Lean Assessment Research Articles

Workflow improvement and financial gain after integration of high-throughput sample processing system with flow cytometer in a high-volume pathology laboratory: Results from a prospective comparative study using Lean principles

BackgroundHighly efficient clinical laboratories are essential for monitoring many human illnesses. Ampath Laboratory Services, the largest pathology lab in South Africa, analyzes large numbers of peripheral blood samples for CD4 levels yearly. ObjectiveTo assess productivity and quality of a newer integrated automated solution, the BD FACSDuet™ Sample Preparation System/BD FACSLyric™ Flow Cytometer using conventional assessment methods and Lean concepts. Materials and methodsThis prospective study compared the performance of the BD FACS™ Sample Preparation Assistant [SPA] III and BD FACSCanto™ II Flow Cytometer with the newly introduced integrated system (BD FACSDuet™/BD FACSLyric™). They were validated for accuracy, precision, and external quality assessment. Process mapping and Lean assessment helped identify steps leading to waste. An economic model was developed to characterize workflow and economic impact associated with total daily hands-on time, processing time, and reworks. ResultsStrong linear correlation was present between both systems. Precision and accuracy studies revealed that all coefficient of variation (CV)% values were below 20% of allowable limits. External proficiency assessments were within limits. The fully automated workflow of BD FACSDuet™/BD FACSLyric™ permitted better consistency with significantly shorter processing time and batch processing and reduced operator interventions. Lean assessment identified defects with motion, over-processing, waiting, and non-utilized talent. Significant reductions in hands-on and total daily processing time that could increase daily specimen testing efficiency and fewer reworks were associated with the BD FACSDuet™/BD FACSLyric™. Lean improvements translated to significant economic savings associated with operator costs and unnecessary reagent consumption. ConclusionBD FACSDuet™/BD FACSLyric™ is an accurate, reliable, and cost-effective fully automated system for high-volume flow cytometry labs that perform T-cell enumeration using a single-platform and single-tube approach.

Elimination of Waste in the Development of Learning Media for Deaf Students Using a Lean Software Development Approach

Deafness is a condition where a student cannot hear various sounds optimally. So in the learning process, we need media that prioritizes visuals to make it easier for deaf students to understand the material presented by the teacher. Gamification is one of the most effective learning media because it can present material packaged in the form of game software. The aim of the research is to assist developers in developing gamification by eliminating waste using a lean software development approach. This research method uses the lean assessment matrix method by making process flow diagrams and lean assessment matrices to identify the presence of critical waste. The results showed that the development of deaf students' learning methods used the Lean Software development approach: the number of motions in one game, the game entry process was quite long, and the Latin font was not installed in the application. By eliminating these three wastes, other wastes will be indirectly eliminated because there is a link between the wastes. After the Lean Assessment Matrix process was completed, several solutions were obtained to eliminate this critical waste: making a Future Process Model carefully before giving it to the Developer and making a careful gamification development schedule. By implementing the two Garbage Elimination Alternatives, gamification development can run effectively and efficiently

Towards Lean Manufacturing in Developing Countries: Research Gaps and Directions in Tanzania

In the current knowledge-driven economy, many industries across the globe are forced to adopt manufacturing technologies such as lean manufacturing to remain competitive in the globalized world. Despite the increase in lean manufacturing implementations, the adoption rate in Tanzania is very low and estimated to be 8 percent. Likewise, the sustainability of lean manufacturing tools and practices is still questionable, which shows the need to develop lean maturity models. To date, several lean maturity models have been developed but there is a lack of maturity models that consider different levels of manufacturing industries. The study presented in this paper focused on the pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation phases of lean manufacturing. To achieve this aim, a systematic literature review and social network analysis using VOS viewer 1.6.18 were conducted. The literature was obtained from four academic databases: Emerald, Elsevier, Springer, and Taylor and Francis. The search covered the period from 2010 to 2022. Of the 100 publications analyzed on lean manufacturing, only 1 percent is from low-income developing countries and 5 percent of publications from Africa. The study has identified that there are few numbers of research publications on lean manufacturing in Africa and low and lower-middle-income developing countries in general, as a result there is a low rate of implementation of lean manufacturing in low and lower-middle-income developing countries. It is recommended that more studies on the drivers and barriers, critical success factors, and lean assessment be conducted in developing countries.

