Raymond S. Louis

This book introduces the challenges to apply current methodologies to create a lean office. It describes the system enhancement options that lean practitioner can employ in automating the newly created lean processes and explains each of the seven steps necessary for creating a lean office.

Toyota Production System methods have rendered remarkable results in high-volume manufacturing plants, but they have not been fully understood and correctly applied in high-mix, low-volume environments. While lean principles do apply, the implementation methods and tools must be adapted and alternate methods embraced in a low-volume environment. This volume is specifically geared for manufacturers that have hundreds to thousands of active part numbers with few or no ongoing forecasted volumes, and for job shops that build only to order. The primary focus is eliminating non-value-added activities and instituting improvements on the most repetitive jobs, a strategy that gives you more time to produce your low-volume work or one-offs.About the author: Greg Lane is a faculty member of the Lean Enterprise Institute and an advisor to the Instituto de Lean Management in Spain. During his time with Toyota, he was one of ahandful of candidates selected for a one-year training program conducted by the company‘s masters. He became certified as a Toyota Production System (TPS) Key Person and continued his work with Toyota, training others in TPS. He has been highly active in working on implementing lean around the world, supporting large and small companies alike. In 1998, he began to focus his lean endeavors on meeting the specific needs of high-mix, low-volume enterprises. During his time as an independent consultant, Greg purchased and operated his own manufacturing company, which specialized in fast turnaround on high-mix, low-volume parts. Greg used TPS to grow the business and nearly double its sales. Greg and his associates have experience not only at adapting the methods contained in this book, but also in applying other tools that are too numerous to detail here. They can be reached for further support with your lean transformation via email: [email protected]

This book introduces the challenges to apply current methodologies to create a lean office. It describes the system enhancement options that lean practitioner can employ in automating the newly created lean processes and explains each of the seven steps necessary for creating a lean office.

Design and Implement a World-Class Replenishment System, Custom-Made to Meet the Needs of Your Organization!In Custom Kanban: Designing the System to Meet the Needs of Your Environment, Raymond Louis helps you to develop and implement a correct and successful kanban system by selecting appropriate kanban techniques based on the specific environmental factors and needs of your company.

If you manage inventory, you probably use MRPII, a system based on a push method that embraces work and purchase order execution. MRPII helps you plan and integrate data relevant to your entire organization. But, when you have shifts in demand, you have to: 1) Realign and cancel hundreds of open manufacturing and purchase orders, and then 2) issue new orders.Another system, kanban, is designed specifically to replenish inventory in just-in-time manufacturing. As consumption occurs, the kanban manual system triggers replenishment signals to the source of supply, so that both production and the supplier are constantly reacting to actual consumption. Compared to MRPII, kanban lowers inventory and minimizes shortages. But the manual process of recalculating every part number by hand, and triggering replenishment by faxing or calling suppliers, is time consuming and non-value-adding.Automating kanban by blending the planning strength of MRPII with manual kanban pull methods enhances your flexibility and competitive position.MRP's forward projection capability is used to:recalculate kanban lot size.perform a simulation to protect against non-linear demand.inform production areas and suppliers of the anticipated demand levels for resource planning.calculate staffing requirements for flexible work cells.This system:Automatically recalculates and triggers replenishment.Integrates suppliers into the manufacturing loop.Uses bar codes to enhance speed and accuracy of the receipt process.Before moving in this direction, preparatory work is required. Work cells should be constructed with material located at the point of use. Container options and transportation methods need to be selected, kanban lot size calculations, and work cell staffing modules to develop. This book will help you deal with these and other topics. You will be able to take advantage of the author's expertise in the design, implementation and evaluation of these systems.