In STUDENTfacturED we practice a Kaizen approach to lean manufacturing. Small continuous incremental change. To accomplish this goal we use of the PDCA cycle as a complementary tool to vet any changes prior to implementation. This is not by far the only approach to lean manufacturing. Just like the PDCA cycle is incorporated into our Kaizen approach so can these tools many of them are meant to work together. This allows for maximum customization.

Below is a list of lean tools that you may encounter or apply in future courses or in your future employment. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and you may recognize several of them. The STUDENTfacturED resource library will provide reference material for many of these tools and more, and will be made available to students. This will be discussed in greater detail in a later course.

Please see the following link for more details about other lean tools

http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/

- 5S
  - Standard organization of the work area that eliminates waste that results from a poorly organized work area.
- Continuous Flow
  - Eliminating waste by letting work smoothly flows through production with minimal (or no) barriers between steps.
- Jidoka
  - Equipment design that seeks to partially automate the manufacturing process as well as allow automatic stops in the case of detection of defects.
- Just-In-Time
  - Pull parts through production based on customer demand instead of pushing parts through production based on projected demand.
- Kanban
  - Elimination of waste from inventory and overproduction. Eliminates the need for physical inventories by relying on signal cards to indicate when more goods need to be ordered.
- Poka-Yoke
  - Specific design of error detection and prevention into production processes. The goal is achieving zero defects.
- Standardized Work
  - Elimination of waste by consistently applying best practices by using documented procedures for manufacturing. This standardization forms a baseline for future improvement activities.
- Takt Time
  - This tool focuses on the pace of production, it provides a simple, consistent and intuitive method of pacing production to be the most efficient.
- Value Stream Mapping
  - A tool used to visually map the flow of production. Exposes waste in the current processes and provides a roadmap for improvement through the future state.

Learning Objectives:

- 3.4 - Demonstrate how other lean tools can work alongside Kaizen to reduce waste