Kaizen: Step Four of the Deming Cycle: Improve Each Operation

This is the final article describing kaizen’s Deming cycle.

If you have not already, you should read the Introduction to Kaizen and the previous article about Evaluating] the operations.

Improve Each Operation

While kaizen applies to any kind of improvement, Deming’s primary goal was to increase manufacturing

It will once again be tempting to think of large or overall improvements. It can be terrific if you can devise a radical change…but it is more likely that you will succeed with many small steps. That is the kaizen approach, and it has been proven to work well.

Kaizen also recognizes that the front-line machine operators have the greatest knowledge about what they do in their daily tasks. Cross-functional teams provide synergy, with the ability to see problems from several points of view.

“If only you could stack the pallets so the parts face this way…”
“My job takes too long as it is; I can’t take the time to stack them that way…”
“I don’t care what direction you stack them, but if they are jumbled, they break in transit…”
“So then let’s change the way…”

With the evaluation complete, consider what can be done to improve throughput. Wasted steps, inefficient methods, delays and defects are among the targets. The evaluation reviewed:

Raw materials
Machines
Processes: both manual activities and machine-driven
Outputs

Improving Raw Materials

Did the evaluation step identify quality or timeliness issues regarding raw materials?

Should the supplier improve the packaging to be more protective or easier to remove?
If the material is defective on arrival in the factory, should it have been checked on receipt from the supplier?
Can your employees do a better job of storing or handling the material?
Can the procurement process be improved? Can you order supplies earlier, or with less paperwork?
Are there quality concerns to discuss with the supplier?

Improving the Machines

Do the machines produce as quickly as expected? At an acceptable defect rate? If not...

Does the machine lose time in one of its cycles, or is it slow overall? If possible, focus on each cycle separately to determine if it can be improved in isolation.
Does the machine unexpectedly need maintenance while processing a batch? Why? Could it be corrected by: reducing vibration; blocking contaminants away from intakes; adding cooling fans; or adding locknuts?
How do you recognize that the machine needs maintenance? (Defective outputs? Jammed input? Seized parts?) Are there early warning signs, such as noise, heat, smoke, or just that the outputs drift away from “ideal” towards “larger” or “smaller”?
Does the operator need to reload consumables, such as lubricants or fasteners? Should the capacity be increased to reduce the number of reloads per shift?

Improving the Manual and Machine Processes

The focus here is on unnecessary and inefficient processes. This is the most likely area for improvement.

What are the delays in procuring raw materials from suppliers? In moving raw materials from warehouse to factory? Could the factory implement a kanban system to “pull” the request based on the inventory required for the customer’s newest order?
Do people have to wait for equipment or people, like forklifts and their operators, before moving the next bin of raw materials into position? Could the factory implement a scheduling system to reduce the wait time? Could management buy another forklift, or hire or train someone to cover this need?
Does the operator wait for inputs to arrive before beginning the setup for the next batch? Could set-up start sooner? Would that require an early-warning work order, or just a phone call?
Does the operator have to chase down tools or supplies? Should they be stored closer to the point of use? Should the factory adopt a 5S system to put everything in place?
Could the operator save motion and avoid mistakes by using poka-yoke (“foolproof”) methods, such as jigs to ensure parts can only be placed correctly before assembly? Could another jig be used in the output quality test, rather than a caliper? Should a seat or bench be raised or lowered to make it easier for the operator to get parts or to reach a control? Would a conveyor belt or other device help move parts from one machine to another?
Does an operator alternate between “hurry up and wait” and “work in a mad frenzy” modes, because of the uneven pace of work coming from the previous machine? Are there delays because the next machine is not ready for the output from this one? So what can be changed to smooth out the workflow?
Are there wasted steps? Is the operator forced to re-align an input because of the way it was delivered? Could it be delivered in the correct orientation?
Does the machine need larger storage for consumables such as lubricants or fasteners? Could they be fed automatically? Should they be stored more conveniently?

Improving the Outputs

It seems too late the improve the “outputs”, because they are created in the preceding stages. Nonetheless:

Are quality issues being addressed or is rework and scrap still occurring?
Are finished goods being damaged as they leave the factory, in storage, or en route to the customers?
Are shipments delayed?

After Improving: Return to the First Step

Kaizen is an ongoing process of making small, incremental improvements.

The next step is the first: once again, standardize the operations that you have changed to ensure they are followed. Then measure again, and then evaluate how well your changes have worked. Now you can see your way clear to addressing the next problems.

When writing about project management, Tom DeMarco told the story of someone working at a grocery store. One type of fresh produce was a big problem: it would go stale because so few people purchased it. One day they decided to stop selling that vegetable. “Great”, said the manager, “but now what do we do with the second-worst selling fruit”? As DeMarco summed it up, “When you get rid of problem number one, then number two gets a promotion”.

Kaizen recognizes that it is an ongoing process, because there will always be something left to improve.

Oskar Olofsson, 2011

Kaizen

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I am a Swedish-based Lean consultant, and the owner of the World-Class-Manufacturing.com web site.

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