Semiconductor Manufacturing Benefits from Kaizen Events

Semiconductor manufacturer uses kaizen methods to sustain its improvement efforts and keep its facility capable of serving the industry needs at a competitive cost. ...

... "Small groups of workers and managers have spent a week or more in meetings - coming up with dozens of small steps that lead to productivity improvements. The kaizen events are modeled after methods that Japanese companies have used for decades to make their manufacturing operations the world standard for efficiency. " ...

Via Austin Statesman: Aging fab

Kaizen Costing

Indian manufacturers look to learn from Japanese management techniques, including creative approaches to cost management. ...

... "The shift has been from standard costing to kaizen costing (that is, continuous standard costing), and target costing (that is, longer term's budgetary control, meaning two or four years during the design stage). " ...

Via Hindu News: Cost Competitive Roadmap

Small Continuous Change, Entrepreneurs Toolbox

Entrepreneurs can sustain business success by enrolling the workforce in many, small improvements, using the kaizen style of management. ...

... "Shortly after World War II, Japanese companies created a management concept called Kaizen. The concept of Kaizen is to make small continuous changes and it includes everyone from the CEO to the janitors. " ...

Via USA Today: Entrepreneur Advice on Business Success

Kaizen Learning, A Way of Life

Want a better life? ... learn (or kaizen) ...

... "In the Japanese culture, continuous learning (they call it kaizen) is a key part of their lives. It's a belief that life is a journey and that knowledge can and should increase with every step taken. " ...

Via Community Press: Lifetime Learning

Lean Training Goes On Tour

Lean culture differentiates Japanese from US companies.

... "Instead of paying people to retire, a likely Japanese alternative would be to put people on kaizen (continuous improvement) teams, capitalizing on their experience and problem solving potential instead of paying them to stay at home. ... World Class Manufacturing is not a short-term concept. Justifying the hard work and application of resources to the improvement process is difficult if the focus is on quarterly reports. A fundamentally change in the way success is measured must be adopted if our economy is to remain viable and sustainable. " ...

Toyota Continues their March Past US Automakers: Lean Enterprise Training Announces Six City Tour Kicks off in Oregon ...

Kaizen: Deming Philosophy

Modern Postcard has the mindset for success, incorporating lean thinking into its methods for continuous improvement. ...

... "Hoffman also subscribes to W. Edwards Deming's philosophy of statistical process control, as well as to kaizen, the Japanese term for change for the better or improvement used in lean-manufacturing circles. " ...

Via Graphic Arts Monthly: Kaizen: Deming Philosophy: Picture Perfect

Lean Manufacturing: Cliff Endorses American Industry

Cheers' Cliff support American industry and their global competitiveness through lean manufacturing. ...

... "The criteria is built around lean manufacturing, a Japanese system which calls for eliminating waste on all levels of business through constant testing, evaluating and improving. " ...

Via The Connecticut Post: Link

Government Kaizen Initiative

Local authority uses kaizen methods to improve services and their success is recognized. ...

... "Following recognition at national level, Aberdeenshire Council's Kaizen initiative is now a beacon of excellence across Europe after taking an international award for continuous improvement.

The Aberdeenshire approach on this theme is based on the Kaizen model. Kaizen is a Japanese expression meaning making something as good as it can be and the process engages teams of employees in concentrated blitzes to identify more efficient ways of working. The exercise has been driven by Chief Executive Alan Campbell and his Senior Management Team since 2004, and is supported by facilitators in all of the council services and Kaizen Champion Pat Browne. For each blitz undertaken, a team leader is appointed and in turn selects a team of between 10 and 14 people who are close to the process to be improved. " ...

Via Aberdeenshire Council: Aberdeenshire Blitzes competition to take European award ...

Automotive Manufacturing: Kaizen Methodology

Bentley manufacturing event will examine success through methods such as kaizen. ...

... "At Bentley on 18 October, manufacturing managers from across Britain will be examining how attaining high levels of production excellence by applying world class standards and techniques like Japanese-inspired kaizen methodology can lift the sector out of the doldrums. They will also have the opportunity to visit the Bentley production line. " ...

Via The Manufacturing Alliance: The exclusive network for senior management in engineering ...

Project Lean: Toyota Magic ...

The lean transformation project unleashes the Toyota magic ...

... "Lean manufacturing can be considered among the more magical initiatives that has played a significant role in the success of Japanese companies worldwide; in particular, the domination of Toyota. " ...

Via The Chronicle-Herald: Being lean not about being mean ...

Kaizen: Sony Toyota Quality Problems

Revered for their kaizen quality programs, Toyota and Sony suffer from quality problems ...

