Implementation Of Lean Principles Research Articles

Lean manufacturing practices in an educational institution to improve the operational efficiency of a machine shop

The lean manufacturing approach is employed across several sectors to minimise waste and extend its ideas to institutional settings. The objective of this work is to provide instruction to aspiring engineers regarding the implementation and utilisation of lean tools. The machine shop of an engineering college utilised several tools, including 5S, standard work, and machine maintenance. The students were educated on the difficulties and achievements associated with the implementation of lean ideas across several tiers within the machine shop. The findings indicate that it is imperative to remove non-value-added operations, commonly referred to as Muda, in any manifestation inside the shop. A sequence of 5S audits was carried out to facilitate the enhancement of KAIZEN initiatives and uphold the shop's commitment to lean principles. The determination and assessment of the influence of lean tools on the Machine Shop were conducted through the utilisation of a questionnaire employing a five-point Likert scale. Following the implementation of lean principles, there has been a notable enhancement in several aspects. Specifically, there has been a 6.6% improvement in space utilisation, a substantial 95.12% increase in safety measures, a significant reduction of 83.3% in machine failure occurrences, and a noteworthy decrease of 80.2% in the time required for tool search.

Implementation of lean principles in the yarn manufacturing industry: a system dynamics approach

PurposeThe textile industry contributes 2 and 3% to the global and Indian Gross Domestic Product (GDP), respectively. India supplies a quarter of global cotton yarn. Yet, most yarn manufacturing companies use outdated methods and lack organisational skills and strategies. Improvement in processes in India could significantly help the industry worldwide.Design/methodology/approachThe variables that influence the performance of the system were identified. Their interrelationships and impact were identified from the employees in the chosen case study, a yarn manufacturing industry. A System Dynamics (SD) approach was employed to study the benefits of implementing 5S lean strategies. The impact of each variable on various performance measures such as throughput, Work In Progress, processing time, waiting time, idle time, over-processing and scraps was analysed.FindingsImprovement in outcomes reflected an enhanced adoption of leanness in the industry. The decision-makers can utilise this study to optimise the necessary parameters in the system and attain the desired productivity levels. Better resource management and reduced processing time helped increase the despatch rate by 9.735% and decrease the WIP by 23.01%. Time management helped to reduce the inventory, idle time and waiting time. Over-processing, defects and scraps were minimised, indicating a shift towards lean.Research limitations/implicationsThis study pioneers the use of SD simulation models for optimising yarn manufacturing using lean strategies. Improvement in performance measures by integrating these strategies opens avenues for future research using multiple approaches to address a problem.Practical implicationsImplementing 5S lean principles and simulations enhances productivity, reduces waste and optimises resource management for the yarn manufacturing industry. Decision-makers can employ simulation to witness the outcomes of their changes without investing cost and time and without associated implementation risks.Originality/valueThe use of a simulation model to witness the benefits of incorporating lean strategies in yarn production has not been explored. This approach could help the managers and policymakers understand their existing system's shortcomings and critical areas that require improvement.

Acceptance and utilisation of lean principles as a business improvement initiative at an academic library in South Africa

This study used a case study approach to explore how librarians understood lean principles and the extent to which they used these principles to improve their practices. Lean principles have the potential of improving the process in the operation of organisations. The application of lean principles in many organisations, including academic libraries, seems to be limited. Although there is much scholarly communication on the successful implementation of lean principles, no research could be found on the implementation of lean principles in the processes and workflows of creating access to e-resources in academic libraries. An exploratory qualitative case study design within an interpretive paradigm informed this study. A purposive sample of 12 participants was interviewed and the data were analysed, using the reflexive thematic analysis supported by ATLAS.ti 22. The participants were not familiar with lean principles. However, they could articulate their responsibilities of the processes and workflows in creating and managing access to e-resources in their workspaces. The empirical data from the lean waste exercises affirmed that should lean principles be implemented in the processes, and workflows to streamline access to e-resources at the academic library it will enhance the delivery of an excellent customer service. The findings of this study can inform policymakers and librarians on how the implementation of lean principles to the processes and workflows can enhance and streamline access to e-resources.

