THE EIGHT WASTES OF LEAN MANUFACTURING AND HOW TO TACKLE THEM
Lean manufacturing is a production method implemented by industries around the world—even in the biopharmaceutical industry where validation and regulatory requirements are high. The goal of this production style is to remove all waste, or non-value adding steps from the process. This will help you achieve true lean manufacturing, which is based on improved processes, maximum efficiency and reduced costs.
There are eight key wastes of lean manufacturing that need to be addressed when implementing lean strategy. In a recent blog post, Parker dives into these eight wastes and how their automated SciLog® FD systems help tackle and solve them. The eight lean manufacturing wastes include:
1. Transportation: Transporting materials or information from one process to another can slow down production. Using a single, enclosed system can reduce the movement of products and speed up production.
2. Inventory: Inventory that is sitting idle can clog up your facility and supply chain. Parkers SciLog® FD system simplifies your supply chain through single-use manifolds, hardware and consumables.
3. Motion: Workspace layout, ergonomic issues and lack of organization can lead to the unnecessary movement of people, information and equipment. Implementing automation to perform duties and store information can free up the motion associated with a manual operator.
4. Waiting: Lack of efficiency and communication can cause delay in the steps of production. Through automated systems, wait times are significantly cut down and staff can be utilized more efficiently.
5. Overprocessing: Some tasks can be extremely time consuming. The SciLog® FD system can complete mundane tasks, such as generating batch records that would otherwise be completed manually and risk human error.
6. Overproduction: Manual fills can be inaccurate—and human error can lead to more products being produced and transferred than required. By automating the process, costly inaccuracies can be avoided.
7. Defects: Outdated processes, equipment and human error can lead to products that do not meet quality guidelines. The SciLog® FD system encloses the process, meaning all products are protected against contamination and other variables that may alter the quality.
8. Safety: Safety is key to smooth operation. Since the SciLog® FD system is enclosed, operators are fully protected from potentially harmful materials.
By implementing new technology and strategies into production, lean manufacturing wastes can be significantly reduced and maximum efficiency can be achieved.
Read the full article here.