Lean Manufacturing: How To Put Its
7 Principles To Work (Part 6, 'The Benefits')
By Bob Williamson, CMRP
CPMM, MIAM, Editor

 

This is the 10th in my ongoing series of columns with the following theme: “If there were ever a time to get serious about lean manufacturing, it’s now. The vision of doing more with less of everything may very well be the new reality in our upside-down, post-pandemic world.”

​​​In my June 6, 2022, column, (see link below), I recommended a goal that RAM Pros can readily grasp: “Lean Equipment Management (LEM) for the most critical, most penalizing equipment-driven processes.” And that, I will say again, begins with a business focus.

(Click Here To Read Bob's June 6, 2022 Column.)

 

While the first four columns on Lean dealt with the common sense of Lean Manufacturing the following six focused on Lean Equipment Management (LEM) as the “equipment side of lean manufacturing.” Despite the theme of “manufacturing” in this series, I have found that the principles of LEM are equally as beneficial in mining, oil & gas production, petrochemical, facility utilities, and public utilities.

 

The benefits of deploying the interdependent set of LEM’s 7 principles are most impressive, and sustainable. In prior columns, I've highlighted some of them. Here, in this final series installment, I want to summarize the types of results that I have witnessed over the past several decades.

 

PRODUCTION BENEFITS INCLUDE:

Increased equipment availability (less planned & unplanned downtime).

Improved yield: less waste, scrap, defects, rework.
Higher throughput per hour, per shift.

Faster (more efficient and effective) product changeovers.

Faster (more efficient and effective) tooling/part changes.
Faster (more efficient and effective) cleaning/sanitizing.
Improved production-line flow.
Less work in process (WIP) & safety stock.

 

MAINTENANCE BENEFITS INCLUDE:
Reduce (sometimes eliminated) emergency calls.

Improved maintenance planning & scheduling.

Reliable & repeatable preventive maintenance procedures.

Improved equipment maintainability.

Reduced maintenance requirements.
Reduced spare parts inventory.
Reduced maintenance travel time for work instructions, parts, & tools.
Improved repair shop workflow & repair/overhaul efficiency.
Improved communications among all stakeholders.

 

BUSINESS BENEFITS INCLUDE:
Reduced cost of goods sold.
Reduced finished goods warehouse inventory & space.
Reduced utility usage (compressed air, steam, water, electricity, etc.).
Fewer employees required to accomplish the same throughput.
Improved/consistent order fulfillment on-time/in-full.
Reduced lead time for order fulfillment.
More opportunity for flexible & special customer orders.
Improved supplier relations.
Reduced manufacturing floor space.

Higher levels of employee job satisfaction.
Reduced employee turnover, improved recruitment.

 

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE (EHS) BENEFITS INCLUDE:
Reduced equipment-related accidents & injuries.
Reduced spills & emissions.
Reduced hazards & risks.
Reduced risk of cross contamination.

 

Keep in mind that lean initiatives will ALWAYS struggle to achieve sustainable goals in an equipment-intensive operation unless, at a bare minimum, equipment reliability is addressed in ways that improve production-process flow. I rarely use the word “always," but in the case of lean, I insist on using that word here. Alas, some lean proponents have stated, “The breakdown of machines must be fixed immediately” and, thus, have taken resources away from prevention and other equipment reliability improvements to become, as they put it, “more lean.”

 

Top management understanding and commitment to LEM is essential when embarking (or well underway) on their lean journey. As RAM Pros we can do our part by sharing the benefits of LEM to their goals. And remember, focus on improving the critical equipment rather that implementing a lean initiative.

 

(Click Here To Read This And All Previous Columns
In This Series On The RAM Review Website.)