精益生产英文资料介绍

精益生产英文资料介绍1,General questions about lean operations1.1,What is lean?Lean operations involve the elimination of waste, whether it be time, materials, efficiency or processes. It also means figuratively tightening the belt in pursuit of increased productivity gains that will increase a company’s ability to compete more successfully.1.2,Why lean?Increased global competition will likely force all but the strong to the sidelines. Belt tightening and a lean mindset will enable the game to continue as companies steady themselves for the challenges and opportunities that await them.The truly lean company of today will be a survivor in the global battle for customers and bottom line profits. The need for lean is obvious and the potential rewards are dazzling. There will be those who will probably resist the necessary changes. Training will start you on the road to overcoming this resistance and ultimately achieving a successful transition.1.3,Who participates in lean Operations?Eventually, everyone in the company is a participant in the quest for a lean organization.1.4,Is lean applicable only to manufacturing?The concept includes many non-manufacturing areas such as purchasing, clerical, office and technical. Also, these areas often contribute in making lean achievements in manufacturing more successful.1.5,What organizations can benefit from lean projects?Every organization offers goods or services. This includes such diverse sectors as merchandising, hospitals, banking, insurance, public utilities, government, military, prisons, churches, schools and, of course, manufacturing.1.6,Can lean activities be started in more than one division at a time?Yes, it can be done, but starting in one division is preferable. The experiencegained permits corrections and modifications to be introduced with less fuss. In this way, any “bugs” can be eliminated before the concept is initiated plant-wide.1.7,How should employees approach problems?They should approach problems with a positive attitude—one that says, “We can solve it!” Open discussion and use of various problem-solving tools, in a positive and cooperative manner, will shed new light on any problem.1.8,How important is it to establish objectives and milestones?Individuals or groups working on lean projects should be encouraged to establish an objective and develop a plan to achieve it. The plan is further broken into milestones so that progress can be constantly measured against the plan. This information should be charted and posted for all to see and have it serve as a constant reminder.1.9What if a lean project overlaps into other areas of an organization?That will happen, especially in the long run, but in the short run and particularly the early phases, it should be avoided. We are talking about change and many people resist having to do and support new ways of doing things. When it is clear that a project is going to affect more than one area, try to involve those who will be affected in coming up with solutions.2,Examples of measurements and results in a lean environment Measuring improvements in lean operation organizations requires the use of several traditional and many non-traditional measurements. The following is an explanation of some frequently used measurements and examples of how they have been applied:3,Work in process (WIP)This is a measure of the amount of material which has left raw materials stock but has not yet become finished goods. Examples:• WIP cut from twenty-two days to one dayo Disc drives and tape storage• WIP on floor cut 67%o Electrical circuit breakers4,InventoryInventory consists of both raw materials and finished goods. Examples:• Finished goods inventory cut 92%o Large—size twist drills• Inventory turns up from 3.5 to 20o Motorcycle assembly5,Floor space requirementsFloor space reductions result in lower costs for utilities, building maintenance and capital investment to meet expansion requirements. Examples:• Space reduced to one—third of original requirementso Computer printers• Floor space cut from 51,000 to 9,000 square feeto Computer logic unit6,Lead-TimeLead-time is the time which elapses between receipt of an order and the time the product or service is shipped to the customer. Examples:• Reduced lead time from 17 weeks to 1 weeko CAD/CAM equipment• Cut production lead time from 14 days to 2 dayso Defense weapons systems7,Flow distanceFlow distance is the distance a part or document travels during the manufacturing process. Examples:• Flow distance cut from 1,100 to 180 feeto Diagnostic drug analyzer• Flow distance cut from 31,000 to 275 feeto Computer products8,Scrap and reworkScrap and rework reductions can represent huge savings. Examples:• Defects reduced 52%, number of inspectors cut from 75 to 6o Motorcycle assembly• Scrap and salvage cost reduced 54%o Electronic air cleaners9,Product or model changeoverThe speed and frequency of product or model changeovers (set-ups) is an indication of the degree to which the organization can respond to changing demands in the market place and its ability to efficiently reduce inventories by building only what is needed. Examples:• Reduced from one model changeover per month to several per dayo Self-propelled lawn mowers• Reduced time per changeover from 8 hours to 18 minuteso Cough drops10,Other measuresProductivity:• Reduced paperwork by 70% (Kanban)o Hydraulic valves• Productivity, including yield, up 35%o Disc packs and discs11,Jobs:• Number of job categories cut 95%o Semiconductors12,Equipment:• Storage racks cut 67%o Circuit breakers13,TrainingWho provides the training?Leader training is commonly provided by the coordinator. The leader trains the members, with help from the coordinator, as necessary. Member training can be done all at once or a little at a time and as needed.14,What are some of the techniques, expressions and concepts used by members of a lean team?First, team members must be familiar with problem-solving and process control techniques such as: brainstorming, data gathering (sampling), Paretoanalysis, cause and effect problem analysis, histograms, control charts, stratification, scatter diagrams, etc.Secondly, there are a number of techniques and expressions that should be familiar to lean practioners. Some examples include:• The 5S• Kaizen activities• Inventory reduction• SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die)• TPM (Total Preventative Maintenance)• Poka Yoke (Mistake Proofing)• Waste Elimination• The Pull Concept• Just-In-Time• Cycle time reduction• Takt Time• Other items include-Lean production layout-Communication strategies and the “visual factory”15,What are the 5SThe 5S are initials of Japanese words that stand for several aspects of housekeeping. The comparable words in English are:• Sort-“What is not in use, throw it out”• Set-In-Order-“Rearrange the work area”• Shine-”Cleanliness is next to godliness”• Standardize-“Establish policy guidelines”• Sustain-“Keep 5-S activities from unraveling”Why would we start with cleaning and organizing the workplace? Well, why not? It is not a daunting task. Actually, it is to everyone’s advantage to