While small businesses don’t generate the same volume of products and services or have the same level of organizational complexity as big corporations, evaluating and improving processes is critical for success. Systems and processes that help a business run like a well-oiled machine is the premise of the management technique […]

Airline passengers may not be familiar with the manufacturer SAFRAN Landing Systems (SLS). But, for the past decade, the company’s braking, landing and monitoring systems have enabled millions of passengers to arrive safely at their destinations. SLS is a large company (more than 7,000 employees), with design and manufacturing facilities […]

I’ve visited loads of processors who talk up their lean journey and staying on the path of continuous improvement, but Freudenberg Medical’s injection molding operation in Baldwin Park, Calif., goes way past lip service when it comes to lean. The Baldwin Park facility will be the focus of our On […]

After enough one-size-fits-all initiatives, lean manufacturing can lose its luster. After all, the Toyota Production System (TPS) that forms much of the basis of modern lean thinking doesn’t apply perfectly to every manufacturing operation, particularly job shops. And yet, the experience of at least one manufacturer shows that the perfect […]

Question: Lean manufacturing has come to our office, and we are very excited about the process. However, our manager has begun holding “huddle” meetings every morning that tend to last between 15 and 45 minutes. Our department is very busy, and these meetings are creating additional stress. To make matters […]

Laziness is something that most of us are trying to overcome. However, with Kaizen method being employed, such struggle might easily be obliterated. Kaizen is a Japanese technique that is believed and claimed by many as one of the best solutions against laziness. This one-minute method will help a lazy […]

We have an awesome deal on the Lean Six Sigma & Quality Management Bundle in the Geeky Gadgets Deals store today, you can save a massive 96% off the normal price. The Lean Six Sigma & Quality Management Bundle is available in our deals store for $49, it normally retails […]

Takt is one of lean manufacturing’s most misunderstood concepts. Here Andy Owen, Managing Director of motorised electric tug specialist MasterMover, explains how businesses can use it effectively. The humble drumkit is the cornerstone of modern music and is responsible for keeping pace, giving listeners precisely the song they want. Interestingly, […]

Early in my career, some 30 years ago, I had a conversation with my boss that went something like this: Boss: “Yeah, Dyer, what do you want now?” Me: “I was reading in the latest issue of IndustryWeek magazine (the company provided subscriptions to all of the engineers) that in […]

You have been passed over for that coveted promotion. Once you have moved through the range of emotions that inevitably ensues, you are determined to move forward. In assessing your situation, you conclude a lack of education is the problem. The education path has been etched in stone as: grade […]