... "For a time, American and European executives flocked here to learn Japanese quality-control concepts like kaizen, or improvement. " ...

Via International Herald Tribune: Recalls by Toyota and Sony shock Japan's pride ...

Kaizen Teian: Philippine Workers Slow to Adopt ...

Philippine workers slow to adopt kaizen techniques that value workers ideas to further continuous improvement. ...

... "Kaizen teian (employee suggestion) is very much a designated favorite mental sport in every Japanese corporation. " ...

Via ABS-CBN: Why can't managers get the best employee ideas?

Kaizen teian: "Kaizen Teian suggestions are usually small-scale ones, in the worker's own area, and are easy and cheap to implement. Key points are that the rewards given are small, and implementation is rapid ... "

Kaizen Ethos: Wagamama

Kaizen ethos pervades Wagamama ...

... "Wagamama was founded in 1992 by Alan Yau, a former McDonald's franchisee in Hong Kong who used kaizen — the Japanese ethos of continual improvement — as his guiding philosophy. " ...

Via Times: Wagamama to go it alone in Boston ...

India Manufacturing: Lean Efficient ...

India manufacturing companies show signs of lean efficiency. ...

... "The Confederation of Indian Industry, a national trade group, has also been highly successful in pushing companies to adopt the latest Japanese lean manufacturing techniques. " ...

Via Tuscaloosa News: A Younger India Is Flexing Its Industrial Brawn - Tuscaloosa

Toyota Kaizen Cultural Strength ...

Toyota's culture enables its kaizen success ...

... "Some of its strengths are cultural ones shared by the best Japanese companies. These include a respect for lifelong learning that aids kaizen, or continuous improvement. In addition, a consensus management style, combined with a Confucian respect for hierarchy, allows the rapid implementation of decisions. " ...

Toyota Kaizen Cultural Strength: Via Autoweek: The Roots of Toyota's Strength ...

Kaizen Team Leaders Guide ...

BMG enhances the kaizen event for team leaders with updated guide. ...

... "This guide, co-authored by BMG Lean Master William Wes Waldo, and Lean Master/co-inventor of the SCORE methodology Tom Jones, provides users with the roadmap, tools, templates, and skills needed for moving efficiently through the SCORE process. Kaizen, meaning change for the better in Japanese, is used in Lean transformations to break down the project mentality of an organization and create a bias toward action. SCORE (Select, Clarify, Organize, Run & Evaluate) is BMG's methodology for implementing effective Kaizen events that really do change a company for the better. SCORE expands Lean's traditional Kaizen event with four additional improvement steps, adding critical project selection, planning and evaluation to the traditional running of an event." ...

Via BMG: Breakthrough Management Group Publishes First Comprehensive Team Leader's Guide to Lean Kaizen Events

Lean Six Sigma Supports Joint Venture ...

Adam Cort explores the success of Lean Six Sigma at an exemplary plant in the UK ...

... "Then came CAT's 2001 Six Sigma initiative, whereby the company mandated that operations worldwide would adopt the methodology. According to Clark, Six Sigma helped Perkins Shibaura focus its quality efforts. " ...

Lean Six Sigma Supports Joint Venture: Via ASSEMBLY: Crossroads in the UK ...

Perkins and Japanese manufacturer Ishikawajima Shibaura machinery, Ltd. (ISM) launched a joint venture company, Perkins Shibaura Engines, Ltd., and a manufacturing facility in 1996 adjacent to the Perkins manufacturing plant in Peterborough, UK. The original product was the Perkins 100 Series engine. ISM has been manufacturing agricultural equipment and engines since the 1940s and is one of Japan's leading suppliers of small engines and tractors. ISM is part of Ishikawajima Harima Industries - (IHI), one of Japan's largest industrial companies.

Perkins Engines is a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. and the world's leading supplier of off-highway diesel and gas engines in the 4 - 2000 kW (5 - 2600 hp) market. Perkins' key strength is its ability to tailor engines precisely to meet customers' requirements. More than 300,000 engines are manufactured every year -- that's one every minute -- to 21,000 different specifications. For more than 75 years Caterpillar Inc. has been building the world's infrastructure and, in partnership with its worldwide dealer network, is driving positive and sustainable change in every continent. With 2002 sales and revenues of $20.15 billion, Caterpillar is a technology leader and the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines.

United Technologies Kaizen CEO ..

United Technologies CEO is recognized for his leadership, which includes a strond foundation of kaizen principles. ...

... "He delved deeply into kaizen, the process by which Japanese corporations seek to constantly improve product quality while bolstering manufacturing efficiency and curbing waste. " ...

