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.

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.

Reviewing Your Skills Matrix: An Example

Using our standard work documentation makes the training task much easier and lets the operators focus on the skill in the tasks, rather than trying to remember the finer details. Deciding to post the skills matrix on the Visual Management Board will depend on your company culture. While these continuous improvement tasks may seem like huge projects, they are easily broken into small tasks that can be delegated. The challenge is to reeve progress regularly and not let production be used as an excuse.

Single Point Lessons In Manufacturing

Single point lessons, also called 1-page plans, are an important part in establishing and maintaining a new Lean Enterprise System or process. As with many of the Lean tools, it’s elegance and simplicity means it is often overlooked or dismissed as not needed. But then, if you haven’t documented your new process, how can we clearly communicate that to others, expect them to “remember” what to do when you are not there and have a clear foundation on which to build improvement?

Are You Ready for An ERP System?

Implementing an ERP System are a common step in the evolution of your business, but there are somethings you need to consider before implementing.

Celebrating 20 Years of Empowering Businesses

We are thrilled to celebrate our 20th anniversary in the industry by introducing two exciting new programs: The TXM Lean Transformation Award and the prestigious Lean Champion of the Year. We will also be inducting a long term client into the Lean Hall of Fame.

TXM Lean Solutions at Materials and Finishes Show 2024

TXM Lean Solutions will be exhibiting at stand Q54 at the Materials and Finishes Show 2024. This will be our first year exhibiting at the Materials and Finishes Show. With a track record of working closely with woodworking manufacturers, TXM Lean Solutions understands the unique challenges of this industry.

TXM Lean Solutions Exhibiting at MACH 2024

TXM Lean Solutions UK are world leaders in improving operational performance in metal manufacturers that’s why we are exhibing at MACH 2024. TXM has assisted almost 150 growing metal manufacturers around the world apply Lean thinking and process improvement to increase productivity, reduce waste, improve customer service, increase flexibility, and reorganise their factory layouts. Our …