The Evolution of Lean presentation is a historical approach to understanding lean principles and modern theory of operations management. The purpose of this presentation is to lay the foundation for understanding why offices, factories and in fact any group of people in business together operate the way they do, and why the application of the lean concepts is so important in today's time-based competitive global economy.
Success or failure of your lean journey depends upon how well the team buys into the concepts, and the lean leadership that is provided to them. Most groups operate in the traditional "functional separation" mode based on a century old concept that says the best way to manage the big organization is to break it into small functional organizations, and if each small functional group then optimizes for it's own best goal that somehow by default the big organization would be optimized. Wrong!
Lean principles training helps us to see the value stream that flows through and between each of the small groups and to help us set goals that will optimize the value for the entire organization. The Evolution of Lean presentation lays the path from traditional batch 'n queue methods of the twentieth century to the lean flow of today.
The concepts presented relate directly to the Lean Factory Simulation Kit training guide and provides the team with the ability to test out the theories before taking them to the shop.
The Deluxe Kit includes the advanced 6-exercise TPS simulation event with Financial Metrics. This set of exercises follows closely the TPS Paper Airplane Simulation, but without all the wasted paper.
The deluxe kit also includes the Lean Principles Training Guide: Learning to See the Waste. This Power Point presentation and simulation is perfect for introducing executives and others to the value of lean, the entire presentation and two simulations can be completed in under one hour.
There are two painted car bodies which can be used to introduce mixed mode production into the work cell. Plus, two of the "Mole" cards are included to provide velocity timing of the color cars through the process for easy metrics. The "Mole Card" is used to record the time the car arrives at each station from Stock Kit to Finished Goods.
This deluxe kit is recommended for first time purchaser and will provide immediate presentation and simulation exercises suitable for all management levels including top management and associates.
The Deluxe Kit contains over 300 parts, packaged in a durable container with a Polycarbonate cover that latches securely to hold the materials for travel. Approximate dimensions of the kit are 16 9/16” x 13 1/8” x 2 1/8”.
Each Deluxe Kit contains two Microsoft Power Point training presentations files. The first is a 4-step simulation training setup guide, which the trainer can customize to fit the specific training situation being taught, plus some forms for tallying metrics.
The Lean Factory Simulation training begins with the Batch ‘n Queue method based on Adam Smith’s division of labor principles. These were later solidified by Frederic W. Taylor and presented in his 1911 book “The Principles of Scientific Management” (New York: Harper & Brothers). Taylor’s methods became the bedrock for production flows around the world, where companies learned to divide functions into small departments, each organizing their activities into batch processes to optimize their own independent needs and goals.
The second presentation is a history of the manufacturing methods leading up to Lean Mfg., and provides detail concepts behind each of the training simulations. Both presentations may be customized to include your company logo and edited to focus on your specific needs.
The batch process is nicely presented in the New Manufacturing Challenge: Techniques for Continuous Improvement by Kiyoshi Suzaki (The Free Press, 1987), and it is Suzaki’s model that becomes the first simulation event step.
The next event step transitions to the techniques of one-piece cellular flow with MRP push; then continuous flow with Kanban signals; and finally ending with a lean flow using a demand pull system.
Along the way, additional lean concepts are layered onto each event, such as Value Stream Mapping, learning to see waste with the NVA test, and more. There are four main flow concepts presented and fully described in the kit, plus many suggestions for training the participants to think lean.
The simulated product is a small car that is easily assembled and disassembled, in a take along package that provides the trainer with an excellent reusable lean concept training tool. The LeanMan Deluxe Lean Factory Simulation Kit provides enough materials to train an average class of 5 to 9 individuals, with opportunity for each individual to have hands-on participation time in at least one event. Add Companion Kits to increase class size as needed, or to provide additional materials to extend the length of each exercise training period. See the LeanMan Large Group Simulation under the Expansion Products tab of this web site.
The Deluxe Car Kit includes materials to simulate the influence of non value-adding activities like fixturing and containers that are returned upstream, and the impact of material defects to flow. Certain components of the toy car have been selected to emphasize naturally occurring human influences that contribute to a learning curve, while other influences are inserted by design. The importance of having both components of variability, natural and imposed, is essential to presenting a true simulation or real shop conditions. The result is a design that closely mimics real factory conditions with very realistic metrics from team to team.
Why not just use Legos?
Lego blocks have been the simulation selection of choice by many trainers because they are readily available, inexpensive (if you don't consider the Escalade needed to cart them around) and they do a quick job getting the basics of the lean flow across.
So, what do they miss? Anyone who has spent any actual time in the shop with hands-on assembly of product knows that not all parts are created equal (except Legos) and that the randomness and variation in the components fit and finish present a challenge to the idealistic flow.
The LeanMan simulation products are designed to provide some natural size variation like the wooden pegs, or finger-fighters like the small stackable metal parts; plus, some intentional variation for measuring the effects of nonconformance on quality like inserting the black wheels into the flow. The resultant metrics are realistic, statistically repeatable from team to team, and add an element of finesse to the event missed by the overly simplistic Legos or by trainers who have never worked with their hands in a shop.
Because The LeanMan Simulation is just more realistic!