Lean implementation in product development processes: a framework proposal

The implementation of lean principles in product development (PD) activities has been receiving increased attention lately. However, it is not clear how the application of these principles to PD activities enhances their effectiveness. Moreover, the implementation of lean principles is more difficult to achieve in PD activities than in the shop-floor context. The objective of this paper is to develop and implement a framework applying lean principles to the PD process. To that end, an action research project was conducted in the R&D department of an industrial company. This article presents and describes a six-step framework, its challenges, and main results. The implementation of the framework led to gains in the efficiency of the product development process through a 20% decrease in waste. Improvement measures such as standardisation, clear identification of roles, prioritisation of activities and improved efficiency of meetings were the main drivers for the gains in efficiency. Overall, three main contributions should be highlighted: the role a knowledgeable lean project leader can play; employee training focused on the implementation of lean-based product development activities; and team building and communication.

Warehouse Improvement Evaluation using Lean Warehousing Approach and Linear Programming

Lean manufacturing tools have been applied for several years to improve company’s internal logistic. Furthermore, a lot of factors such as globalization, competition and shorter life-cycle product force companies to create production process more efficient and cheaper. The acceptance of lean philosophy in the company means not only respecting the lean principles in the manufacturing area, but also in all the process that performed inside the company. The implementation of lean principles in the warehouse area is a certain step of improvement warehouse process and performance, but also the whole company. However, the implementation of lean principles in warehouse area is relatively new subject in logistics. Most of the research that has been done before only focused on eliminate waste and didn’t count the cost that can be saved after lean implementation. This paper’s objective is to identify waste that might be able to appear in warehousing process using value stream mapping. After the waste successfully identified, the next step is doing improvement using lean tool and count the implementation cost using linear programming. The result of this paper is choose which tool that make lower implementation cost and higher time reduction

Lean Office and digital transformation: a case study in a services company

- Highlights: a high percentage of the Western world workforce works in offices; Value Stream Map, a lean tool, allows waste identification in services companies; Lean Management helps companies to prepare for digital transformation; there is scarce scientific literature ondigital transformation and Lean Office.
 -Goal: thepurpose of this article is to report the implementation of Lean Office and digital transformation in a services company.
 - Design / Methodology / Approach: the research method was a qualitative approach, with literature review followed by a case study, and data collected until September 19, 2018.
 - Results: the comparative results between current and future Value Stream Maps showed consistent improvements in terms of performance indicators. The lead time is expected to fall from 101 hours to 64,65 hours under normal conditions, and from 221 hours to 114,65 hours if there is a need to bypass through process # 6.
 - Limitations of the investigation: there are limitations in this study.Basically, the time frame until the digitalization of the processes # 1, 2, 3 and 6 have been completed, in order to allow the comparison with the original expectations described in the VSM of the future state.
 - Practical implications: it was possible to demonstrate how the implementation of Lean principles, techniques, and tools can bring benefits to an IoT solutions provider.
 - Originality / Value: no records were found on Scopus and Web of Science databases for the search sentence "digital transformation" AND "lean Office", representing a gap to be filled with this study.

Adoption and implementation potential of the lean concept in the petroleum industry: state-of-the-art

PurposeA systematic literature review is performed to reveal the state-of-the-art in the implementation of lean principles in the petroleum industry. This paper aims to generate a conceptual framework and reveal research gaps with respect to lean concept application in the petroleum industry.Design/methodology/approachAfter formulating research questions, the search strategy is generated, followed by data extraction, literature review and synthesis of the results. The search covers any studies in peer-reviewed scientific journals and conference proceedings in the period 1990-2017 that discuss the implementation of the lean concept in the petroleum industry.FindingsThe lean concept has been used to improve operational and technical aspects, contractor/supplier relationships, team organization and project management practice in the petroleum industry. Based on the literature review, a conceptual framework is generated comprising four main elements: leadership and commitment from management, employee involvement, cooperation and trust with contractors/suppliers and lean project management. These elements are the pillars that are founded on lean philosophy and principles to support technical/operational improvement in the organization. The types of literature identified indicate that the subject of the study is still immature.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focuses only on the upstream sector of the petroleum industry, which restricts the generalizability of the results to midstream and downstream businesses.Practical implicationsThis paper provides knowledge and information regarding the current state of lean implementation in the petroleum industry. The developed conceptual framework provides general guidance for practitioners regarding lean implementation in the petroleum industry, and is also expected to support research on theory building.Originality/valueFew studies have discussed the application of the lean concept in the petroleum industry. This paper contributes a platform for researchers and practitioners to comprehend how the lean concept has been applied in the petroleum industry, and provides a foundation for further studies on lean implementation in the petroleum industry.

