The goal of lean manufacturing is to provide customers with the right product in the right quantity at the right time--all while eliminating waste and maximizing efficiency. The overall goal of lean manufacturing is to minimize or eliminate non-value-adding activities and maximize value at every stage in the manufacturing process.
To achieve this goal, lean manufacturing focuses on eliminating waste as well as streamlining processes. Lean manufacturing also encourages team collaboration and problem-solving to identify and resolve issues quickly.
Underlying lean manufacturing principles include:
- Respect for people: Respect for all people involved in the process, from manufacturing workers and designers to customers and suppliers.
- Focus on customer value: Products should be designed and manufactured to meet customer needs and goals.
- Continuous improvement: Involves improving processes and values so that the cycle time and cost maintain the same levels of performance.
- Eliminating waste: Identifying and eliminating any unnecessary steps in the process.
- Quality focus: Assuring the quality of the product by preventing defects, rather than looking for them.
Ultimately, the goal of lean manufacturing is to provide the customer with a high quality product that meets their needs in a timely and cost-effective manner. It also encourages collaboration between team members and emphasizes customer satisfaction.
