Table of Contents

Foreword, Introduction: Method and Overview, Chapter 1: Managing Visually, Chapter 2: Management Auditing: Standardized Work for Managers, Chapter 3: Associating a Time with All Work, Chapter 4: Utilizing Day-by-Hour and FIFO Boards, Chapter 5: Making Improvements When You’re Short of Capacity, Chapter 6: Making Improvements When You Have Excess Capacity, Chapter 7: Using Value Stream Mapping in a Low-Volume Environment, Chapter 8: Becoming Aware of Your Inventory and Using Pull Systems, Chapter 9: Making Manpower Improvements, Chapter 10: Improving Machine Performance and Plant Layout, Chapter 11: Making Improvements through Office Department Kaizen, Chapter 12: Making Improvements through Office Process Kaizen, Chapter 13: Improving Your Product Costing, Conclusions, Glossary, Index, About the Author

About the Author

Greg Lane earned his master of business administration from California State University in 1989 and his bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin in 1986. He is a faculty member of the Lean Enterprise Institute. While working with Toyota, Greg was one of a handful of candidates selected for a one-year training program conducted by Toyota’s masters. He became a Toyota Production System (TPS) Key Person and continued his work with Toyota by training others in TPS. Since 1992, he has been working on implementing lean around the world, supporting large and small companies alike. In 1998, he began to refocus his lean endeavors on meeting the specific needs of high-mix, low-volume enterprises. Although his work is geared to companywide improvements, Greg has also worked with individual departments—purchasing, engineering, finance, planning — to improve efficiencies, reduce lead times, and reduce costs. During his time as an independent consultant, Greg purchased and operated (for almost six years) his own manufacturing company, which specialized in fast turnaround on high-mix, low-volume parts. Greg used TPS to grow the business and nearly double its sales. He sold the business at a profit to concentrate on supporting others in lean implementation.

Reviews

"This book is an excellent resource for applying lean principles to the complex topic of high-mix, low-volume manufacturing, and is core reading material for those implementing a lean manufacturing system in this environment."
— Lee C. Banks, Senior Vice President And Operating Officer, Parker Hannifin Corporation, July, 2007



"Finally, here is a practical guide to simply introduce the Toyota Production System (TPS) in job shop environments...If you own, manage, or work in a job shop and will simply give a try to the ideas, tools and principles described in this book, I predict you will find great success and will refer to this book over and over for years."
From the Foreword by John Shook, The TWI Network, Ann Arbor, July 2007