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In the 8 years since it was first published this little booklet has become enormously popular. It has been used by college professors to teach the basics of Lean to their students, Quality Managers to bring home Lean to their workers, and corporate leaders to give their staff a simple understanding of Lean principles. So, due to popular demand, we are releasing the 4th Edition of The Lean Manufacturing Handbook. You can read an excerpt of the booklet below. To celebrate the 4th Edition of the booklet, we are offering a free copy to any individual (limit 5 per company). Simply email us with your name, company, position, address and phone number at: jon@continentalinc.com. What is Lean Manufacturing?Lean Manufacturing is a manufacturing system and philosophy that was originally developed by Toyota and is now used by many manufacturers throughout the world. At Toyota the system is referred to as the Toyota Production System. Other manufacturers have adapted the system to meet their own needs and assigned a proprietary name to it, such as Delphi Automotives, "Delphi Manufacturing System". Therefore, the term Lean Manufacturing is a more generic term and refers to the general principles and further developments of Lean. The Term Lean is very apt because in Lean manufacturing the emphasis is to cut out the "fat" or waste in the manufacturing process. Waste is defined as anything that does not add value to the customer. It could also be defined, as anything that customer is unwilling to pay for. For example, if you order a shirt to be custom made, it may take 6 weeks. However, the actual time the tailor works on the shirt may only be about 5 hours. The rest of the time is taken up by material ordering, waiting between processes and inefficient shipping practices. This extra time does not add value to you, the customer. As Lean Manufacturing principles are applied to the shirt-making process, one would see a reduction in delivery time from 6 to 5 to 4 weeks and even less. The ideal shirt making operation would be streamlined to give you, the customer, what you want, when you want it, at the lowest possible cost within the least amount of time. Though they may not call it Lean, the "Eyeglasses in about an Hour" companies have applied many Lean principles to their operation. What used to take weeks is now done in about an hour, adding value to the customer. It is no surprise that these operations have opened up all over the country. What was once thought of as an impossible speed of delivery is now commonplace. Applying Lean Manufacturing principles gives manufacturers these types of results on a routine basis. To learn more about Lean Manufacturing and how it can be applied to your company, contact Continental Inc at 765.778.9999 or visit www.continentalinc.com. To order your own copy of the Lean Manufacturing Handbook, please email us at jon@continentalinc.com.
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Quote of the Day"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." -Confucius Great Inventions of the 20th Century: Cabbage Patch Kids
In 1976, Xavier Roberts invented "Little Person" Dolls, the first Cabbage Patch Kids. Roberts was a teenager when he started the Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland, Georgia, where people could adopt a baby (the hand sewn dolls were never called dolls) complete with adoption papers.
Roberts and five friends started the Original Appalachian Artworks company to produce the dolls. The Coleco Toy Company liked Robert's ideas and began mass-marketing the dolls in 1983, under the new name of "Cabbage Patch Kids." |
The Lean Manufacturing Handbook was first published in 2000 to give a simple explanation of Lean Manufacturing written in terms basic enough for anyone to understand. It was meant for engineers, purchasing agents, company clerks, newspaper reporters, schoolteachers, or anyone else who wants to find out about Lean.
