Article Archives - Manufacturing | Six Sigma | Lean 6 Sigma

A Practitioner’s Guide to Cpk vs Ppk: Choose the Right Metric for Your Manufacturing Process

September 9th, 2024

Over 20 years of applying quality improvement methodologies across numerous industries, I’ve seen firsthand how process capability metrics like Cpk and Ppk empower manufacturers to effectively monitor production quality and drive continuous improvement. However, in working with countless engineers internationally, I’ve also found some confusion exists around determining when each metric is best leveraged depending […]

The Importance of Change Control Board in Project Management

September 3rd, 2024

A Change Control Board is a formal group responsible for reviewing, evaluating, and deciding on proposed changes within a project or organization. Where change is constant, Change Control Boards serve as the gatekeepers of project integrity, maintaining a delicate balance between flexibility and control. Key Highlights Introduction to Change Control Board (CCB) A Change Control […]

Operational Excellence with Visual Management Tools. A Complete Guide

September 2nd, 2024

It’s important to understand and share information quickly. That’s why visual management tools are so useful. They’re a key part of efficient lean manufacturing. These tools include many different techniques and systems. They help make the workplace more organized, improve how work is done, and increase productivity. With these tools, everyone on the team can […]

Lean Scheduling: Optimize Projects with Lean Strategies

August 20th, 2024

Lean scheduling is a strategic approach that combines the principles of lean thinking with project scheduling techniques to optimize resource utilization, minimize waste, and enhance overall project efficiency. This methodology, rooted in continuous improvement and waste reduction, has revolutionized how organizations plan and execute projects across various industries. Key Highlights Understanding Lean Scheduling Lean scheduling […]

Reduce Changeover Time: Strategies for Manufacturing Efficiency

August 14th, 2024

To reduce changeover time is not just a goal — it’s a necessity for staying ahead. Changeover time, defined as the period between the last good piece of one production run and the first good piece of the next, is a key factor in overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). Changeover time can transform production processes, leading […]

Takt Time vs Cycle Time in Lean Manufacturing. A Complete Guide.

August 1st, 2024

To effectively achieve lean manufacturing, two important things to know are takt time and cycle time. Takt time is the speed needed to make products to match what customers want. It’s calculated by dividing work time by what customers will buy. Cycle time is the actual time it takes to make one item fully from […]

Image: Engineering Change Requests (ECRs)

Engineering Change Requests (ECRs): A Comprehensive Guide for Manufacturers

July 4th, 2024

Engineering change request (ECRs) play a pivotal role in product development and manufacturing. An ECR formally proposes and handles modifications to existing designs, parts, or manufacturing steps through the initiation of a structured process. For companies, reacting nimbly and effectively to customer comments, quality issues or market shifts proves make-or-break. Engineering change request (ECRs) provide […]

Six Sigma Terminology – P chart. What is it and How it Works

July 2nd, 2024

Organizations bank on reliable quality and minimal defects fuelling success. An outstanding ally hitting that target involves the p-chart, also known as the proportion control chart. This potent statistical technique tracks and analyzes non-compliant piece rates over time within methods. It’s handy when data classifies each unit simply as “hits standard” or “misses standard” based […]

U Chart Guide: Monitoring Defects per Unit for Quality Control

July 2nd, 2024

Quality charts prove invaluable aids. Among options, U-charts stand as a treasure controlling non-compliances observed per item when dealing with varying batch sizes. Dubbed the “defects-per-unit control graph“, the U-chart helps quality experts track typical non-compliance amounts discovered per unit or area inspected. Unlike counterparts simply noting complete non-compliance counts, it scales findings by batch […]

Lean Techniques – Kanban Pull System. The Only Guide You Need

July 1st, 2024

One handy methodology that has gained steam in recent years: Kanban Pull System. Coming from the Japanese terms for “visual cue” or “card,” Kanban revolutionized the industry’s grip on workflow direction and crafting processes. Unlike traditional “pushed” arrangements, Kanban depends on downstream signals to initiate upstream flow. This demand-reactive approach minimizes overproducing, lowers what sits […]

