A fishbone diagram — often called an Ishikawa diagram or a 5M framework — is a mode of root-cause analysis. It’s particularly effective for troubleshooting consistent issues, making it a critical resource for maintenance managers. Incorporating a fishbone diagram as part of a thorough, evaluative approach to reactive maintenance can yield exceptional insight. But to…
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Everything within the manufacturing environment is a battle between efficiency and waste. It doesn’t take a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt to understand that less waste means better efficiency! However, it does take core knowledge of lean principles to understand how to reduce waste in order to facilitate efficiency. Maintenance is the clearest example of…
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Though often two distinct campaigns, lean manufacturing and eco-friendly (green) manufacturing share overlapping principles. In pursuit of one, managers often find they’re trending into the traits of the other. It’s an opportunity to address two key ideologies with one comprehensive approach, and the best place to start is through a focus on maintenance. Factories can…
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You cannot be in the manufacturing business for very long these days without hearing about “lean manufacturing.” For many, lean manufacturing seems to be the obvious way of the future. However, some think it is just a fad, while others fear it or simply don’t quite understand it. No matter which category you fall into,…
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Lean manufacturing is a concept rooted in recognizing and eliminating waste, usually by refining and making processes more efficient, with outcomes that drive value for the business. With proven manufacturing successes in the automotive industry and energy sector, among others, Lean principles have quickly expanded to other business operation facets, namely, industrial maintenance. How is…
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Discussing higher education in manufacturing often brings up careers in engineering or business. However, it tends to leave out manufacturing professionals themselves furthering their educations. Still, the industry increasingly requires laborers with enhanced skills and a workforce more educated than ever before. As company needs evolve, the value of knowledgeable manufacturers will likely continue to…
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Lean manufacturing is an industry buzzword that many people have heard but not many understand. The core of lean manufacturing is to eliminate any waste in the manufacturing process. That includes wastes of time, talent and energy in addition to the waste of materials. Let’s take a closer look at lean manufacturing and how manufacturers…
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For some time, many companies have been singing the praises of lean manufacturing, either as a standard lean production practice, or as lean six sigma, a combination of lean manufacturing principles and six sigma principles. But should you be implementing lean manufacturing in your organization? What are the pros and cons? What Is Lean Manufacturing?…
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Elon Musk made early 2018 headlines for the flashy act of launching a car into space. It might seem counterintuitive to hear the same man making claims about how his company, Tesla, is going to become the most efficient car manufacturer in the world. After all, the elaborate and expensive event of space travel doesn’t…
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Many companies are drawn to the idea of Lean manufacturing. Six Sigma and other Lean principles are frequently the subject of implementation by companies looking to increase efficiency. What are some of the characteristics of the Lean process and why are companies using Lean manufacturing? What Is Lean Manufacturing? Lean manufacturing means setting the continuous…
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