Each of the 20 assembled cars is easily disassembled and all materials are completely reusable. For larger class sessions, simulations may be run in parallel for comparison, or may provide for some competitive continuous improvement exercises. A second kit is recommended for large class sizes or high frequency training needs, and all component parts are fully interchangeable kit to kit.
There are also observation roles participants might fill to gather information on each flow method as it unfolds. The Deluxe Kit includes the 10-Second Test waste manager along with the facilitator notes for the TPS 6 exercise event that leads from a 5-pc Batch'n Queue to 1x1 Lean Flow with 2-Bin Kanban material. Each exercise ends with Financial Metrics and an analysis of the 8 wastes. These exercises and observations provide the class with discussion material that can be used to explore:
- Value Adding and Non-Value Adding activities associated with each flow type,
- Effects of each flow on quality,
- Ideas that form the basis for continuous improvement Kaizen event ideas
- Certified Assembler concepts
- Work Balance and Takt Time concepts
- Point of Use (POU) shop inventories methods
- Value stream mapping techniques
Companion kits are available for adding additional training capacity to allow two or more teams to run the simulations simultaneously for a bit of competitive fun. The Companion Kit contains all of the hardware material items from the Deluxe Kit, but lacks the PowerPoint presentation materials.
The files are provided on a USB Flash Drive, and include additional free bonus presentation materials. These short presentations provide supporting concepts and training necessary to fully implement the lean principles into your organization.
The presentations may be used as is, or edited for your specific training need and audience.
Included files are:
- The Five Principles of Lean - 8 slides
This presentation can be used as a baseline for introducing the student to the five principles of lean as outlined in the book: Lean Thinking by James Womack et al. Edit the PowerPoint slides to add focus for your specific training event. - 14 Philosophies behind TPS - 15 slides
Excerpts from The Toyota Way by Jeffrey Liker, this presentation provides the 14 guiding philosophies developed by the Toyoda family and other contributors that are the foundation for the Toyota Production System.Note: The concepts and terms presented in The Toyota Way book are the basis for two fun and challenging games available from The LeanMan. See the tab Team Development: TPS ToyodaWay Game Set.
- 5-S for Lean - 35 slides
This presentation can be used as a baseline for a 5-S program. It contains the basics for understanding 5S and a great starter program to set your workplace in order and prepare it for Lean. Edit the PowerPoint file to suit your needs.Note: The concepts and terms of 5-S are the basis for two fun and challenging games available from The LeanMan. See the tab Team Development: 5-S Game Set.
- Visual Control for Lean - 13 slides
This presentation can be used as a baseline for a Visual Control program to provide visual communications in the shop area. Coupled with the 5-S presentation, it sets the stage for powerful and fast team communication so everyone knows what, when, where and how the product flows. Edit the PowerPoint slides to suit your needs. - Visual Systems for Lean - 46 slides
This presentation can be used as an introduction to Visual Systems and 5-S. It focuses on the concepts of seeing new meaning behind everyday sights, and works well to support The LeanMan Learning to See the Waste and The LeanMan Developing Lean Eyes presentations. Edit the PowerPoint slide to add photos from your own workplace.
The LeanMan 26 question Lean Self-Assessment Tool is also provided to help you assess your team's present Lean maturity level and readiness to implement the principles of lean into your organization.
The LeanMan suggests using the Deluxe Car Factory Simulation in the following simulations:
Learning to See the Waste
This executive level 2-Step simulation is the simplest event to run but packs a big WOW factor. It requires just one Car Factory Kit per team. Plus, with the laminated participant instruction placemats, it's so easy to perform that single person can easily facilitate five or more teams, making it great for large audiences and conventions.
- Group Size: 5-8
- Duration: 100 min.
- Steps: 2
Car Factory Simulation
This 4-step simulation uses one Car Factory Kit per team, and a single facilitator can easily run 2 or 3 teams in parallel for a little competition and metrics comparison. This simulation event is also provided as an editable set of files on the USB drive that allow customization to the facilitator's specific target training needs.
- Group Size: 5-8
- Duration: 100 min.
- Steps: 4
Large Group Simulation
Purchased as a separate supporting product (it is included in the Grand Package), this simulation is used with multiple Car Factory Kits to expand the event size to accommodate larger groups for an introductory Lean experience. The 4-step simulation is designed as an introduction to Lean for variable sized groups of participants in the four main flow methods.
- Group Size: 5-39
- Duration: 60-150 min.
- Steps: 2 or 4
TPS Simulation
The Toyota Production System (TPS) simulation is a 5-step event which uses the training methods generally recognized as the Toyota method for introducing lean flow. This method focus more on flow and eliminating process waste and less on reducing the number of human elements in the process.
- Group Size: 8-12
- Duration: 110 min.
- Steps: 5
VSMgt Service & Repair Center
Purchased as a separate supporting product (it is included in the Grand Package), this 3 step simulation exercise will explore the service side of the car factory, so instead of assembling new cars, we repair them. Value Stream Management concepts are used to improve flow door-to-door in this unique and fun exercise. This simulation requires purchase of at least one of the LeanMan Car Factory Kits or Deluxe Packages.
- Group Size: 9-12
- Duration: 140 min.
- Steps: 3