United Technologies Kaizen CEO: House of David (United Technologies): Via SmartMoney ...

Kaizen Principles Core Values ...

MTD leaders embrace kaizen principles as part of the enterprise's core values. ...

... "Mike and I both worked many years for a major Japanese electronics company before starting MTD Systems, said Dave Tansek. We learned an important concept that the Japanese call Kaizen, it was a trendy word to use in the '90s but our company has taken it as one of our core values. It roughly means a constant and never ending improvement. We try to look at our products everyday and apply the Kaizen principals to them. " ...

Via MTD Systems: MTD Systems Pre-NAB Product Review and Update

Kaizen Principles: Japan's Export ...

Kaizen principles are being exported from Japan ...

... "Lewis said Japanese carmakers had brought high-tech skills into the country and their working practices - including kaizen, which encourages small daily improvements in production - had permeated throughout the industry. " ...

Kaizen Principles: Japan's Export: Via Sydney Morning Herald: Japan to produce over 50% of UK's cars ...

Kaizen Worker Lean Manufacturing System ...

Workers adopt kaizen principles and leverage in the lean manufacturing system. ...

... "San Pedro helped eliminate that tough weld by bringing in a robot to do the job. His focus on safety is part of the Toyota Production System at the Fremont plant. The so-called lean manufacturing system uses Japanese terms and culture to emphasize worker protection and efficiency in building cars.
San Pedro calls himself a kaizen worker ... " ...

Kaizen Worker Lean Manufacturing System: Via Alameda Times-Star: NUMMI always a step ahead when it comes to workers' health ...

Kaizen Blitz: Improvement Technique ...

Business, everywhere, can benefit from continuous improvement. Products, processes, and people can improve quality. Fred Fishman, Manager Strategic Procurement Programs, explores the techniques of continuous improvement, such as recognizing the opportunity and seeking assistance. ...

... "Whether portrayed in a formula-rich analysis during a Six Sigma event, the rapid fire and instinctive physical changes implemented during a kaizen blitz, the reduction of muda (Japanese term for waste) in the lean journey, or the methodical development of a value stream map to visually identify value-added vs. non-value-added steps in a flow of work, each technique employs some variation of mathematical, statistical or visual analysis to achieve the desired result - improvement. " ...

Kaizen Blitz: Improvement Technique: Via Reliable Plant Magazine: The importance of Continuous Process Improvement ...

Kaizen Hoshin Kanri: Agile Strategic Planning ...

Article explores the evolution of strategic planning and the need for agile methods of strategy ...

... "The Japanese added a few terms, such as hoshin kanri and Kaizen. " ...

Kaizen Hoshin Kanri: Agile Strategic Planning: Via The Economic Times: Parallel Lines ...

Lean Manufacturing Job Classifications ...

Minimize number of job classifications to create lean manufacturing workforce ...

... "As part of the push toward Japanese-style lean manufacturing, Chrysler is laying off some skilled trade workers such as electricians and tool and die makers. It's also reducing the number of job classifications at many of it plants. " ...

Lean Manufacturing Job Classifications: Via The Detroit News: Chrysler cuts trade workers ...

Lean Manufacturing An overview of what it should include: "Technical and management support to resolve problems, Removal of indirect workers, broadening narrow job classifications and cross training, Keeping the responsibility with the originator, not the technical support functions ... "

Superfactory - best practices enabling lean manufacturing excellence: "When the machine stops often the worker just stands there waiting for maintenance. I have visited 250 plants in Japan and never recall seeing someone standing and just waiting. I have been to numerous American plants and always see the reverse. Some union plants have hundreds of job classifications protecting worker�s salaries but limiting flexibility to move people to where they are needed when they are needed.) "

Via IMPACT: Program Profile: Lean Manufacturing Transformation: "After LARA's work on the Presidential Commission on Aerospace, the US Department of Labor approached the program with a research grant to examine operations at Boeing/IAM St. Louis, where both union and employer agreed to compress approximately 47 job classifications and numerous sub-classifications into eight integrated categories. "

Kaizen Continuous Progress: Sakichi Toyoda ...

Formula 1 racing rules constrain innovation on new models. Toyota announces its Formula 1 model and utilizes the continuous improvement process of kaizen to produce new Formula 1 cars. Lessons are learned and incorporated into the design of subsequent models. Article explores the challenges of Formula 1 car design and the convergence on the kaizen method of improvement to innovate. ...