Improvement of refinery maintenance and mechanical services: application of lean manufacturing principles

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to show a successful improvement in operations with the implementation of lean manufacturing strategies in a Caribbean oil and gas company. Design/Methodology: Initially, a review of literature was performed on lean manufacturing (LM) tools. Then interviews and GEMBA walkthrough was carried out in the selected case organisation followed by the problems faced were analysed using value stream map (VSM) together with root cause analysis tools. At the end, future state VSM was developed and the benefits due to implementation of LM principles were quantified. Findings: The study revealed that a traditional approach is currently being used on the shop floor thus increasing the opportunity for hidden wastes between the processes as well as increased repair time due to defective equipment. The results concluded that improved shop floor utilisation, reduction in preparation time and hidden wastes were identified on the shop floor. Originality/value: The review of literature indicated that implementation of the lean principles in the Caribbean oil and gas sector has not been explored. Further, the study results provide a road map for similar organisations to achieve operational improvement but also is valuable for academic and research community for practical implementation of lean principles.

The impact of lean practices on operational performance – an empirical investigation of Indian process industries

In deciding to adopt lean manufacturing, it is imperative to investigate where and how lean practices are most needed to influence manufacturing and business performance. Such an investigation becomes indispensable when lean thinking is to be considered in a production arrangement different to the conventional, repetitive, high-volume, stable-demand and discrete-manufacturing environment. This study provides explanations of how performance is improved through the adoption of lean practices in process industries. This is a relatively under-researched area compared to the performance effects associated with the introduction and implementation of lean principles in traditional, discrete manufacturing. Based on a survey of Indian process industries, this study attempts to develop an empirical relationship between lean practices and performance improvement through the use of multivariate statistical analysis. The findings have led to the conclusion that lean practices are positively associated with timely deliveries, productivity, first-pass yield, elimination of waste, reduction in inventory, reduction in costs, reduction in defects and improved demand management. However, within a process-industry context, lean practices related to pull production were found to have a marginal impact on performance improvement. A detailed discussion of the findings along with their theoretical and managerial implications is provided in the paper.

Implementation of Lean Principles and Concepts in Pump Manufacturing

Implementation of Lean Principles and Concepts in Pump Manufacturing

Effects of Lean Tools in Achieving Lean Warehousing

Abstract The acceptance of lean philosophy in the company means not only respecting the lean principles in the manufacturing but in all the processes that are performed inside the company. All processes in the company that are a potential places for making losses and waste and thus require the application of lean principles. Among others, warehouse and warehouse operations, as a centre of costs and waste, must be supported through the implementation of lean philosophy in the company by respecting lean principles. The implementation of lean principles in the warehouse is a certain step of improvement warehouse process and performance, but also of the whole company. In that sense, the paper presents the analysis of the warehousing process and its performances before and after implementation of the lean tools in a selected Serbian company as a practical example. In addition, research shows which parts of warehousing need to be improved, in analysed company, as well as correlation between the individual parts of warehousing, according to employees' opinion from next sectors: purchasing, production and logistics.

Development and application of lean product development performance measurement tool

The need of applying lean thinking to product development is becoming a must for the organisations to succeed in the current industry. This paper presents the development and application of a tool that helps to identify the actual status of the organisation in relation to the lean principles. Overview of the literature highlighted the need of developing a tool focused on assessing the implementation of lean principles themselves, rather than quantitative metrics. Based on the idea of the balanced scorecard, four perspectives, with their corresponding set of questions, were defined reflecting the enablers of the lean product development model proposed by the Lean Product and Process Development European project. A five-level scale was customised to reflect different readiness levels of lean implementation. The tool was used in case studies in two organisations; first in aerospace and second in automotive. Examples of measurement from two different organisations demonstrated the accuracy of the tool in assessing and defining the starting conditions for adapting lean principles and practices.