start with a clean slate, so to speak. Some degree of success is assured. Because the results of cleaning and organizing are so visible, ideas should abound asemployees from one department observe what is happening in other departments around the plant.16,What are Kaizen activities?Kaizen is a Japanese word that means “continuous improvement.” The improvements individually are usually small and incremental, but collectively dramatic. Masaaki Imai, a Japanese consultant, has popularized Kaizen as an important business strategy. He believes the following six major systems should be in place in order to successfully achieve a Kaizen strategy:• Total quality management• Just-in-time• Total productive maintenance• Policy deployment• A suggestion system• Team activities17,What is the importance of inventory reduction?Lead time can be dramatically reduced at a number of places in the processing of orders.Work-in-progress (WIP) is a leading cause of long lead time. WIP can include paperwork, raw materials, in-process inventory and even finished products.There must be a unified approach between management and operators on how to achieve inventory reduction.Office paperwork can be, and usually is, just as likely to hit “log jams” as the physical products are that are out in the shop.18,What is SMED?SMED stands for “Single Minute Exchange of Die.” If refers to the time it should take to set-up a machine to produce a part. In automotive plants there are numerous instances where it would take three or four hours to do a set-up. However, after the application of lean techniques, the set-up time would be reduced to minutes!19,What is TPM?TPM stands for “Total Preventative Maintenance.” The goal of TPM is tomaximize equipment effectiveness throughout the life of the equipment.The absence of a lean mentality is obvious when machine maintenance is totally the responsibility of the maintenance specialists. The truth is that operators can contribute in keeping the equipment in good condition. TPM should involve everyone at all levels. The Lean team can contribute to developing a maintenance system that they are a part of. The goal should be zero breakdowns.20, What is Poka-Yoke?Poka-yoke is a Japanese word meaning “mistake proofing.” Poka-yoke devices can dramatically cut defects. A simple example is the three pronged electric plug-in. You can not plug it in wrong! There are poka-yoke devices to detect errors that have been made. Other poka-yoke devices are designed to shut down the machine before it could create a defective part.21, What is the role of the continuous improvement coordinator? The coordinator is the individual responsible for successfully coordinating and directing lean activities within an organization.21.1 What does the coordinator do?The duties of the coordinator include the following:• See to it that the policies of the steering committee are understood and are followed by everyone involved.• Establish an ongoing education and training program per the dictates of the steering committee. Personally conducts training and/or arranges for competent instructors to do it.• Provides guidance and feedback to team leaders regarding their meetings and other activities.• Maintains awareness of world-class improvement strategies no matter where they are.• Monitors team progress and achievements.• Communicates team achievements to other groups throughout the facility.21.2 What qualifications should the coordinator have?The coordinator has been described as a facilitator, catalyst, coach, innovator, promoter and teacher. The point is that it takes a special person to do the job right. The coordinator should be as comfortable talking to the president of the company as to the entry-level clerical or factory employee.21.3 When should the coordinators be selected?When a definite decision is made to implement lean activities. The steering committee is also started at about this same time. Sometimes, the first task of the steering committee is to select the coordinator.21.4 Who does the coordinator report to?Usually the coordinator is on the staff of a high-level company official who strongly supports lean activities. In some instances, the coordinator reports to the company president. In a factory, the coordinator usually reports to the director of manufacturing.22, The leader and members22.1 Who is the team leader?Experience demonstrates that your lean activities will have a greater chance of success when the supervisor is the initial leader. The lean concept gains quicker acceptance when it fits into the existing organizational structure. The supervisor is already designated to perform a leadership role in that structure. If lean activities did not operate within the existing organizational setup, it might be viewed by some as a competing organization.22.2 What are examples of duties preformed by the leader?• Prior to the formation of the team, the prospective leader must acquire skills and knowledge related to continuous improvement techniques.• Provides training in lean operation techniques to the team members.• Ensures that meetings are job oriented and do not drift into general “bull sessions.” Adheres to the meeting schedule.• Guides team projects to assure adherence to a logical problem solving process.• Encourage participation from all team members.• Coordinates closely with the continuous improvement coordinator.22.3 Do continuous improvement teams develop leaders?Yes, These lean oriented teams provide the training and experience to make a good leader better. Team activity will also help identify members with leadership potential.22.4 What is the role of the team members?• Attend all meetings• Acquire knowledge of the various problem solving techniques by attending designated training sessions• Contribute suggestions for improvement• Select team projects• Communicate openly with co-workers who are not team members about team projects• Help the team follow an agreed problem solving process23, Is there a relationship between the lean team and the job? Team members are people who normally work together. The projects they work on relate to the work they do.Improvement projects24, How are lean projects identif ied?Projects may originate from several possible sources, such as:• Suggestions from team members• Suggestions from their management• Recommendations by staff personnel• Suggestions from other teams• Suggestions from non-members.24.1 What if a project turns out to be too complex?Sometimes a team bites off more than it can chew. If so, the coordinator can help by locating specialists who can assist the team.24.2 Does a lean team ever run out of problems?No. Members may occasionally think so, but a brainstorming session usually identifies many problems that need immediate attention.24.3 What kind of recognition is provided to the teams?Several forms of recognition are used. The practice varies from company to company but includes:• Presentations to management• Write-ups in the organization’s activity report• Recognition in the company newspaper• Photos and other items posted on bulletin boards• Certificates• Trophies, pins, etc.。