Lead Time Limbo: How Low Can You Go?

Welcome to Production, where the name of the game is speed, and we're all doing the lead time limbo!

How low can you go?? No, we're not talking about a tropical dance party (though that might boost morale and provide much conversation at the water cooler).

We're diving into the world of reducing production lead times, where every second counts and efficiency is king.

Let's face it, in today's fast-paced world, customers want their products yesterday.

So, how do we bend over backwards (limbo-style) to meet these demands without breaking our corporate operational spine?

Here are some dos and don'ts to help you become the limbo champion of lead time reduction:

Do:

1.?? Embrace the 5S method.

Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardise, and Sustain. It's like Chicken Soup for your factory floor, but you still need to chop the vegetables!

If you are not on the 5S highway already, be prepared to do a short hop before attempting the round-the-world challenge.? Having 3S is a good start!!

2.?? Make sure your ERP system accurately reflects the real numbers

With accurate process times, you can understand when a particular product will enter and therefore exit the business. ?Then you can more accurately plan ‘time-buckets’ to fulfil demand. ?But beware the temptation to ‘fudge’ the system because of bad data.

3.?? Fix the plan

But be prepared for the unexpected, last minute, needed tomorrow sales order. Time-Buckets again can help to give flexibility.

4.?? Implement Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory.

Nothing says efficiency like materials showing up on time, rather than 'fashionably' Just-Too-Late (JTL).? I've never been one for fashion at the expense of function!

But, beware of filling the raw materials warehouse with ‘stuff’ Just-In-Case (JIC)

5.?? Cross-train your staff.

The more hats people can wear, the fewer bottlenecks you'll have. Just don't let them wear all the hats at once – they are not circus jugglers.

6.?? Invest in preventive maintenance.

Treat your equipment like you treat your car (assuming you don't wait for smoke to pour out of the bonnet before changing the oil).

7.?? Use visual management tools.

If your production floor is a comic book, Kanban boards are the thought bubbles making everything clear.

Don't:

• Overburden your workers. ?

Faster doesn't always mean better: ?

We're aiming for Lewis Hamilton, not Wile E. Coyote running off a cliff.

• Neglect quality for speed.

Remember, "Oops, we made it fast but wrong" is not a great slogan. And the triangle of Speed vs. Cost vs. Quality ALWAYS applies!

• Ignore bottlenecks.

They're like those pesky traffic jams on your commute - pretending they don't exist won't make them go away.

• Forget to celebrate wins. Reducing lead time is hard work. Don't be that boss who thinks a pat on the back is only for choking victims.

Conclusion:

Reducing lead times is about working smarter, not harder. It's a delicate dance of efficiency, quality, and occasionally doing the literal limbo to reach that low-hanging fruit of process improvement.

By focussing on organisation, timely inventory, versatile staff, maintenance, and visual management, you can limbo your way to shorter lead times without dislocating your knees (or face-planting).

Now, it's your turn to hit the dance floor... err, production floor.

How low can your lead times go? ?Share your best lead time reduction tips or horror stories in the comments.

And remember, in the lead time limbo, everyone's a winner (except maybe your competitors).