Abstract

Lean Six Sigma is a systematic approach to reduce or eliminate activities that do not add value to the process. It highlights removing wasteful steps in a process and taking the only value added steps. The lean six sigma method ensures high quality and customer satisfaction in the manufacturing. The main purpose of this chapter is to explore the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in the manufacturing sector. This chapter focuses on the different critical aspects of LSS. The core sections of this chapter are Introduction; Key lean six sigma principles; Tools and techniques; Lean six sigma methodologies; Critical success factors; Lean six sigma framework; Lean six sigma strategy; Implementation of Lean Six Sigma in SMEs; significant benefits; Significant barriers to implement lean; Assessment of Lean Six Sigma Readiness; Emerging trends in Lean Six Sigma; and Successful examples/stories in the manufacturing industry. The final section of the chapter contains the conclusions and suggestions. It is important for practitioners to be aware of Lean six sigma benefits, impeding factors, Tools and techniques, methodologies etc. before starting the Lean six sigma implementation process. Hence, this chapter could provide valuable insights to practitioners. It also gives an opportunity to Lean six sigma researchers to understand some common themes within this chapter in depth.

Highlights

  • In recent years, Lean Six Sigma have become the most popular business strategies for deploying continuous improvement [1] in manufacturing sectors, as well as in the public sector

  • Lean Six Sigma is a combination of two powerful process improvement methods: Lean and Six Sigma [24–26]

  • Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is an emerging extremely powerful technology which is used to identifying and eliminating waste, improving the performance, efficiency and customer satisfaction to sustain in competitive manufacturing and nonmanufacturing environment

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Lean Six Sigma have become the most popular business strategies for deploying continuous improvement [1] in manufacturing sectors, as well as in the public sector. Continuous improvement is the main aim for any organization in the world to help them to achieve quality and operational excellence and to enhance performance [2, 3] It has changed manufacturing forever and from every aspect of the industry: from the people and the machinery to the logistics and administration. There is a misconception that Lean and Lean Six Sigma methodologies are only applicable to manufacturing or supply chain processes [4, 5] These tools can be used within all aspects of a business [6]. Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma - Behind the Mask capability to recognize waste, decrease the waste, and forcefully attempt to eliminate all activities that do not add value or increase customer satisfaction both within the company and outside These methods are not a new phenomenon. To achieve the overall aims of this chapter, the author has comprehensively reviewed the literatures in second section

Lean and six sigma
Integrating lean and six sigma
Basics of lean six sigma
Software as the solution
How to get to root causes
Key lean six sigma principles
Figure out your value stream
Take out the trash
Keep the ball rolling
Create a culture of change and flexibility
Tools and techniques
Critical success factors
Lean six sigma strategy
Assessment of lean six sigma readiness
2.10 Implementation of lean six sigma in SMEs
2.11 Significant barriers to implement LSS in manufacturing
2.12 Significant benefits of LSS implementation in manufacturing
2.13 Limitations of LSS in manufacturing
Lack of a roadmap to be followed—which strategy first?
2.14 Lean and six sigma belts
2.15 Emerging trends in lean six sigma and agenda for future work
2.16 Successful LSS examples/stories in the manufacturing industry
Findings
2.17 Conclusions and suggestions
Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call