robotics' increasing application in production is transforming it into a necessary component of industrial processes in the future. According to Mordorintelligence's study, the robots industry was worth USD 27.73 billion in 2020 and is predicted to reach USD 74.1 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 17.45 percent between 2021 and 2026.
Benefits of Robotics
Increased productivity when compared to traditional manufacturing
Consistent speed and quality during goods production
Increased workplace safety for all employees at the manufacturing plant
Aids in more efficient use of floor space
Internet of Things
The Internet of Things allows devices to interconnect with one another and exchange data. The IoT connects assets to processes, systems, and people in manufacturing. This enables improved process integration, increased efficiency, and the advancement of manufacturing to the next transformation phase, Industry 4.0.
According to Mordorintelligence's market research, the global IoT market is estimated to reach USD 1,386.06 billion in 2026, up from USD 761.4 billion in 2020, a CAGR of 10.53 percent over the forecast period of 2021 to 2026.
Benefits of Internet of Things
It contributes to increased energy efficiency by identifying and optimizing underperforming devices
It monitors all processes and parameters to determine when to replace specific components
It improves product quality by analyzing and correcting issues at any stage of the manufacturing process
It reduces downtime by detecting and alerting production line personnel to problems
It enables more informed decision-making by unlocking
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality enables plant managers to mimic manufacturing processes and assembly line layouts to discover potentially harmful scenarios. Additionally, virtual reality can immerse an employee in a future workstation and then capture their movement to assess task feasibility and proficiency. As a result, the usage of virtual reality in manufacturing is increasing daily and is widely seen as the industry's future.
According to market research firm markets and markets, the worldwide virtual reality industry is estimated to rise by USD 20.9 billion by 2025, expanding at a 27.9 percent compound annual growth rate from 2020 to 2025.
Benefits of Virtual Reality
Enables a more thorough examination of the product's design
Enables the gathering of feedback on future items before they are launched in the real world
Final Words
In recent years, advanced manufacturing technology has helped the manufacturing industry become more efficient, precise, and goal-oriented. As a result, manufacturers are eager to upgrade their current manufacturing facilities to state-of-the-art facilities. As a result, manufacturing companies would become more competitive and an integral industry component if they implement cutting-edge technologies.
FAQs
How do you define advanced manufacturing?
Product and process improvement through inventive use of new technology is called advanced manufacturing.
Which sectors are utilizing cutting-edge technology?
Aerospace, Medical, Electronics, Transportation, Energy, and Consumer Product Production Companies are the top businesses or sectors that use cutting-edge technologies with sophisticated manufacturing.
What is the difference between conventional manufacturing and advanced manufacturing?
Traditional manufacturing adds value to attain the goal. Traditional manufacturing adds value to attain the goal. But, on the other hand, advanced manufacturing covers production methods in specific industries like aerospace, medical, pharmaceutical, etc.
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