Image: A circular diagram showcasing the Just-in-Time Production System

Just-in-Time (JIT) in Lean Manufacturing? Toyota Production System

June 28th, 2024

Companies are constantly refining workflows, reducing expenses, and boosting productivity. A hugely adopted, field-tested production technique stems from JIT — revolutionizing how the industry handles making and holding goods. Pioneered by Toyota, JIT’s philosophy revolves around reacting to actual demand rather than estimates. By minimizing what’s in stock and related carrying charges, just-in-time production system […]

Level Loading: Unlocking Efficiency with Lean Production Leveling

June 26th, 2024

For companies constantly seeking to streamline operations and boost efficiency, level loading has become an important principle. Also known as production leveling or heijunka, this concept revolutionized manufacturing approaches after taking hold in Toyota’s groundbreaking system. Level loading aims to cut unevenness or variation in output, reducing waste and bettering performance overall. Generating intermediate goods […]

Throughput Time in Manufacturing. Definition, Benefits, and More

June 24th, 2024

These days, speed and flexibility are everything for keeping ahead of rivals. A major metric companies rely on for measuring and refining performance is throughput time. Also called lead time or cycle time, it’s the full duration needed to complete a process or deliver a product/service to a client — from request received to final […]

Mastering Assignable Causes: A Comprehensive Guide for Quality Excellence

May 29th, 2024

Quality exerts greater influence today as companies seek distinction through excellence. A core concept here involves appreciating assignable cause(s) – specific, discernible factors driving fluctuations or divergences in workflow or system outcomes. Regardless of your role as a quality leader, process engineer, or business manager, the capacity to pinpoint, investigate, and remedy assignable causes proves […]

First Time Yield (FTY): Driving Process Efficiency & Quality

May 22nd, 2024

Efficiency and minimizing re-dos are crucial for success. A major metric impacting streamlining and affordability directly is First Time Yield or FTY. First Time Yield, a core Six Sigma building block, measures the percentage of units or products smoothly completing a process without defects or needing re-dos on the first try. Focusing on First Time […]

Cycle Time vs Throughput Time. All You Need to Know

May 21st, 2024

Efficiency and output emerge as hugely consequential in manufacturing and creation. Critical estimations conveying functional awareness incorporate cycle time and throughput time. While regularly mistakenly utilized reciprocally, they speak to clear theories basic for comprehending and enhancing business presentation. Cycle time, otherwise called handling time or running time, totals the period from one cycle or […]

Kanban in Lean Manufacturing: A Comprehensive Guide

May 21st, 2024

In lean manufacturing and constant upgrading, one method standing the test of time is Kanban. It streamlines workflows, cuts waste, and spreads an excellent spirit across diverse industries. Kanban, meaning “visual signal” in Japanese, forms a core lean building block. Originating from Toyota’s production way guided by pioneering engineer Taiichi Ohno’s brilliance. Kanban is a […]

Understanding Cycle Time: Definition, Calculation, and Importance

May 20th, 2024

For enterprises crafting, producing, or running workflows repetitively, cycle time/duration is crucial for effectiveness estimation and better spotting. Cycle time, likewise termed lead time alludes to a full period from starting one repeating assignment to end whether vehicle assembly lines, programming undertakings, or building activities, abbreviating it unlocks refined functioning, waste deduction, and greatest yields. […]

Image: Lead Time in Supply Chain and Project Management

Lead Time – How Does it Work? A Complete Guide

May 9th, 2024

Lead time has grown vital across industries. Also called cycle time or throughput, it sums the ordering start till delivery end. This yardstick holds weighty consequences in supply chain governance, directly impacting customer happiness, stock degrees, and efficiency all in all. Competitively meeting clientele fast-morphing anticipations hinges on lead time administration. Whether churning solid manufactured […]

Andon Cord in Lean Manufacturing. Toyota Production System

May 6th, 2024

In lean manufacturing, the andon cord represents empowerment, quality focus, and constant upgrading. This clever idea from Toyota’s famous production model has transformed manufacturing management. It places quality ownership directly with assembly line employees. The andon cord, often a brightly colored rope along the production line, acts as a straight connect between workers and their […]

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