... "The Japanese say that this is part of the Toyota philosophy of continuous progress - known as kaizen - which has been part of the company's traditions since Sakichi Toyoda watched his mother and grandmother weaving cloth by hand and invented a series of weaving machines which not only speeded up the process enormously but eventually stopped automatically if the threads broke. " ...

Kaizen Continuous Progress: Sakichi Toyoda: Via GrandPrix: The shape of things to come?

Kaizen Efficiency Improves Customer Experience ...

IBM white paper explores the efficiency in business models which will improve the customer experience, such as the kaizen blitz process at Lexus. ...

... "Luxury car manufacturer Lexus designs customer experiences that personify its brand statement and support its customers' aspirations, Lexus, the passionate pursuit of perfection. For example, dealerships maintain spotless service bays and they operate on the Lexus principle of kaizen - Japanese for continuous improvement. " ...

Kaizen Efficiency Improves Customer Experience: Via Line56.com: IBM's Paradox of Banking 2015

Design of Experiments: DOE Taguchi Method ...

Taguchi method ensures good performance in the design stage using design of experiments ...

... "Genichi Taguchi, a Japanese engineer, proposed several approaches to experimental designs that are sometimes called Taguchi Methods. These methods utilize two-, three-, and mixed-level fractional factorial designs. Large screening designs seem to be particularly favored by Taguchi adherents. " ...

Design of Experiments: DOE Taguchi Method: Via NIST: 5.5.6. What are Taguchi designs?

TQM Total Quality Management Process

... "The process of TQM (total quality management) started in Rane group on 1999 with the first workshop by a Japanese expert Dr Washio. A complete reappraisal of business process was undertaken to plug the gaps in command and control systems, provide adequate training to workers and involve them in participatory management, said L Ganesh, vice-chairman, Rane group at the felicitation meet. " ...

Via News Today: Rane group felicitated for winning Deming ...

Kaizen: Danaher Business System DBS ...

The Motley Fool crew highlights the competitive advantage that Danaher gains through the use of kaizen in its personalize method, called the Danaher Business System. ...

... "The secret to Danaher's success over the years has been its proprietary management model: the Danaher Business System (DBS). Based on the Japanese concept of kaizen, or continual improvement, the DBS is what allows Danaher to acquire companies and make them more and more efficient. " ...

Kaizen: Danaher Business System DBS: Via The Motley Fool: The Best $17 Billion Company You Don't Know ...

Additional references on the Danaher Business System, DBS:

Via ISA | Danaher: Kaizen is our way of life: "Danaher's Thomas Joyce spoke to the spirit of Kaizen at the annual Measurement, Control & Automation Association's (MCAA's) industry breakfast at ISA EXPO 2003. Joyce said Kaizen is among one of several overriding principles that guide his company and that are responsible for Danaher's remarkable and consistent business numbers over the years, including the recent manufacturing downturn during which they generated well-above-industry average profit and revenue results. "

Via PACIFIC SCIENTIFIC, EKD DIVISION: "Continuous Improvement (Kaizen) is Our Way of Life. The Danaher Business System IS our culture. We aggressively and continuously eliminate waste in every facet of our business processes. "

Via Danaher Motion - Makers of Thomson Products: "Based upon the time-tested methods of Kaizen, the DBS is a team-based mindset that continuously and aggressively eliminates waste in every facet of our business operations. Furthermore, the DBS focuses the entire organization on breakthrough objectives that culminate in maintainable, results-oriented business processes, which, in turn, create advantages for our customers in the areas of quality, delivery and performance."

Toyoyta Production System: Heijunka Leveling ...

Heijunka leveling is used in the Toyota production system. Doron Levin explores the challenges ahead for US automakers. ...

... "By investing more conservatively in new plant capacity and foregoing peak demand, Toyota (and its Japanese rivals Honda and Nissan) have minimised the idle time in factories that kills profits. The theory is called heijunka in Japanese, which means levelling, and is integral to Toyota's production system. " ...

Via NZ Herald: Time for Detroit to work out that less is more ...

Kaizen in Sports ...

Kaizen continuous improvements is used in rugby. ...

... "He likes catchphrases and themes and word play. He's introduced a Japanese concept called Kaizen, which involves working on the little things that need improving. " ...

Kaizen in Sports: Via NZ Herald: Brian McClennan can't stop jumping ...

Make-to-Order Model Through Lean Manufacturing ...

Manufacturer adopts lean model and transitions to a make-to-order supply chain. Marv Balousek explores the evolution of Research Products corp as it embraces lean manufacturing and eliminates root causes through failure-mode and effects-analysis, FMEA. ...

... "Research Products adopted a lean manufacturing model a few years ago inspired by Japanese manufacturers and now makes products to fulfill orders instead of to build inventory. " ...

