Lean Manufacturing & Waste Reduction Flashcards

Which lean tool is specifically designed to reduce changeover time to less than ten minutes?

Answer: SMED

Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) is the methodology aimed at reducing equipment changeover time to single-digit minutes.

What is 'Mura' in the Toyota Production System?

Answer: Unevenness or variability in production

Mura refers to unevenness or irregularity in production flow, which creates inefficiencies and drives the other forms of waste.

In lean manufacturing, what is 'standard work'?

Answer: The documented best-known method for performing a task consistently

Standard work documents the current best-known sequence, timing, and method for a task to ensure consistency, quality, and a baseline for improvement.

A pull system triggers production based on which signal?

Answer: Actual downstream customer or process demand

In a pull system, production is authorized only when the downstream customer or process signals a need, preventing overproduction.

What is the primary waste targeted by implementing cellular manufacturing?

Answer: Transportation and motion

Cellular manufacturing groups equipment by product family in a U-shaped or similar layout to minimize transportation of materials and unnecessary operator motion.

Which lean concept refers to the ability of a machine to detect an abnormality and stop automatically?

Answer: Jidoka

Jidoka (autonomation) gives machines the 'intelligence' to detect defects or abnormal conditions and stop automatically to prevent defect propagation.

When analyzing a value stream map, 'push' production arrows indicate what condition?

Answer: Material flows based on a forecast or schedule regardless of downstream need

Push arrows on a VSM show that work is moved forward based on schedules or forecasts rather than actual downstream consumption, often creating excess WIP.