Grey Theory based Leanness Assessment and decision support system development: A case study

Grey Theory based Leanness Assessment and decision support system development: A case study

A preliminary framework for assessing lean implementation in higher education

PurposeThis study aims to develop and implement an initial framework for assessing progress in lean implementation within an higher education institution (HEI). It includes developing preliminary findings regarding the impacts of lean implementation in the HEI case organization and comparing outcomes from this assessment to outcomes from other published sources.Design/methodology/approachExisting literature on lean, particularly in an HEI context, was used to develop a preliminary lean assessment framework for HEIs. Quality and continuous improvement literature were also compared to the proposed assessment framework to further validate the approach. This assessment framework was then utilized to evaluate lean implementation at a large public university (LPU) in the U.S.FindingsThe paper presents the framework as well as the major findings from the Large Public University (LPU)’s assessment. The assessment findings are further compared to other HEI quality measures and lean assessments done in other industries. Overall, the findings suggest that the assessment framework provides valuable insight to HEI organizations implementing lean.Originality/valueThe research intends to support lean assessment standardization efforts by proposing a preliminary lean assessment framework for the HEI, grounded in research trends, research findings, identified gaps in the research, and case study outcomes. To the research team's knowledge, this is the first lean assessment framework proposed for HEIs and also contributes to research gaps related to service industry frameworks and those containing both practices and outcomes. The framework can be used by other researchers as a foundation for additional conceptual and empirical developments on the topic and by researchers and practitioners seeking to understand and assess lean implementation progress in the HEI.

Evaluation of Lean Manufacturing Practices in an Automotive Component Manufacturer

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate lean manufacturing (LM) practices used in a company in the automotive component industry located in Polo Industrial de Manaus (PIM), a manufacturing hub in the city of Manaus. Theoretical framework: The AME Lean Assessment instrument was used as the research framework in this study. This instrument was developed by the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) to benchmark where a company is on its lean journey.Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory case study was carried out, and since a more detailed study was needed, a research framework was used, composed of 14 attributes on lean manufacturing.Findings: The findings point to a high level of LM practices adopted by the company, in addition to allowing the practical application of the fundamental concepts to be observed for the Toyota Production System (TPS) at Polo Industrial de Manaus. The findings have increased the understanding in organizational behavior relating to LM.Research, Practical & Social implications: the study contributes to the body of knowledge on lean manufacturing considering its application in the Amazonian context. The study has made a substantial contribution to the understanding of lean manufacturing in the context of an important industrial park in Brazil. Originality/value: Originality is the adoption of a research framework for evaluating lean manufacturing practices in an Amazonia context, allowing the specific characteristics of lean manufacturing to be understood in Amazonia, from an in-depth case.Keywords: Lean manufacturing; Lean Assessment; Industry; Automotive components; Amazonas.

Lean Manufacturing Approach to Improve Speaker Manufacturing Process

PT Y is a subsidiary of Y Group which specializes in producing speakers for local and international markets. At present PT Y's orders have not met the expected performance targets. Fulfillment of production orders reached 97.55% of the target of 100%. This is one of the concerns of Y Group that PT Y need to improve themselves because it can result in companies becoming less competitive than competitors. Based on preliminary observations, there was indications of waste, namely defects, downtime, and process delays. The lean tool used for further waste analysis is Lean Assessment Matrix (LAM). The results of the research show that the waste which gives the most significant influences are transportation, waiting and inventory. The root causes of problems between work stations are not ergonomic, do not have preventative maintenance schedules, there are no standards for handling defective products, the layout of the room is not in the direction of material, the carrying capacity of hand trucks is small, and the Outgoing Quantity Check (OQC) processes are not included in the company’s time standards. The proposed improvement recommendations include conducting training to improve product repair skills, relayout of production plant, and making a preventative machine maintenance schedule.