Using lean principles to improve outpatient adult infusion clinic chemotherapy preparation turnaround times

The workflow and chemotherapy preparation turnaround times at an adult infusion clinic were evaluated to identify opportunities to optimize workflow and efficiency. A three-phase study using Lean Six Sigma methodology was conducted. In phase 1, chemotherapy turnaround times in the adult infusion clinic were examined one year after the interim goal of a 45-minute turnaround time was established. Phase 2 implemented various experiments including a five-day Kaizen event, using lean principles in an effort to decrease chemotherapy preparation turnaround times in a controlled setting. Phase 3 included the implementation of process-improvement strategies identified during the Kaizen event, coupled with a final refinement of operational processes. In phase 1, the mean turnaround time for all chemotherapy preparations decreased from 60 to 44 minutes, and a mean of 52 orders for adult outpatient chemotherapy infusions was received each day. After installing new processes, the mean turnaround time had improved to 37 minutes for each chemotherapy preparation in phase 2. In phase 3, the mean turnaround time decreased from 37 to 26 minutes. The overall mean turnaround time was reduced by 26 minutes, representing a 57% decrease in turnaround times in 19 months through the elimination of waste and the implementation of lean principles. This reduction was accomplished through increased efficiencies in the workplace, with no addition of human resources. Implementation of Lean Six Sigma principles improved workflow and efficiency at an adult infusion clinic and reduced the overall chemotherapy turnaround times from 60 to 26 minutes.

Applying lean principles to continuous renal replacement therapy processes.

The application of lean principles to continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) processes in an academic medical center is described. A manual audit over six consecutive weeks revealed that 133 5-L bags of CRRT solution were discarded after being dispensed from pharmacy but before clinical use. Lean principles were used to examine the workflow for CRRT preparation and develop and implement an intervention. An educational program was developed to encourage and enhance direct communication between nursing and pharmacy about changes in a patient's condition or CRRT order. It was through this education program that the reordering workflow shifted from nurses to pharmacy technicians. The primary outcome was the number of CRRT solution bags delivered in the preintervention and postintervention periods. Nurses and pharmacy technicians were surveyed to determine their satisfaction with the workflow change. After implementation of lean principles, the mean number of CRRT solution bags dispensed per day of CRRT decreased substantially. Respondents' overall satisfaction with the CRRT solution preparation process increased during the postintervention period, and the satisfaction scores for each individual component of the workflow after implementation of lean principles. The decreased solution waste resulted in projected annual cost savings exceeding $70,000 in product alone. The use of lean principles to identify medication waste in the CRRT workflow and implementation of an intervention to shift the workload from intensive care unit nurses to pharmacy technicians led to reduced CRRT solution waste, improved efficiency of CRRT workflow, and increased satisfaction among staff.

Validity and reliability of lean enterprise frameworks in Indian manufacturing industry

Lean principles are useful to achieve excellence in all aspects of business processes. In the present global scenario, the implementation of lean principles in Indian manufacturing is essential to compete globally. The purpose of this study is to conduct validity and reliability analysis on existing lean enterprise frameworks while applied to Indian manufacturing organizations. The study used survey questionnaire method to collect data from manufacturing industries. The data were collected against 31 lean enterprise frameworks from 180 middle and top management personnel belonging to 180 Indian manufacturing firms. The survey instrument was developed with a team of 12 members, that is, 6 experts each from academic and industry background and also performed pilot study to improve understanding of the respondents. Reliability and factor analysis has been carried out to measure each framework’s Cronbach’s alpha (a reliability coefficient) and unidimensionality with respect to the constructs, that is, the lean enterprise it measures. Finally, frequency distribution analysis was performed on the selected framework to identify familiar elements of lean enterprise. This research has brought out that a majority of the frameworks exhibit a high level of reliability. When the study has investigated further about unidimensionality with respect to the construct, that is, the lean enterprise it measures, it showed that a few of the frameworks were exhibiting unidimensionality. A frequency distribution analysis illustrates that the majority of the constructs have a high mean score and mode. Finally, the study concludes that there is a need for a new framework to fulfill the requirement of Indian manufacturing industry.

Lean manufacturing within critical healthcare supply chain: an exploratory study through value chain simulation

Modern goals of supply chain management (SCM) are related to the integration of logistic features with customers and product management, the so called value chain management (VCM). The present work is focused on the implementation of lean principles and value chain concepts into SCM, within a firm supplying power generators for hospitals and humanitarian camps. The aim is to realise a simulation environment to improve firm’s strategies and performance analysis to reduce costs and improve the levels of service and sustainability of the supply chain (SC). In particular, lean manufacturing principles of waste reduction and non-value added activities (NVAA) elimination can be well suited to be implemented by value chain operation reference (VCOR) model. An analysis concerning productivity and product development issues is performed by design of experiments (DOE) techniques, highlighting weakness and strength points in health sector supplying.

