Improving Process Flow

Processes that flow smoothly bring significant benefits for organisations & their customers: customers get exactly what they want when they want it, & producers can provide an improved service more efficiently & at lower cost. Lean thinking has its roots in Toyota's 'Just In Time' approach, & is recognised by many organisations as the key to improving process flow. These principles can be applied throughout an organisation, in both manufacturing & office areas, & also in the supply chain.
This course focuses on improving process flow within an organisation, providing a clear insight into lean processing principles & techniques, & showing how carefully designed 'cells' can be used to reap the benefits. A key element of the course is to apply the learning to a simulated process, which clearly demonstrates the type & scale of improvements which can be made, & how these can be replicated within delegates' own processes.

Course Content

Lean Thinking
•Specifying value & recognising waste
•Identifying value streams
•Improving process flow
•Push vs. pull systems
•Pursuing perfection

Lean Processing
•Foundations for flow processing
•Making processes flow
•Understanding customer demand
•Batch vs. one-piece flow
•Kanban material control
•Load balancing & work leveling
•Constraint management
•Takt time vs. cycle time
•Time observation & analysis
•Multiskilling & standard operations
•Managing & segregating complexity

Cell Design
•Fixed vs. flexible manpower cells
•Cell layout – common configurations
•Space utilisation
•Ergonomics
•Visual controls
•Introducing a new cell layout
•Support systems

Process Improvement Simulation
•Assessing the current processing system
•Measurement & continuous improvement
•Redesign using lean & cell design principles