Qualitative analysis of different lean assessment methods: A comprehensive review of applications

Lean production systems are all about waste management. The application of lean assessment by a manufacturing firm is a critical step in maximizing the benefits of its lean transformation process. The aspiring companies around the globe that follow lean production, approaches various techniques for evaluating the outcomes of their applications. In this paper, a comprehensive comparative study of the different methods involved in the lean assessment is discussed. Despite the several techniques used for lean assessment, this work focuses on various Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) tools. The specific five MCDM techniques like AHP, ANP, TOPSIS, VIKOR, Fuzzy Logic, and its combinations (ensemble methods) are compared in detail. This review article enables the end-users to compare the performance characteristics decisively when choosing among several alternatives in lean production.

Waste reducing efforts in the kitchen area of the hotel industry using lean management (a case study of XYZ hotel in Bogor)

In the hotel kitchen, the production activities, from preparing raw materials to serving dishes, potentially produce waste. This research investigated the application of lean management in the kitchen area of the hotel industry and to find out its suitability and the possibility to optimize resources. Lean Assessment, Value Stream Mapping (VSM) preparation, and priority selection of lean tools with Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) were used as the methods. Results revealed that the lean assessment on the production aspect, namely the multi-skill worker and 5S, have been implemented. Based on the VSM, breakfast dish products are processed in semi-finished form during the day and then left for a particular time to be re-processed before breakfast time. There are three lean tools priorities calculated using AHP, (1) the application of a pull system both in production and at suppliers, (2) forming a Kaizen team, (3) visual management, and four criteria weighted by pairwise comparisons, (1) Implementation costs, (2) Implementation Time, (3) Relating to Hotel KPI, and (4) Sustainability of results. The final values of the total alternative priorities show that the highest weight values are Kaizen team (0.643), visual management (0.283), and implementation of Kanban (0.074), consecutively.

Product-service system leanness assessment model: study of a UK manufacturing company

Purpose Numerous leanness assessment models were developed for both manufacturing and service sectors. However, little research effort was made to provide an instrument that can be used to measure the leanness level of the product-service system (PSS). This paper aims to propose an index to assess the leanness of PSS in a UK manufacturing company. Design/methodology/approach The development of the assessment model was carried out through an iterative process. Commencing from existing literature on lean manufacturing assessment and lean service assessment, the initial model for assessing PSS leanness was developed. This initial model was refined via two consecutive phases. The first one includes semi-structured interviews with academic researchers involved in lean projects where their comments were considered. In the second phase, semi-structured interviews with several experts working in different UK manufacturing industries and involved in lean and continuous improvement projects were conducted to reach the final assessment model. After developing the model, the next step was identifying a suitable company for applying the model. The case company was selected because of its commitment to implement lean practices and its ability to participate in this study. After that, data was collected from the case company and the PSS leanness index was calculated using a multi-grade fuzzy approach. Finally, areas for further improvement were identified and the results obtained were validated. Findings The PSS leanness index computed for the case company indicates that the service offering process provided by the company is generally lean. Areas for further improvement were identified. Research limitations/implications This study focussed on a single case company and is based on the experts’ opinions; this may tend to be biased. However, future studies will be performed to multiple-case studies to enhance findings and more empirical research will be conducted to catch more insights into PSS leanness. Practical implications This paper provides guidelines to manufacturing companies’ managers for measuring the PSS leanness index and planning for the future. This index gives information regarding the degree of lean adoption in the service offering process and identifying the gap between the current PSS leanness level and the desired state. Originality/value The proposed model has been developed by the opinion of academicians and industry experts. The proposed model can provide guidelines and directions for managers for PSS leanness assessment.

