More Tools Glossary 1 !  

Economies of Scale 

Applying the principles of mass production, large batch sizes, and consolidated control strategies to achieve minimum unit processing costs. 

Elements of Work

The elements of work are 1) value-added work, 2) non value-added work, and 3) waste. 

Empowerment 

A series of actions designed to give employees greater control over their working lives. 

Error proofing

A process used to prevent errors from occurring or to immediately point out a defect as it occurs. See "poka-yoke."

Evaporating Clouds 

A method used in Theory of Constraints. Same as Conflict Resolution.

External Set Up

All set-up tasks that can be done while the machine is still running.

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

A structured approach to determining the seriousness of potential failures and for identifying the sources of each potential failure.

Feeder Buffer  

The time buffer that is placed on the end of non critical chains that feed into the critical chain.  Sometimes referred to as Critical Chain Feeder Buffer (CCFB).

Feeder lines

A series of special assembly lines that allow assemblers to perform preassembly tasks off the main production line.

First In First Out (FIFO)

Processing orders in a pure sequential flow.

Flexible Manufacturing System 

An integrated manufacturing capability to produce small numbers of a great variety of items at low unit cost; an FMS is also characterized by low changeover time and rapid response time

Flow

A main objective of the lean production effort, and one of the important concepts that passed directly from Henry Ford to Toyota. Ford recognized that, ideally, production should flow continuously all the way from raw material to the customer and envisioned realizing that ideal through a production system that acted as one long conveyor.

Flow Chart

A problem solving tool that maps out the steps in a process visually.  The flow (or lack thereof) becomes evident and the wastes and redundancies are identified. 

Flow Production

 A way of doing things in small quantities in sequential steps, rather than in large batches, lots or mass processing.

Functional Layout

The practice of grouping machines or activities by type of operation performed.

Future Reality Tree (FRT) 

The TOC Thinking Process diagram that describes how the the agreed direction for a solution unavoidable through solid logic leads to the desired results or benefits.

Future State Map

The vision of a future optimal process, which forms the basis of your implementation plan by helping to design how the process should operate.

Gemba

A Japanese word meaning "actual place," or the place where you work to create value.

Gembutsu

Japanese for 'actual thing' or 'actual product'.

Genjitsu

Japanese for 'the facts' or 'the reality'.

Green Belt 

Someone who has been trained on the improvement methodology of Six Sigma who will lead a process improvement or quality improvement team. 

Green Field

A new production facility where lean principles are designed into manufacturing and management systems from the beginning.

Hanedashi

Auto-eject devices that unload the part from the machine once the cycle is complete.

Heijunka

A method of leveling production at the final assembly line that makes just-in-time production possible.

Histogram

A problem solving tool that displays data graphically in distribution.

Horizontal Handling

When tasks are assigned to a person in such a way that the focus is on maximizing a certain skill set or use of certain types equipment.

Hoshin Kanri 

A strategic planning approach that integrates the practices of leadership with the practices of management.

Hoshin Planning (HP)

A means by which goals are established and measures are created to ensure progress toward those goals.

Informative Inspection

A form of inspection used to determine non-conforming product.

Integration Point 

Common term in a project to describe where two or more tasks join together.

Intermediate Objective (IO) 

The milestone that must be reached in order to overcome an obstacle to an ambitious target or injection.

Internal Setup (IED) 

Set-up tasks that can only be done when the machine is stopped. 

Inventory

All raw materials, purchased parts, work-in-process components, and finished goods that are not yet sold to a customer.

Jidoka 

Stopping a line automatically when a defective part is detected. [Same as Autonomation] (From searchmanufacturing.com)

Jishu Kanri 

Self

Judgment Inspection

A form of inspection used to determine non-conforming product.

Just in Time (JIT)

Making what the customer needs when the customer needs it in the quantity the customer needs, using minimal resources of manpower, material, and machinery.

Jutsu 

To talk, or 'the art of' (i.e., 'leanjutsu: the art of lean production'). 

Kai-aku

The opposite of kaizen. Change for the worse. 

Kaikaku

Radical improvements or reform that affect the future value stream.

Kaizen

Japanese for 'change for the better' or 'improvement'.

Kaizen Event 

Any action whose output is intended to be an improvement to an existing process.

Kaizen Newspaper

A tool for visually managing continuous improvement suggestions.

