Lean Techniques for Analysing

In apply Lean principles in order to improve we have to start with understand the current manufacturing landscape. Typically an organisation will have lots of raw data stored in computer programs and reports that can be difficult to work with. Understanding raw data is a key step in taking action towards improvement, so how do we do that. There are a good number of analytical techniques to use sometimes a simple flowchart or a box load of control charts is needed to bring people together in order to solve a problem. Each problem is different and which techniques to use may vary from situation to situation. However from a lean view using analytical tools to solve problems is 80% about developing leaders to learn to think differently and 20% on solving the problem. A better leader will solve more problems. Below are some analytical tools that you can use to gain insights to understand current issues.

Top Five Lean Manufacturing Techniques to Improve Quality

The lean revolution started around 30 years ago with the “Quality Movement” lead by the likes of W. Edwards Deming. Our understanding of quality has improved enormously over that period, as have customer expectations of quality. However at TXM we still find companies, especially in Asia, that struggle to meet the challenge of first time right, every time. Read about the TXM top 5 techniques to improve quality: be serious about quality first, challenge inspection, solve problems every day, standardized work and Andon systems

Waste Elimination Culture: A Structured Way to Eliminate Waste

How do we approach Waste elimination in a manufacturing environment? Start by developing a structured process that is simple and centred on reducing the waste, no matter how small, as this will add up over time to build team skills and improvement performance. It is better to do something small rather than not addressing the wastes at all. In any manufacturing processes the wastes are not easily seen at a first glance, and the task of identifying then requires a structured approach to eliminate wastes.

Managing Your Factory Workload with a Level Production Strategy

One of the problems we see a lot in manufacturing and office processes, particularly make to order processes is the build up of large backlogs of work in progress. This leads to long lead times and then expediting as “urgent” jobs get pushed to the head of the queue. As many readers will know, expediting does not really help as every time a job gets pushed up the production plan, all the other jobs behind it get delayed. Eventually they need expediting and pretty soon you can forget any production planning as almost every job is expedited and the plan changes hourly.

Understanding Your Production Capacity

What is the production capacity of your business? It is surprising how few manufacturers can answer this question. Even for those who can provide an answer, it is likely to be inaccurate. Why Does Understanding Production Capacity Matter? Many business decisions are based on assumptions about the production capacity of your business. For example, your …

The Keys to a Successful Lean Transformation

Many businesses aspire to achieve a Lean Transformation and a few succeed. So, what are the keys to success and what are the pitfalls when you embark upon a Lean transformation? What is a Lean Transformation? Like many phrases used in business there is no clear definition for a lean transformation.  Putting the Emphasis on …

Factory Layout Examples & How to Choose

There are a variety of ways you can shape the flow of your factory. Here are the different types of factory layout examples before committing to your flow.

TXM to Showcase Expertise at Australian Manufacturing Week 2025

Join TXM Lean Solutions at Australian Manufacturing Week 2025 from May 6-9, where we’ll showcase our innovative lean transformation strategies. Visit us at stand MS125 to explore practical lean solutions, real-world success stories, and expert insights to boost efficiency and productivity in your manufacturing operations.

Carving a Path to Efficiency: HGH Granite

Discover how HGH Granite, a leader in custom stonework, transformed operations with TXM Lean Solutions, reducing defects by 20% and back-orders by 50%. Read the case study.

Why There is No Silver Bullet for Improving Operational Performance 

Managing operations is hard, sometimes thankless work. Competitive pressure, employee demands, rising costs and demanding customers can make the achievement of reasonable returns seem impossible. Faced with these complex challenges it is normal to look for a simple solution. A single idea, decision or well-chosen investment that can change the paradigm and deliver the business …

Operator Maintenance – An Essential Tool or a Disaster Waiting to Happen

One of the key pillars of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), the “Lean” approach to maintenance is Autonomous Maintenance. This is often referred to as “operator maintenance” where operators get involved in maintaining machinery rather than leaving it all to the maintenance crew. As a former plant manager, “operator maintenance” is a very attractive concept as …

What is One Piece Flow and How Can It Help Your Flow Production Process

Once piece flow is one of the most fundamental concepts of Lean. In one piece flow products flow through each step of a process one at a time. The batch size is therefore a single product and there is no work in progress between process steps.  The most famous example of one piece flow is …

What is Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)?

