Synopses & Reviews
What is Lean?
Pure and simple, lean is reducing the time from customer order to manufacturing by eliminating non-value-added waste in the production stream. The ideal of a lean system is one-piece flow, because a lean manufacturer is continuously improving.
Most other books on lean management focus on technical methods and offer a picture of how a lean system should look like. Other books provide snapshots of companies before and after lean was implemented.
This is the first book to provide technical descriptions of successful solutions and performance improvements. It's also the first book to go beyond snapshots and includes powerful first-hand accounts of the complete process of change; its impact on the entire organization; and the rewards and benefits of becoming lean.
At the heart of Becoming Lean are the stories of American manufacturers that have successfully implemented lean methods. The writers offer personalized accounts of their organization's lean transformation. You have a unique opportunity to go inside the implementation process and see what worked, what didn't, and why.
Synopsis
This is the first book on Lean Management to provide technical descriptions of successful solutions and performance improvements. Also included are powerful firsthand accounts of the complete process of change, it's impact on the entire organization, and the rewards and benefits of becoming lean. Included are stories of North American manufacturers who have successfully implemented lean methods -- you will go inside their implementation process to see what worked, what didn't, and why.
Table of Contents
Introduction: bringing lean back to the U.S.A. / Jeffrey K. Liker -- Bringing the Toyota production system to the United States : a personal perspective / John Y. Shook -- Japanese education and its role in kaizen / Jennifer Yukiko Orf -- Lean manufacturing practices at small and medium-sized U.S. parts suppliers-- does it work? / Steven F. Rasch -- Transforming a plant to lean in a large, traditional company : Delphi Saginaw Steering Systems, GM / Daniel Woolson, Mike A. Husar -- Making leather leaner : the Garden State Tanning story / Sean G. Traynor -- Learning about lean systems at Freudenberg-NOK : where continuous improvement is a way of life / Joseph C. Day -- The Donnelly production system : lean at Grand Haven / Jeffrey K. Liker and Keith Allman -- Implementing lean manufacturing at Gelman Sciences, Inc. / Matthew J. Zayko, Walton M. Hancock, and Douglas J. Broughman -- Cedar Works : making the transition to lean / Bill Costantino -- Operational excellence : a manufacturing metamorphosis at Western Geophysical Exploration Products / Mark F. McGovern and Brian J. Andrews --