For many global manufacturers, quality has traditionally been defined as a high level of conformance, or the degree to which a product or a service has been designed to meet customer expectations, is produced correctly, and in optimal numbers. That remains true, of course, but today quality goes beyond the […]

The concept of lean manufacturing is commonplace in the automotive industry. In this article we explore how Dearborn Mid-West Company (DMC), a manufacturer of automotive assembly lines, applied lean principles to their engineering processes. Michigan’s Dearborn Mid-West Company is deeply intertwined with the auto industry. As a tier-1 supplier to […]

Customer expectations of reliable quality and rapid delivery forces today’s manufacturers to either shorten cycle times or lose business. Customers simply switch suppliers when others are more capable of delivering within their preferred timeframes. Lean systems have provided a formidable operating strategy for leaders determined to achieve and maintain optimal […]

On Sep 11, we issued an updated research report on industrial goods manufacturer, Regal Beloit Corporation RBC . Regal Beloit continues to focus on simplification initiatives to lower operating costs and improve margins in the future. The company expects organic growth for 2017 in low single digits with modest demand […]

Operations expert, Henry Quesada Pineda from Virginia Tech shares an effective tool for conducting lean manufacturing and process improvement audits. This resource can help you improve your operations. Every manufacturing plant that wants to stay in business looks for ways to lower costs and become more efficient. Your competitors are […]

Synchrono, a leader in modern demand-driven manufacturing software and synchronization technology, today released a new InSync paper, Going eKanban, which is based on years of working with manufacturers to introduce Lean, or pull-based inventory replenishment methods. Grounded in Lean manufacturing and Just-in-Time (JIT) principles, Kanban is a pull-based inventory replenishment […]

Question: How do you decide when it is time to automate a process?” Answer: Many of our readers likely have faced this question in their own businesses so I hope some of you will share your experiences of how you answered this question. In the meantime, here’s my take on […]

DESCRIPTION While the notion of lean manufacturing has been the cornerstone of operational efficiency in manufacturing for several decades, it’s the advent of digital manufacturing that is truly catapulting lean to another level. The digitalization of processes along the entire continuum of the manufacturing supply chain, starting with a product’s […]

LAS VEGAS – SCM’s display at AWFS Fair this week will include more than 12,000 square feet of equipment, demonstrations of Industry 4.0 and lean manufacturing, seminars and other activities. Featured equipment will include edgebanders with SCM’s AirFusion, PU Box L (PUR glue system) and the SGP glue pot as […]

Artel, a long-time believer and practitioner of efficient practices throughout its organization, will host and participate in an intensive on-site Study Mission led by Alan G. Robinson, Ph.D., prestigious educator and author, as part of the 2017 Lean Operations Summit (August 10th). Working closely with Artel specialists, as well as […]