How can you reduce motion in your manufacturing processes?

Go to the Gemba, watch the process. Look for non value motion, material to far from point of use, walk to get tools or equipment during changeovers, walk to turn in 1st piece approvals. Employees get use to doing this as part of their tasks, they don’t see it as waste. Watching the process helps identify wasted motions. Advice I was given early in my career is if you can’t put the task on an invoice it’s probably waste. Example, customer would not pay for “ walking to get packaging x20”

To reduce motion, do following: 1. Design your flow of process in positive precedence and not backwards. 2. Create a spaghetti chart for all workstations / work centers. 3. Centralize inventory rack / tools / supplies etc within 2 steps of walking of Operators position

Interesting question. Is the motion statement in relation to a person's movements or the moving of material? For the movement of material Calue Stream Map is a big help to identify excessive movements of material. Another tool would be a spaghetti diagram to show the actual movement of materials through the facility. If motion is in reference to a person's movements, a spaghetti diagram can also be used for this with the added detail of distance moved by either the person's hands or full body motions.

In the mattress manufacturing facility where I worked, applying the 5S methodology was transformational. Previously, tools were scattered, leading to wasted time searching for them. By implementing 'Set in order', each tool had a designated place, significantly speeding up processes. The 'Shine' step ensured machinery ran more efficiently due to regular maintenance. Through 'Standardize' and 'Sustain', we maintained this newfound efficiency, ensuring consistent product quality and on-time deliveries. The change wasn't just operational; it boosted the team's morale and pride in their workspace.

From my experience in the beverage industry, implementing pull systems was a game-changer. Previously, production was based on forecasts, often leading to overstocking or understocking certain products. By switching to a pull system, we started producing based on real-time demand. For instance, when a distributor ordered a specific quantity of a drink, only then would it be produced and shipped. This minimized storage costs and product wastage. Additionally, there was a visible reduction in unnecessary motion as products weren't shuffled around the warehouse due to overstocking. This transition not only optimized our operations but also enhanced responsiveness to market demands.

From my perspective as an operational excellence professional, cellular manufacturing in a spring mattress cover stitching unit offers transformative benefits. Organizing workstations in a cohesive sequence minimizes fabric movement, speeding up production, and reducing material damage risks. This proximity fosters better teamwork, immediate feedback, and cross-training opportunities. The result is a stitching unit that's not just efficient, but more adaptable and resilient to change, driving overall operational improvement.

From my perspective, in the nonwoven industry, ergonomics and automation play pivotal roles in enhancing operational efficiency. When producing nonwoven fabrics, manual handling can introduce variations leading to product defects. By employing ergonomically designed workstations, we reduce strain on operators, ensuring consistent product quality. Further, automating repetitive tasks, like roll changes or material feeding, minimizes manual motion and the potential for errors. Integrating both ensures not only product uniformity but also a safer, more productive environment for the workforce.

From my experience as i am involved in lean manufacturing of orthopedic products since Dec 2019, we can reduce the maximum body motions by implementing the basic tool of Toyota production system that is Time study and line balancing, this is the basic tool which makes work flow very much simple, agile and fatigue-less and moreover creates scope to apply other Toyota production tools for raising the productivity. If process flow of any manufacturing product either semi finished or finished is not properly balanced among the workers then applying other Toyota production tools is useless. If one has to implement lean system in production then he/she must study Toyota production system .