Author: Ph.D. Juan Lugo Marín, November 23, 2022.
Introduction
The implementation of a Quality Management System, according to the international standard ISO 9001: 2015, is a fundamental requirement related to improvement; In this sense, this standard establishes that organizations must determine and select the opportunities to implement the pertinent actions to meet the customer’s requirements and increase their satisfaction; Similarly, in cases of nonconformity, it must be corrected and its future occurrence avoided.
There are numerous strategies that can be applied by organizations that are implementing the ISO 9001: 2015 Standard to achieve improvement of the quality management system. Among the most common tools are the following: checklists, brainstorming, run charts, histograms, control charts, Pareto charts, cause and effect charts, Gantt charts, among others. On the other hand, among the most common improvement methodologies, we can mention lean manufacturing (known in Spanish as lean manufacturing, clean production or production without waste), Six Sigma, among others.
ISO 9001 is a generic standard that does not specify the “how” or the specific mechanisms that must be followed by organizations to meet the established requirements. That is why lean manufacturing is an excellent management strategy available to organizations to achieve specific improvements.
Lean manufacturing is a set of production management principles and tools that seeks continuous improvement through the reduction of waste, the latter being considered as any activity that does not add value. Currently there are numerous organizations that are trained and implement lean manufacturing tools and that apply them within the framework of the adoption of an ISO 9001 quality management system.
This methodology is complemented with various improvement techniques or tools, which allows the production chain to be improved, not only in terms of efficiency and effectiveness; but also, ensuring continuous improvement in all stages of the production process.
Although there are several methodologies or models that can be used to achieve continuous improvement and reduce production costs, lean manufacturing has been one of the most successful. As a process improvement philosophy, it uses various method and system approaches to generate improvement in the work environment, processes and business performance, thus creating satisfied customers.
Examples of the application of lean manufacturing improvement projects in an organization include: reducing downtime, minimizing the number of non-conforming products on a production line, reducing production times, minimizing the delivery time of products to the customer among others.
Principles for the application of the Lean manufacturing methodology:
Identify value from the customer’s perspective: Value is created by the producer, but it is defined by the customer. In other words, organizations need to understand the value the customer places on their products and/or services, which, in turn, can help them determine how much money the customer is willing to pay. The organization must strive to eliminate waste and reduce the cost of its business processes so that the optimal customer price can be achieved with the greatest benefit to the organization.
Map the flow of values: This principle involves the recording and analysis of the flow of information or materials required to produce a specific product or service with the intention of identifying waste and improvement methods. The value stream covers the entire product life cycle, from raw materials to disposal. Organizations must examine each stage of the cycle for waste. Anything that does not add value should be removed. Lean thinking recommends supply chain alignment as part of this effort.
Create Flow: Remove functional barriers and identify ways to improve lead time to ensure processes are seamless from the time an order is received to delivery. The flow is decisive for the elimination of waste. Lean Manufacturing is based on the prevention of interruptions in the production process and on allowing a balanced and integrated system of processes in which activities move in a constant flow.
Establish a pull system (uniform distribution of production orders): This means that a new job is only started when there is demand for it. With a push system, previously used by planning systems for manufacturing resources, inventory needs are determined in advance and the product is manufactured to meet that forecast. However, forecasts are often inaccurate, which can result in swings between over and under inventory, as well as subsequent disruption of schedules and poor customer service. Instead, lean manufacturing is based on a pull system, where neither is bought nor manufactured if there is no demand. This system is based on flexibility and communication.
Pursue perfection with continuous improvement of the process: In short, Lean manufacturing is based on the concept of the continuous search for perfection, which implies addressing the underlying causes. of quality problems and search for and eliminate waste throughout the value chain.
Benefits contributed in the improvement of the organization
Decrease in production costs: Direct impact with an increase in the profit margin, with a comprehensive study of the entire value chain, from supply, through production, storage and distribution.
Inventory reduction: The model seeks to reduce warehouse inventory, which causes inefficient spending, decreases the company’s liquidity and lengthens the average period of economic maturity.
Shorter delivery time for products and/or services: Shorten delivery times, be more agile and quick in responding to our customers, always without losing or even increasing quality.
Improves the quality of products and/or services: Analyzing the entire logistics flow of the company, points of inefficiency, waste, waiting, poor coordination and communication between departments, among others, are identified, improving these aspects It will allow you to be more competitive in the market.
More involved workers: Make the workers more involved in the project, take into account their opinion, their concerns and improvement options. A more involved and motivated staff will always be more productive and will be well valued.
Optimization of work teams: Rework that does not add value is avoided, focusing on training, having multifunctional teams, well coordinated and with good communication between them.
Waste reduction: Overproduction, waiting times (bad synchronization of activities), transport (movement of material, machinery), process (activity without added value), inventory (raw material, finished product), movement (workers ) and defect (rejected product that does not pass quality control).
Reduction of waiting times: Time translates into money, reducing those times makes us more competitive and efficient.
Transport optimization: Be efficient and use the appropriate transport for the products to the customers and, above all, take into account the urgency or not of the deliveries. All this will reduce the costs caused by transportation.
Parameterization and order in all the organization’s processes: More efficient, coordinated, well-controlled and quality processes.
Conclusion
To conclude, we can affirm that Lean Manufacturing is a management methodology or model that can be of great help when we implement an ISO 9001: 2015 quality management system, which contributes to the delivery of products and/or services with the maximum value for customers, using the minimum necessary resources, that is, adjusted.
Bibliography
- Cerón, JC, Madrid, J. Gamboa, A.. (2015). “Development and application cases of Lean Manufacturing”. Business magazine, vol. 11, no 28, p. 33-44.
- Chauhan G. and Singh TP (2012) “Measuring parameters of lean manufacturing realization”, Meas.Bus. Excell., vol. 16, no 3, p. 57–71.
- Hernandez, M. and Vizán A. (2019). Lean manufacturing: Concepts, techniques and implementation. Madrid: School of Industrial Organization.
- Krajewski, L. Ritzman, L. & Malhotra, M. (2019). Operations Management: Processes and Supply Chain, 10th ed., M. González, Ed.. Mexico City: Pearson Education.
- Rajadell, M. (2021). Lean Manufacturing. Tools to produce better. Diaz de Santos Editions. 2nd Edition. Mexico.
- Womack, J.P. & Jones, D.T. (2018). Lean thinking: how to use lean thinking to eliminate waste and create value in the company. Spain: Management 200.
About the Author.
Eng. Juan Lugo, Industrial Engineer with a Master’s Degree in Quality and Productivity Management and a PhD in Administrative Sciences. He has Postdoctoral training in Business and Futures Studies (Corvinus University of Budapest, 2007). He has developed a long career as a university professor and researcher. He is a business consultant in the area of quality, management systems and strategic prospective with more than 25 years of experience in sectors such as: oil and gas, engineering and construction, inspection and mechanical integrity, laboratories, among others, for Latin America and North America.
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