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Definition of Lean Six Sigma

With manufacturing automation, companies have always sought improvements. Although the focuses of Lean and 6 Sigma manufacturing are different, there are benefits to every , and mixing them creates a strong force.

Histories

Lean manufacturing is a production process that expedites the throughput of goods. Referred to simply as “Lean,” the concepts started within the automotive industry. The focus began as and remains one of speed, which is gained by eliminating waste. Six Sigma has its roots within the semiconductor industry and focuses on quality. The main motive is to maintain consistent quality by controlling the deviations.

Lean Manufacturing

Lean is made on eliminating waste -- anything that doesn't add value to the merchandise . The metric in Lean is that the value-added component: defining what the customer actually pays for is vital to identifying waste. Another area of waste elimination in Lean is reducing time spent in the queue -- what proportion of time a product “waits” along the assembly line for value to be added? Loading a chuck on a cnc machine adds value; search for hand tools waiting to be loading is waste.

Types of Waste

The Lean process identifies seven types of waste. Transportation is the first -- movement of goods that has no value. Moving goods from one step within the process to subsequent is necessary; moving them into a holding area to attend should be eliminated. The next type of waste is inventory -- components that are not being processed, but merely waiting for value to be added to them. Third on the waste list makes no sense for either people or equipment. If a worker takes 10 steps when five will do, then the additional five are waste. Overproduction, the fourth sort of waste, means producing quite is required , either in parts or products. The next sort of waste is over-processing, doing more work to feature value than needed, a result of poor design. Using a 6-inch bolt when a 5-inch one will do may be an example . Last on the list is defects, and it focuses on the time wasted in inspecting for and correcting them.

Six Sigma

Six Sigma has its foundations in controlling defects. This manufacturing process documents and monitors deviations. Once that information is understood , Six Sigma proponents create processes eliminating those deviations. Predictability of leads to a Six Sigma organization means success. Measurement and analysis of knowledge are key components, and controlling variations throughout every step of the work flow is the basis of Six Sigma.

Steps in Six Sigma

Controlling variations in Six Sigma manufacturing consists of 5 steps referred to as DMAIC. The first step is “define,” pertaining to definitions of goals and processes. Once defined, the next step is measuring. Measurements include product capabilities, process capabilities and risks. The third step is analysis -- determining cause-and-effect relationships. The “I” in the acronym stands for making improvements to the process. Finally, the last step is to control the process -- developing procedures that do not allow variations exceeding acceptable standards, so every product is of consistent quality and defect free.

Benefits of Lean Six Sigma

While both Lean and 6 Sigma methods have lots of benefits, and many companies implement one or the opposite , combination of these methodologies creates a robust powerful process, allowing companies to make high-quality products at the fastest speed with far less compromise on either price, speed or quality.

Let's dive deep with example:

Imagine you are the manager of a supermarket chain you've noticed that two things need your immediate attention the first issue is the way to handle the different sorts of weights that you simply encounter at your supermarket subsequent one requires you to deal with the availability chain issues at the supermarket which are causing delays to the morning delivery of milk resulting in customer dissatisfaction and attrition these problems are often solved by incorporating two of the foremost popular quality management methodologies within the world lean and 6 Sigma one famous for its ability to handle waste in another known for process improvement but what if there was a strategy that combined the concepts of both Six Sigma and lean one that would solve all of your issues well there's Lean Six Sigma.

Before we dive into Lean Six Sigma let's take a closer check out its parent methodologies first off lean may be a methodology that focuses on providing value to the customer eliminating waste continuous improvement reducing cycle time lean and Six Sigma both aim to handle waste but what is this waste is any step or action within the process that a user does not gain any value from briefly things that users wouldn't want to buy why would a consumer want to pay extra for the additional truck that was required to deliver milk to the supermarket just because the opposite one broke down this waste is often divided into eight categories.

let's have a glance at each of them one transportation this waste refers to the surplus movement of individuals tools inventory equipment and other components of a process than it's required to inventory this waste occurs due to having more products and materials than required this will cause damage and defects to products or materials greater time for completion an efficient allocation of capital Then, on three motion this refers to the time and effort wasted thanks to unnecessary movement of individuals equipment or machinery this could be sitting through inventory double data entry then on for waiting.

This will be timed wasted waiting on information instructions materials or equipment five over production. This is often the waste created due to producing more products than required six over processing. It refer to more work more components or more steps during a product or service than required seven defects this is often the waste originating from a product or service that fails to meet customer expectations eight, skills this waste refers to the waste of human potential under utilizing capabilities and delegating tasks to people with inadequate training for years.

Now many systems have emerged that use the lean methodology to spot and handle the different sorts of waste a number of the more popular and effective ones are JIT or just-in-time 5s and Kanban the JIT methodology focuses on reducing the quantity of your time the production system takes to supply an output, and therefore, the reaction time from suppliers to customers.

5s is another methodology that focuses on cleanliness and organization while improving profits and efficiency Kanban is additionally another popular methodology to realize Lane. it is a visual method to manage tasks and workflows Kanban enables users visualize the workflow to spot issues within the process and fix them.

These methodologies help in optimizing the waste production and are often used together to maximize results, so that, is the first problem solved now let's have a glance at how you can improve this supermarket supply chain efficiency for that.

let's have a look at the opposite a part of Lean Six Sigma Six Sigma Six Sigma may be a set of tools and techniques that are used for process improvement and removing defects. let's see how Six Sigma makes that possible Six Sigma has two major methodologies DMAIC .

let's have a better check out DMAIC since Lean Six Sigma uses the DMAIC methodology of Six Sigma. DMAIC is an acronym for define measure analyze improve control it's used to improve existing products and processes in order that it can meet the customers requirements within the define phase you identify. what the goals of the project are during this case, you, would like to reduce the quantity of your time taken to deliver milk from the warehouse to the supermarket.

In order that it's stocked on the supermarket shelves before 8:30 within the morning within the measure phase you measure the performance of the present unaltered process the milk truck leaves at 7:30 a.m. within the morning and may take one among three, routes a B and C relay is currently the well-liked one because it takes only hour to succeed in the supermarket compared to the routes B and C which takes 70 and 80 minutes respectively.

In the analysis phase you discover out why the defects exist since routes B and C were school bus routes by reducing the starting time by 1 hour at 6:30 instead of 7:30 meant avoiding the traffic routes B and C now take 40 to 45 minutes to reach the supermarket route a still takes the milk truck one hour to urge to the supermarket even when the truck leaves at 6:30 a.m. within improve phase performance are often improved by addressing and eliminating the basis causes.

Now that you've got realized that advancing the milk pickup by an hour and changing the route to route B can save time you change the method accordingly providing your workers with ample time to stock the milk into the shelves before the morning rush and eventually within the control phase you create regular adjustments to control new processes and future performance you still monitor the delivery times and check out alternate routes to repeatedly improve the process and ensure the even faster delivery this process changed led to reduce man-hours and cost enhanced sales and customer retention.

The Lean Six Sigma methodology offers many such benefits to businesses let's take a glance at a number of the one increase in profits to standardize and simplified process 3 reduced errors for employee development 5 value to customers which is Lean Six Sigma for you now before we're done we have got a quiz for you which of them sort of waste refers to the time and energy wasted thanks to a necessary movement of individuals equipment or machinery, inventory , waiting, over production and motion.