A graph-theoretic approach for assessing the leanness level of supply chains

PurposeDeveloping a lean supply chain is a continuous improvement effort, so it requires tracking the implementation progress by assessing the achieved level of leanness. However, lean supply chain practices depend on firm-to-firm relationships and an assessment method should consider these network interactions. Given the absence of such a method, this study aims to propose an alternative approach for assessing the leanness level of supply chains.Design/methodology/approachThe authors extracted 18 typical lean supply chain practices from the literature, constituting the leanness assessment parameters. Then, the authors developed an assessment method based on the graph-theoretic approach due to its properties of capturing the interdependencies between elements of a system. The authors tested the proposed method in an automotive supply chain, selecting the focal firm and three of its first-tier suppliers.FindingsThe authors positioned partial and overall results in a visual classification scale and the supply chain presented a moderate leanness level. After empirical testing, the proposed method demonstrated its practical feasibility.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper contributes to the literature with a novel approach for supply chain leanness assessment. However, to increase its generalizability, it would be beneficial to test the method in non-automotive supply chains, extending the assessment scope to downstream firms and second-tier customers and suppliers.Practical implicationsFor practitioners, this paper provides a self-assessment tool to monitor the supply chain leanness and set priorities for improvement.Originality/valueBesides tackling the interrelationships between firms, the proposed method considers the interdependencies between lean practices, providing partial and overall feedback to enable a systemic assessment.

Development of Lean Assessment Tools Dimensions and Indicators For SMEs in Indonesia

In advance, the lean concept was used and applicated for big manufacturing industry. However, the lean concept used widely for all kinds of industry in the world. The improvement practice as lean and JIT also used for small industry (SMEs) in any countries which have implemented lean. The SMEs which have implemented lean showed any improvement, as the increasing of efficiency and flexibility, clear of communication and close with the Customers so the response and feedback are quicker and the costs are lower. The lean assessment tools used to value the effectiveness and the efficiency from lean implementation in the certain industry. The development of lean assessment tool for SMEs done by considering the difference between SMEs characteristic with industry a big scale. Have been many studies development of lean assessment to measure lean implementation in manufacturing industry and service generally without considered the size of his industry. However there are just a few development of lean assessment tools study that specific to measure the implementation lean manufacturing on SMEs. Therefore, this study aims to collect and compare the dimensions and indicators of the Lean Assessment Tool from several countries that are suitable for use in manufacture SMEs in Indonesia.

Decision making process in lean assessment and implementation: a review

Decision making process in lean assessment and implementation: a review

Framing Improvement of Emergency Services RSKJ Soeprapto Hospital with Lean and WAM Modification

The present study reports the first comprehensive research on covid19 emergency services model. Healthcare services inside hospitals during pandemic can apply the Lean Hospital and Waste Assessment Model (WAM) modification, which is a new method that can be used to identify waste in the hospital service process flow and operational of emergency service. The purpose of this study is to provide recommendations for improving emergency services in the covid19 era. The method used in this research is a descriptive qualitative analysis carried out through observing the service flow of patients who will be hospitalized from the emergency, confirming the service flow by in-depth interviews and looking at secondary data and giving a questionnaire on a modification of eight waste relationship at 15 persons expert who understands the emergency service process. The results showed that the critical waste of emergency services at RSKJ Soeprapto hospital is a waste of human skills of 17.5%. The reasons for the emergence above are because the covid19 team has not yet been formed, the absence of special officers to conduct primary triage before the patient enters the emergency unit, and many officers who do not understand the flow of emergency services in the covid19 pandemic era. In order to improve hospital services in the future, it is necessary to form a covid19 team, to develop a standard emergency service guide, to conduct continuous socialization to all the hospital staff through education and training programs, which are recommendations for improving emergency services at RSKJ Soeprapto Hospital Bengkulu in the pandemic era and new normal preparation.

COST VALUE-STREAM MAPPING AS A LEAN ASSESSMENT TOOL IN A SURGICAL GLOVE MANUFACTURING COMPANY

The development of cost-integrated value-stream mapping (CVSM) as a lean assessment tool for identifying wastage in the production process is presented in this article. In conventional VSM, the time involved in various processes is mapped without tracking the accumulation of direct and indirect costs. In the proposed CVSM, the cost of production is also accounted for, along with the time domain of conventional value-stream mapping. The time investment of the cost is also incorporated in CVSM. Value-added and non-value-added costs can thus be easily recognised in the time scale This novel method helps to calculate the value addition in monetary terms, and thus the actual production cost of the processes is acknowledged accurately. Since the wastage is quantified in the cost domain, the processes in which lean tools need to be implemented can be identified. The details of establishing CVSM are presented along with a study of its implementation in a glove manufacturing industry.

