Lean
One Shop’s Tale to More Standardized Tool Organization
Contract manufacturer JD Machine’s 5S mindset led it to discover a more sophisticated way to standardize tooling storage for its various production cells.
Derek Korn
Editor-in-Chief, Production Machining magazine
Let Them Move the Table
Empower your employees to make a lot of little changes and improvements to make their job in your machine shop easier. Small increments of improved efficiency add up quickly.
Read MoreVideo: Adopting Continuous Improvement as Company Culture
Continuous improvement is an ongoing investment into identifying opportunities for boosting efficiency and reducing waste. This article shares advice from machine shop managers to other machine shop managers about continuous improvement plans that have worked for their companies and the benefits they are enjoying as the fruits of their labor.
Read MoreThe Benefits of Self-Directed Work Teams
With self-directed work teams, each team of workers is given full responsibility for their work orders—scheduling them and making sure they have the necessary materials to complete the job.
Read MoreSelf-Directed Work Teams Offer Better Efficiency
While working as a team, everyone brings their own “specialty” or unique skill set to the table to create one strong, intelligent force. With self-directed work teams, each team of workers is given full responsibility for their work orders—scheduling them and making sure they have the necessary materials to complete the job.
Read MorePutting your Shop on a Diet: How to Become Lean
There are strategies involved in achieving lean for a shop, but like going on a diet, lean doesn’t happen overnight and it takes some work on your part to get your shop in shape.
Read MoreThe 'Skinny' on the New Year
One New Year's resolution you should seriously consider for your shop is to work on going as lean as possible, and our articles on productionmachining.com can help you reach your goal.
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Machine Shop Leans on Rotary Transfer for Higher Efficiency
A firearm parts supplier’s lean manufacturing methods help it discover the many advantages of rotary transfer technology.
Lori Beckman
Executive Editor, Products Finishing
Tips to Lean on for Becoming Lean
Lean manufacturing is the goal every shop strives to achieve. But unlike earning a diploma or completing a marathon, it is not a one-time success story.
Read MoreHow VIBCO Achieved Lean
VIBCO Vibrators, founded in 1962, manufactures and markets a comprehensive range of industrial and construction vibrators.
Read More5 Buyer Decisions That Increase Costs
These five factors can unnecessarily add costs or delays to a precision machined part: small order quantities, material selection, special diameter holes, close tolerances, unnecessarily fine surface finish.
Read MoreRunning Remotely
Everybody talks about unattended machining operations and many have implemented it in varying degrees. Since day one, this Dayton, Ohio shop has never operated any other way.
Read MoreThe Skinny on Lean Manufacturing
Lean manufacturing—the on-going effort to remove waste from a manufacturing process—has become not only a practice in the metalworking industry, but a culture as well.
Read MoreWhy Is This Here?
Two essential principles to help you establish “lean” in your operations.
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Lean Means Being Comfortable
Like writing, lean manufacturing requires people to be comfortable in their own skin while checking any ego issues at the door.
Derek Korn
Editor-in-Chief, Production Machining magazine
A Problem-Solving Approach: One Size Does Not Fit All
Each day, organizations face challenges to become lean within their shops. Often, the focus of these lean activities is not extended to our management practices. Problem-solving methodology is one such management practice where simplicity is sometimes ignored.
Read MoreSupporting Lean Manufacturing With Digital Photographic Internal Audits
Visual management has been and will continue to be a key driver in the manufacturing world. Lean principles are predicated on visual activities. 5S — the building block of all lean activities — is based on the motto, "A place for everything and everything in its place." Cellular manufacturing focuses on isolating machinery and tools within an area of the plant in order to increase efficiency. Alarms, flashing lights and other poka-yoke techniques are visual assurances of compliance in work cells.
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Young Leaders Define Their Business Strategies
Production Machining 2021 Emerging Leaders share their approaches for developing skilled labor and ensuring that continuous improvement is top of mind to keep their companies competitive.
Lori Beckman
Executive Editor, Products Finishing