Lean management in health care: definition, concepts, methodology and effects reported (systematic review protocol).

BackgroundLean is a set of operating philosophies and methods that help create a maximum value for patients by reducing waste and waits. It emphasizes the consideration of the customer’s needs, employee involvement and continuous improvement. Research on the application and implementation of lean principles in health care has been limited.MethodsThis is a protocol for a systematic review, following the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) methodology. The review aims to document, catalogue and synthesize the existing literature on the effects of lean implementation in health care settings especially the potential effects on professional practice and health care outcomes. We have developed a Medline keyword search strategy, and this focused strategy will be translated into other databases. All search strategies will be provided in the review. The method proposed by the Cochrane EPOC group regarding randomized study designs, non-randomised controlled trials controlled before and after studies and interrupted time series will be followed. In addition, we will also include cohort, case–control studies, and relevant non-comparative publications such as case reports. We will categorize and analyse the review findings according to the study design employed, the study quality (low- versus high-quality studies) and the reported types of implementation in the primary studies. We will present the results of studies in a tabular form.DiscussionOverall, the systematic review aims to identify, assess and synthesize the evidence to underpin the implementation of lean activities in health care settings as defined in this protocol. As a result, the review will provide an evidence base for the effectiveness of lean and implementation methodologies reported in health care.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42014008853

Creating more time in the day for patient care

A la m y THE PRODUCTIVE Ward may be a well-established method for streamlining nurses’ work in the NHS, but it is also helping staff outside the UK to save time. In Ireland, at Sligo Regional Hospital, nursing staff have saved up to 42 minutes for each elective admission. The hospital used the Productive Ward system, produced by the now defunct NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement to reduce wasted time in the way health teams work, to improve admissions in one pilot ward. Their success earned them recognition recently at the annual Lean Healthcare Awards, organised by the Lean Healthcare Academy. The academy is run by Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, West Yorkshire, and education provider Virtual College to help trusts use time to greater effect, reduce costs and improve the patient experience through the implementation of Lean principles. The principles were designed initially by Japanese car manufacturers to increase efficiency without losing quality.

Mejorando la cadena de suministro en un hospital mediante la gestión Lean

ObjectivesSupply management is an area where hospitals have significant opportunities for improvement. The main objective of this paper has been to analyze how the application of Lean principles can improve logistics costs and user satisfaction. In connection with satisfaction, it also aimed to examine which aspects of the service define it and check for differences between different groups of users. MethodsThe results of an experience to reorganize the hospital logistic system based on some Lean principles have been studied. This is therefore a case study, which combine different methods of data collection. The logistics cost calculation was carried out using the full costing method. To measure satisfaction of healthcare personnel, the internal logistics service users, an anonymous survey was conducted. Processing of the data obtained from the survey have included exploratory analysis, factor analysis and ANOVAs. ResultsThe data have showed an improvement in logistics management after the implementation of Lean principles. Logistics costs were reduced and the satisfaction level of the internal users with the new logistics system was increased. Some differences in the degree of satisfaction by different groups of users were also detected, although they did not seem to distinguish between different aspects of logistic service. ConclusionsThe analyzed experience shows the applicability and suitability of Lean principles to improve logistics operational costs and increase user satisfaction.

A Case Study Conducted with Nurses: Insight into the Implementation of Lean Principles and Techniques in a Medical Setting

The implementation of lean methods in a health care setting is difficult when nurses are inadequately informed about lean techniques, principles, and the intent of these when applied in health care. To aid in communication amongst health care officials and ease of workplace transformation, there is a need for a supplemental lean education program that is tailored to the needs of nurses. The high-level objective of this research project is to identify and eliminate waste in health care facilities to ultimately save the facility (public-, private-, or government-owned) money without compromising customer satisfaction. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop an introductory presentation and documentation material to help inform nurses about the importance of implementing lean techniques and principles. In this article, current inefficiencies in nurses’ work processes are identified. An inventory of their current knowledge base and learning outcomes is developed through discussion-based interviews.