Kanban 

Japanese term which means card signal.  Kanban is the information signal used to indicate the need for material replenishment in a pull production process.

Kano Methods 

A model using three types of product requirements which influence customer satisfaction in different ways.

Karoshi 

Death from overwork.

Kitting

A process in which assemblers are supplied with kits of parts, fittings and tools.

Knowledge Management 

The management of knowledge, especially innovative knowledge, that is critical to business sustainability.

Last In First Out (LIFO)

The result of a typical material or information flow system without FIFO, resulting in earlier orders being perpetually delayed by new orders arriving on top of them.

Lead time

The total time a customer must wait to receive a product after placing an order.

Lean

A business practice characterized by the endless pursuit of waste elimination.

Lean Transformation

Developing a culture that is intolerant to waste in all of its forms.

Leveling

Smoothing out the production schedule by averaging out both the volume and mix of products.

Line Balancing 

The process of evenly distributing both the quantity and variety of work across available work time, avoiding overburden and underuse of resources. This eliminates bottlenecks and downtime, which translates into shorter flow time.

Line Balancing 

Equalizing cycle times for relatively small units of the manufacturing process.

Load-Load

A method of conducting single-piece flow, where the operator proceeds form machine to machine, taking the part form one machine and loading it into the next.

Machine Cycle Time

The time it takes for a machine to produce one unit.

Machine Work

Work that is done by a machine.

Manual Work

Work that is done by people.

Manufacturing Resources Planning (MRP II) 

A second generation MRP system that provides additional control linkages such as automatic purchase order generation, capacity planning, and accounts payable transactions.

Master Black Belt 

Master Black Belts are Six Sigma Quality experts that are responsible for the strategic implementations within an organization.

Materials Requirements Planning (MRP) 

A computerized information system that calculates materials requirements based on a master production schedule.

Mistake Proofing

Any change to an operation that helps the operator reduce or eliminate mistakes.

Mixed Model Production 

Capability to produce a variety of models, that in fact differ in labor and material content, on the same production line.

Mokeru 

Japanese term for industrial engineering.

Monument

Any design, scheduling or production technology with scale requirements necessitating that designs, orders and products be brought to the machine to wait in queue for processing. The opposite of a right-sized machine.

Muda

Japanese for 'waste'. Any activity that adds cost without adding value to the product.

Multi Machine Handling

When a machine operator is running more than one machine of a certain type.

Multi Process Handling

When a machine operator is doing tasks for multiple processes sequentially, and this is contributing to the flow of material.

Multi Tasking 

Breaking into one activity before it is complete to move onto at least one other task before returning complete the original task.

Mura 

Variations and variability in work method or the output of a process.

Muri 

Exertion, overworking (a person or machine), unreasonableness.

Nagara

Accomplishing more than one task in one motion or function. Japanese for 'while doing something'.

Nagara System

A production system where seemingly unrelated tasks can be produced by the same operator simultaneously.

Negative Branch (Nbr) 

Ideas or solutions greeted with negative responses or concerns.

Ninjutsu 

The art of invisibility.

Non-Value Added

Activities or actions taken that add no real value to the product or service, making such activities or action a form of waste.

Obstacle (Obs) 

Any significant thing that will block the achievement of an ambitious target or an injection.

One Piece Flow 

 Producing one unit at a time, as opposed to producing in large lots. (From Advanced Manufacturing)

One-Touch Exchange of Dies (OTED)

The reduction of die set-up where die setting is reduced to a single step.

Open Room Effect

This common practice in Japanese offices involves taking down the walls and cubicles of an office and laying all of the desks out into one big 'open room'. 

Operator Cycle Time

The time it takes for a worker or machine operator to complete a sequence of operations, including loading and unloading, but not including waiting time.

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)

Calculated as Availability x Performance x Quality to determine how much of the time a piece of equipment is being used while it is actually making good parts at an appropriate speed.

Overproduction

Producing more, sooner or faster than is required by the next process or customer.

Pacemaker

A device or technique use to set the pace of production and maintain takt time.

Pareto 

 A bar chart that displays by frequency, in descending order, the most important defects.

Path 

 Any series of linked (dependent) tasks in a project plan. (From Goldratt

PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act)

This is a basic principle followed for effective problem solving during kaizen.

Performance Management

Using a set of tools and approaches to measure, improve, monitor and sustain the key indicators of a business.

PERT 

 Project Resource Evaluation Technique

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