Make-to-Order Model Through Lean Manufacturing: Via Wisconsin State Journal: Longtime Madison company gives customers . . . .A breath of fresh air ...



Supply Chain Systems Magazine Features: Manufacturing Adapts for Success: "Increasingly, manufacturers differentiate products late in the manufacturing cycle according to order, though most maintain a buffer stock inventory to deal effectively with business fluctuations. In a Make to Order (MTO) environment, the most critical success factors are visibility and sophisticated production scheduling ..."

Emerald FullText Article : The SHEN model for MTO SMEs: "This paper presents a new model developed for make-to-order (MTO) companies to aid in determining appropriate content for performance improvement programmes. The model has been developed using literature evidence and case-study data from six MTO small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). As well as being important aspects of the new model, some of the conclusions from the case-study evidence are important insights into best practice in MTO companies in their own right."

Medical Design Technology Online: "Early adopter of lean manufacturing in transition to make-to-order (MTO), which could not be supported with current technologies and processes"

Kaikaku: DoNotPlan DoIt ...

Kaikaku: Don't Plan, Just Do It ! ...

... "Kaikaku is about going for it, about not doing planning, about a preference for doing it now and reasonably rather than later (but perhaps never) even though it may be done better, about learning by doing, by trial and error. It is also about involvement on the shop floor by shop floor people. It is about real empowerment to just do it without asking for permission to make every little change. " ...

Kaikaku: DoNotPlan DoIt: Via Nestadt Consulting: Lean Business Specialists: Stormflow - A Kaikaku Kit ...



Kaikaku: "Kaikaku is radical improvement of any activity, in particular to remove waste (or muda). Thus, when approaching a problem situation, it might require radical improvement to start with (kaikaku), then be continuously improved (kaizen). "

Kaikaku: Kaikaku Twin Sister of Kaizen - Two Powerful Ways for World Class Competitiveness: "Kaikaku shakes us up and Kaizen allows us to put it back into order. It the combination of both these concepts that gives us personally satisfied lives and to have our companies more internationally competitive. "

Lean Manufacturing Training from the Centers for Applied Competitive Technologies: "on-the-job training and consultation specifically designed to prepare a core group of 20 employees with the knowledge and implementation and facilitation skills they will need to setup and work with production employees to implement KAIKAKU and KAIZEN events. KAIKAKU is Japanese that is roughly translated to mean Explosive Change. KAIZEN is Japanese meaning continuous improvement."

Lean Factories: Streamlined Operations ...

Lean Factories: Streamlined Operations: Via Pilot Tribune: Lean factories are the future for Iowa ...

... "Jerry Currie, company CEO, said computer programming stations on machinery and clustered work areas are two ways the company has streamlined operations. Using the Japanese concept for continuous improvement, known as kaizen, the company became more efficient, Currie said. " ...

Kaizen Quality: Deming Perspective ...

Reylito A.H. Elbo explores the perspective of Deming on quality, productivity, and kaizen. ...

Kaizen Quality: Deming Perspective: Via ABS-CBN Interactive: BEYOND THE BUZZWORDS ...

... "As a matter of fact, he chastised me for not giving enough emphasis to his Fourteen Points over the kaizen (continual improvement approach) that was invented by the Japanese. " ...

Kanban Visual Record: Drive Manufacturing ...

Kanban Visual Record: Drive Manufacturing: Via Express Textile: Kanban - An Integrated JIT System ...

... "For many Japanese companies the heart of this process is the Kanban, a Japanese term for visual record, which directly or indirectly drives much of the manufacturing organisation. " ...

Kaizen Reaches College Sports ...

Kaizen Reaches College Sports: Via CSTV: San Diego Scares No. 15 Arizona State ...

... "My word for the year is kaizen, which is Japanese for continuous improvement, said Fisher. " ...

Kaizen in Public Service: New Mesa Manager ...

Justin Juozapavicius provides update on Mesa's city manager, Christopher J. Brady, who values the kaizen philosohpy of continuous improvement. ...

Kaizen in Public Service: New Mesa Manager : Via Arizona Republic: Mesa names new city manager

... "Brady, who is credited with landing a Toyota Manufacturing plant in San Antonio, and 2,000 jobs with it, said he adheres to the Japanese company's philosophy of Kaizen, which means continuous improvement. " ...

Kaizen: Toyota Ethos Constant Improvement ...

Doron Levin explores Toyota Motor Corporation's ethos of constant improvement: Kaizen, which is making business challenging for Detroit automakers. ...

Kaizen: Toyota Ethos Constant Improvement: Via Shanghai