Contact Information: Editorial Inquiries: Todd Walter Godfrey 717-393-383 ext 133 Kevin Gingerich Bosch Rexroth Corporation Linear Motion and Assembly Technologies 816 East Third Street Buchanan, MI 49107 Telephone (269) 697-5295 Fax (269) 695-5363
Daily Problem Solving Tips in a Lean Organization, From Bosch Rexroth
Common, Everyday Problems Do Not Go Away Once a Company Has Successfully Adopted Lean; Daily Problem Solving Must Still Occur in Order to Sustain a Lean Operation
| Source: Bosch Rexroth
BUCHANAN, MI--(Marketwire - September 12, 2008) - Bosch Rexroth (www.boschrexroth-us.com/lean)
has compiled tips for solving daily problems in a lean operation. These
tips aim to help organizations solve the everyday problems that they face
in order to sustain improvements achieved with lean implementations and
prevent backsliding.
Developed with lean manufacturing expert Jamie Flinchbaugh, "Daily Problem
Solving in a Lean Organization" explores principles and work practices that
businesses, which have already implemented lean, can use in daily problem
solving to sustain the improvements they've made, and to deepen their
commitment to lean.
Flinchbaugh, who is co-founder of the Lean Learning Center and
co-author of the popular book "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean," emphasizes
that lean manufacturing is a process and a culture, and not simply a
project. Continuous improvement is needed to sustain a lean operation.
Daily problem solving tips in a lean organization:
-- Keep what may seem like 'little problems' from adding up and becoming
big problems in the future. The only way to work on tomorrow's problems is
to work on the problems today while they are still small.
-- Use visual management and standard work tools to catch problems before
they start adding up.
-- Build the skills, tools and systems needed to deal with those problems
as soon as possible.
-- Start using the '5 Whys.' Continue asking 'Why?' at different stages in
order to dig deeper into the root cause of a problem.
-- Use Plan-Do-Check-Act, or PDCA. Without fully understanding the cause
of what is happening in a situation, an organization will not have the
control in its processes in order to sustain lean.
-- Understand that the small problems are a valuable contribution for
future results.
"Daily Problem Solving in a Lean Organization" is episode number six in
Rexroth's lean manufacturing podcast series, available for listening or
free download from the company's website at
www.boschrexroth-us.com/leanpodcast. The podcast series is also available
from the iTunes podcast library and other podcast directories on the web.
Developed by Bosch Rexroth's Linear Motion and Assembly Technologies group, each eight-
to ten-minute lean
manufacturing podcast episode presents guest experts and information to
help manufacturers and OEMs understand and apply lean principles and
practices in their businesses.
Visit www.boschrexroth-us.com/lean for more information on lean
manufacturing.