Lean Manufacturing is a methodology that companies use to help reduce production costs and increase production efficiency. It is based on the principle that a company must look at the organization as a whole and uncover all areas that can be improved upon to reach efficiency while maintaining or improving the quality of the end product.
Lean manufacturing is increasingly being utilized by companies, but there is no single solution. The implementation to lean manufacturing varies from one company to the next based on what factors need to be improved upon to reach maximized production efficiency and achieve maximized product quality.
Implementation involves the removal of waste—anything in the production process that does not add value to the end product. Waste can occur in many different forms, which is why lean manufacturing is different for each company. Waste can be defined as too much inventory, faulty equipment or even inefficient factory design.
The concept of lean manufacturing began in the automotive industry about 50 years ago, and has since helped companies of various backgrounds reduce overhead costs.
Save Your Factory, sponsored by FANUC Robotics, the world’s leading supplier of industrial robots, encourages manufacturers to fully and objectively analyze the advantages of lean manufacturing and other factors before deciding whether or not to outsource overseas. Click here to learn more about lean manufacturing through Save Your Factory.
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