Lean

Two Critical Tools

In my experience in manufacturing and continuous improvement, there are two tools that the engineer needs to lean on heavily. Just two processes they should master and continually practice, because these two tools will make all the difference. It might seem unfair when you consider the whole workbench of Lean and Six Sigma, especially whenContinue reading “Two Critical Tools”

Killer Kaizen

Folks may not be clear on Kaizen. If you read the original books that came here from Japan trying to explain to the West what ‘magic’ Japan has been using to beat the Big 3 (this was a while ago, so you are forgiven if this doesn’t ring a bell) you will not find instructionsContinue reading “Killer Kaizen”

Why – why, why, why, why?

Five whys is a method of finding the root cause of a problem. It was developed within Toyota – either by Sakichi Toyoda or Taiichi Ohno, depending on the website you find – and continues to be one of the root tools used by that company to find root causes of issues and problems. ThereContinue reading “Why – why, why, why, why?”

How to assess RISK

One of the things all engineers should know how to do is to express risk in terms that can be measured. Here’s how to do that. RISK = Severity x Occurrence The common understanding of numerical risk assessment considers severity and occurrence by weighting them (multiplying) against each other. This was established by the militaryContinue reading “How to assess RISK”

What is Process Validation?

The short and simple answer is this – Process Validation is a means of demonstrating to a statistically valid level that a process, when followed rigorously, delivers results consistent to a predetermined set of requirements. In pharmaceutical manufacturing and volume production of any kind a solid, clean, validation of a process is needed to haveContinue reading “What is Process Validation?”

1st S – Sort (Seiri)

In any productive workspace there are four types of things – the things used to create your product (inventory), the things needed to convert the inventory into product (tools), the furnishings and tables and shelves to hold the first and second types of things, and everything else. It is the last category, “everything else”, that we are here to discuss.

5th S – Sustain (Shitsuke)

Consistency is a problem. Not just in engineering, but universally – finding ways to do something the same way every time is tricky. Trying to get a group to accomplish this feat is even trickier. It takes weeks of practice to get a marching band to look – and sound – as polished as theyContinue reading “5th S – Sustain (Shitsuke)”

Important tools – 5S

Where did 5S come from? What is the purpose? Why is this not taught in college? It’s fun researching the roots of 5S. Some websites suggest the core fundamentals are traced back to Italy in the 1500’s. That aside, the structured practice of the five elements – Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, Shitsuke – reportedly cameContinue reading “Important tools – 5S”