If you follow us here on the Novidá blog, you know that we have already talked about the benefits of implementing Lean Manufacturing practices at other times. Appearing in Japan in the 1950s, this technique aims to maximize the efficiency of production processes and eliminate waste. A philosophy based on process management techniques that, in practice, seeks to eliminate all actions that do not add value to the final product, leaving only essential activities for production.
However, when discussing the implementation of this methodology, many managers and production leaders still think that the advantages of Lean practices are limited to the pure and simple increase in productivity. Deceitful mistake: when applied with consistency and precision, Lean Manufacturing techniques also contribute to reducing costs, increasing quality, reducing deadlines and improving safety at work.
Especially when these managers still have the support of technologies and solutions for managing and controlling productivity — because one of the stages of this methodology considers, precisely, the care with the measurement of the results obtained. With that in mind, in today’s article on Novidá’s blog, we’ll explain how to implement Lean practices that can help your company go beyond productivity, showing the risks of neglecting good management practices and sharing valuable tips to help you get there. there! Good reading.
Beyond the Obvious: Understanding How to Effectively Implement Lean Practices
Today, much is heard about the term lean and its applications, such as lean manufacturing, lean management and lean office. But there is a consensus that, when we talk about Lean, the idea is centered on a lean approach to work, with each of its aspects being executed and implemented in order to identify the “waste” present in the production process — just like that, with quotes, because there are many wastes that go beyond the raw material.
Issues such as unnecessary transport, excess inventory, waiting time, overproduction, excessive movement, defective processes and talent evasion must also be included in this account and, when implementing Lean practices, one of the first steps is precisely to identify these wastes, analyzing each stage of the process and evaluating where the bottlenecks and activities that do not add value are. Oh, and here’s a tip on the house: we have an exclusive waste calculator that can help your company do this survey more efficiently, check it out:
From then on, with waste properly identified, the next step is to apply waste elimination techniques to the production flow. In this context, the 5S technique is perhaps one of the most widespread and well-known examples. Also of Japanese origin, 5S aims to organize the work environment in order to increase productivity and the quality of processes with five practical actions:
- Seiri (sense of utilization): separation of what is essential from what is not essential;
- Seiton (sense of organization): organization of essential items efficiently;
- Seiso (sense of cleanliness): cleanliness of the work environment;
- Seiketsu (sense of standardization): standardization of processes to ensure quality and efficiency;
- Shitsuke (sense of discipline): maintenance of previous stages.
But it is worth noting here that, despite being very famous, this technique is not the only one. In fact, there are other methodologies as efficient as 5S that can also be applied to eliminate waste, such as Kanban, Just in Time (JIT) and Kaizen — each one adaptable to different industrial and operational realities.
And don’t forget to track the results!
As we highlighted in the first part of this article, it is important for managers who want to implement Lean practices to know that, in order to maintain efficiency after applying these techniques, it is important to monitor the progress and results obtained. Here, the use of metrics and indicators is essential to evaluate the performance of the production line and identify possible areas for improvement.
Productivity monitoring technologies can be used to collect and analyze data in real time, making it easier to track progress and identify problems. This means that, more than ever, it is essential to have the support of an efficient partner that helps your company work with real and verifiable data!
It is clear that the implementation of Lean Manufacturing practices is not exactly a simple task, but it is extremely important to maximize the efficiency of production lines. Hence the urgency to measure all the results obtained so that it is possible, when necessary, to make adjustments, exchanges and changes in the disposition of the teams, for example, to realign processes.
And what are the risks of neglecting this care?
Now, it is not news that ignoring good Lean Manufacturing practices can have serious consequences for the company. By not identifying and eliminating waste, the company ends up giving up valuable resources that, as we have already warned, go beyond raw materials, such as time, money and personnel, factors that directly affect the efficiency and productivity of the production line. This can lead to a number of problems such as delivery delays, poor product quality and increased costs.
In addition, the lack of organization and cleanliness in the work environment can affect employee safety, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries. Excess inventory and lack of control over inventory can also lead to problems such as product obsolescence and loss of working capital, which can negatively affect the financial health of the company.
Not to mention the loss of competitiveness in the market. Take a good look: in an increasingly fierce market, it is essential that companies seek to improve their efficiency and productivity to ensure their strength in the fight for consumer preference. Naturally, brands that do not adapt to new trends and leave good productivity practices aside may end up being left behind, losing space to the competition.
And, finally, it is important to highlight that the lack of attention to the scope of Lean Manufacturing can also generate a culture of complacency in the company. This is because, by not seeking continuous improvement, your production teams may end up getting complacent and losing focus on the search for better results. This can affect the motivation and engagement of employees, who start to feel demotivated and undervalued.
Getting hands-on with good Lean practices
We have seen that after implementing Lean practices, it is important to continuously monitor and evaluate the efficiency of the production process. This can be done using real-time monitoring technologies—as long as you’re confident you’re finding a partner who can contribute high-quality, thoroughly tested resources with a track record of positive results.
And the good news is that you don’t have to go far to find that support. Here at Novidá, your company has a dedicated platform and state-of-the-art technology to collect accurate data on production and productivity in all aspects, allowing managers to closely monitor the performance of their production lines and identify possible bottlenecks and inefficiencies safely and assertiveness!
With Internet of Things concepts, Artificial Intelligence and practical solutions for data collection, production control is back in your hands, helping you to detect production problems and take corrective measures quickly and efficiently.
Novidá’s solution also allows the use of key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor progress and ensure that production lines are working the way you expect, 100% aligned with good Lean Manufacturing practices and able to measure the productivity of your teams in real time, ensuring that the company is on track to achieve its production targets.
By analyzing this data, it is possible to detect problems in production and take corrective measures quickly and efficiently. For example, if the cycle time to produce a certain item is increasing, data analysis can help identify the causes of this problem, allowing managers to act quickly to correct it. That means less downtime, less material waste and greater operational efficiency.
Novidá’s solution also allows the use of key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor progress and ensure production lines are running efficiently. With KPIs, it is possible to measure performance in real time, ensuring that the company is on track to achieve its production targets.
Don’t miss the chance to deliver extraordinary results by looking for support in systems and solutions that don’t help you to be more efficient and productive: learn about Novidá’s solutions, talk to our productivity specialists and be a champion in efficiency with the support of an easy-to-use platform. install and integrate, with intuitive use developed in the right measure for your operation!
