Benefits of taking a lean manufacturing approach

There can be many benefits of taking a lean manufacturing approach. Lean manufacturing is an approach to manufacturing that aims for waste removal and implementing flow. Lean manufacturing is a focus on the elimination of the seven wastes in manufacturing. These seven wastes include defects, overproduction, transportation, waiting, inventory, motion, and over processing. When lean manufacturing is implemented these seven wastes can be eliminated according to the philosophy. It may be easy to see the benefits of taking a lean manufacturing approach but here we will go over some of those benefits.

One of the benefits of taking a lean manufacturing approach will include the ability to find the steps that add value in your manufacturing process. Steps that do not have value in your manufacturing process are considered a waste and will take precious time from creating a better process for the products that you are manufacturing. The lean manufacturing process is aimed at getting rid of these wastes. Once you have these value and non-value steps defined then you can move on to the next step of your lean manufacturing approach.

More benefits of taking a lean manufacturing approach will include a reduction of wasted time during the production process. Lean manufacturing is meant to help streamline the production process in your manufacturing plant or company. The more streamlined the production line the less likely the chances of having any wasted time. This will greatly benefit your manufacturing plant or company because less wasted time will garner you more product. Wasted time can include motion, one of the original wastes of lean manufacturing. Wasted motion would be your employees moving to different areas that are not needed.

When looking at streamlining your manufacturing production line you will also gain benefits in reducing defects, eliminating overproduction and the wasted motions. Once your production line is more streamlined defects on the product can be more easily detected from where they started. This will help fix the problems in a timely manner. You will also be able to eliminate unneeded inventory because there is no overproduction.

Streamlining your manufacturing line will also benefit you in eliminating any overproduction that your manufacturing plant may be seeing. You will better be able to see where your product is and how much is available when the product production is streamlined, therefore you will not be overproducing your product. The more streamlined your production line the less wasted motion you will have from your employees.

Adopting a lean manufacturing approach for your plant or company will also benefit you in eliminating any unneeded transportation of products that may not even be needed because of the streamlining of your process. The lean manufacturing approach can also benefit your plant because there will be less waiting for the next step. Both transportation and waiting are one of the original wastes that lean manufacturing aims to eliminate.

Lean manufacturing will also benefit your plant or company because it will also help you eliminate the waste of over processing of your product. Because you will have a better idea of the production line you will know which machines are working well and which ones are not. Knowing this will greatly benefit you and reduce in over processing your product that you may have been seeing before implementing the lean manufacturing approach.

When it comes to the benefits of taking a lean manufacturing approach there are many benefits that can help your company. Not only can a lean manufacturing approach help your process and production line become more productive it can also help your manufacturing company become more profitable. When all the wastes of your manufacturing plant or company is reduced then you will be able to use time and processes better giving you more money and better customer service.