A 4-part series to examine and elevate awareness of the 8 wastes in manufacturing (DOWNTIME).
Eight Wastes: Part 4
The unnecessary movement of people, information or equipment is Motion waste. This can occur because of workspace layout, disorganization, misplace items, non-standardized work instructions, shared tools and machines, or unclear process flow. Excessive motion of people can potentially put workers’ safety at risk and cause significant reduction in employees’ productivity. Any excess movement, whether by employees or machines, that doesn’t add value to the product, service or process is waste. Solutions can include re-arranging workstation layouts to decrease distance between tools and machines, documented (written or video) standardized work instructions, and improved communication between managers and their team.
Excess Processing is doing more work than needed or creating a higher quality product than required by the customer. This waste can sometimes be difficult to identify and is often caused by unclear standards or specifications. In order to avoid excess processing, review product(s) specifications to be sure they align with customer expectations, identify possible opportunities to simplify a process, and eliminate extra steps or duplicate work. Perhaps the waste isn’t in production, but in the ordering process itself- doing extra data entry or generating reports that are never reviewed. Any unnecessary work adds to your cost of doing business.
Click Here for Honing in on 8 Wastes: Part One
Click Here for Honing in on 8 Wastes: Part Two
Click Here for Honing in on 8 Wastes: Part Three
Learn more about NWIRC’s Lean Together, working group for operational excellence.