Lean Maturity Assessment in ETO Scenario

The obligatory path towards a lean manufacturing organization requires assessment and monitoring. However, a lean assessment framework is not yet available for the engineer to order (ETO) scenario. This work explored ten lean ETO maturity principles—identified from the literature—that take insight from three formally defined sets (Toyota Way, lean construction, and lean product development principles). A practical assessment model was proposed based on the evaluation of ten lean ETO objective criteria (four with mathematical formulation) and was validated on a real industrial case. A problem-solving tool, including a new lean tool, called the Problem Focus Matrix (PFM), was also presented; this tool was aimed toward development of an integrated framework that would include the organization mission, management, and continuous improvement.

A leanness assessment methodology based on neutrosophic DEMATEL

Lean systems which provide the elimination of waste and increase productivity in both manufacturing and service systems are highly desired by the companies. Designing a lean system requires enormous amount of efforts and is time consuming unless the right steps are followed. The first step of lean implementation is the assessment of leanness which determines the status quo of the existing system with respect to leanness. In searching of a comprehensive evaluation method, this study aims to propose a leanness assessment methodology which is able to aid company’s lean transformation. This study mainly differs from the existing studies by taking into account a wide range of lean indicators with a comprehensively designed questionnaire and evaluating leanness via neutrosophic DEMATEL (The Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) based scoring structure. The proposed methodology is applied in three companies. Moreover, sensitivity analysis concerning metrics and comparison with classic DEMATEL are performed.

Lean Manufacturing Approach to Improve Speaker Manufacturing Process

PT Y is a subsidiary of Y Group which specializes in producing speakers for local and international markets. At present PT Y's orders have not met the expected performance targets. Fulfillment of production orders reached 97.55% of the target of 100%. This is one of the concern of Y Group that PT Y need to improve themselves because it can result in companies becoming less competitive than competitors. Based on preliminary observations, there was indications of waste, namely defects, downtime, and process delays. The lean tool used for further waste analysis is Lean Assessment Matrix (LAM). The results of the research show that the waste which gives the most significant influences are transportation, waiting and inventory. The root causes of problems between work stations are not ergonomic, do not have preventative maintenance schedules, there are no standards for handling defective products, the layout of the room is not in the direction of material, the carrying capacity of hand trucks is small, and the Outgoing Quantity Check (OQC) processes are not included in the company’s time standards. The proposed improvement recommendations include conducting training to improve product repair skills, relayout of production plant, and making a preventative machine maintenance schedule.

An improved lean assessment based on employee perception

PurposeThe Toyota Production System has been studied for its business success for several decades. Many companies have tried to imitate but have not achieved Toyota-like results. Failure in the ability to replicate Toyota's supportive culture has been suggested as a cause for the lack of success. Studies on lean implementation have been conducted from external views focusing on visible indicators, but few seek the employee's perception of lean initiatives. The authors propose a Toyota Production System – Toyota Way (TPS-TW) model approach using employee perception and quantitative performance metrics.Design/methodology/approachThis research represents an improvement of a lean assessment instrument using quantifiable performance metrics for validation and testing it in the Chinese automotive industry. A survey was developed and executed in the Chinese automotive industry with participants involved with lean implementation. Experts helped examine the content validity, and reliability analysis was used to study the structure of the assessment instrument and evaluate internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis and structured equation modeling were used to test the construct validity. Finally, survey results and actual performance were analyzed.FindingsThe results of this research validated the TPS-TW model and assessment instrument in the Chinese automotive industry.Originality/valueThis research validates an employee perception survey that can be utilized by organizations to understand the state of their lean implementation. The research supports the use of employee perception to reflect the reality of a lean initiative and proves the TPS-TW model is an effective theoretical framework for assessment.

Lean production teaching methods and learning assessment: a literature review

Lean production teaching methods and learning assessment: a literature review