Running closely in parallel with 5S, TPM is the process where the operator becomes involved with the regular, daily maintenance of their machine. to begin the targeted machine needs to be thoroughly cleaned and any maintenance issues fixed; the aim is to return the machine to a brand-new condition. as with all of our Lean tools, this is done with a small team of people who know about the machine and it’s maintenance needs.

Kanban Pull Systems Explained and How to Improve Flow

Kanban is an important part of a flow, or pull, system and is a “sign” that production must act to fulfill an order. When an item (or last item from a group) has been taken, the kanban signal is returned to the production cell to indicate a replacement is needed.

Making your ERP System live with your Kanban System

The outcome of a well designed and maintained kanban system is that your problems with part shortages are likely to disappear. The effort required to manage materials can be dramatically reduced. However in most manufacturing businesses, inventory is the largest component of working capital and a major business asset. Maintenance of accurate inventory records is therefore critical to maintaining an accurate balance sheet and avoiding large “profit busting” stock write offs. Inventory is usually recorded in an ERP system. Kanban’s great benefit is that it uses a visual trigger based on physical stock levels to trigger replenishment. Therefore how do you connect these physical transactions with what is being recorded on your balance sheet via your ERP system and avoid large inventory errors and write offs?

Why The Tools Still Matter In A Lean Production System

“It’s not about the tools” is an observation often made about Lean. That is, that Lean is more than just a set of tools and techniques but is actually a complete management system that needs to be backed up by a consistent approach to leadership. When companies first started adopting Lean, they chose to selectively …

TXM Lunch & Learn – UK

In November TXM will be running Lunch and Learn Events in the UK. If you want us to visit your business please get in contact.

What are Kamishibai Cards (T-cards) and How Best to Use Them for 5S

Often when a TXM consultant talks with a new client, the important concern is sustaining business improvements after the initial excitement of implementation has died down. We have found many times that well implemented tee-cards, done with the shop floor teams, are an integral part of sustaining our housekeeping and preventative maintenance efforts.

What is a Kamishibai Board and What Tasks Should You Add?

We have previously talked about the benefits of using a Red-green task board (also known as a Kamishibai board or tee-card board) in our Lean Minute as well as their use in Total Preventative Maintenance (TPM) and to sustain good housekeeping and 5S. Here we will look at how do we determine what tasks to add to the red green task board.

Guide to Practical Lean Standard Work

Standard work is an integral part of lean manufacturing. The goal of standardising the work is to reduce the variability in a process by documenting and training operators in the best way to perform that process, while achieving the required outcomes in Quality, Safety, Delivery and Cost. Standard work is the least-used tool in lean, but arguably the most powerful one. Once Standard Work is in place, it becomes the baseline for all future improvements.

The Ninth Waste in the Lean Office

We all know about the seven wastes and hopefully can recite them by heart. Most of us now accept that underutilised human potential is the eighth waste, but are you ready for a ninth waste? TXM China Consulting Director, Justin Tao, has introduced us to a form of waste that is unique to lean office and lean service environments and we think it is distinctive enough from the other eight wastes to be truly defined as “The Ninth Waste”. Read on to find out more about this extra form of waste lurking in your (previously) lean office.

Make-To-Order Manufacturing and Production Systems

Here we will look at three key Lean Manufacturing tools to help support the implementation of a make to order production system. Each tools addresses a different issue and when done well, they do complement each other.

The PDCA cycle: Plan, Do, Check, Act

How often do you hear the term “PCDA” when it comes to discussing your company’s continuous improvement efforts? Seems like ALL the time, right? But what does it actually mean? Is it still relevant to our business in these global times?; it’s been around since the 80’s.

What is a Value Stream Map?

Surely everyone knows what is a value stream map? At least you would expect Lean practitioners and Lean consultants to know? Sadly, I find that is not the case and I find all sorts of process maps being described as a value stream map. So, in this blog I want to take you back to basics and describe what is a value stream map.

There are A3 Plans and then there are A3 Plans

If you’ve been hanging around the lean community for a while, no doubt you will have come across the concept on an “A3 Plan”. Today we will look at what an A3 is and look at the different types of A3, to clarify which type you would use when – it can be a little confusing at the beginning.

What Is Just-In-Time Manufacturing?

Just in time is one of the best known Lean terms but how does it apply to you and your business? Today we will review the basics of Just in Time (or JIT as it is commonly known). The Automotive industry in famous for it’s just in time approach to delivery by it’s suppliers. The basic principle is to have the right amount of products, where we need it and when we need it. And, of course, to the acceptable quality level. Sounds like a simple enough concept.