Lean production originally referred to the systematized production organization which was similar to the one used in the USA and Europe, which they called buffered production. In the possibility of faster reactions to market changes, whereby the task of adapting and rationalizing production is decentralized and shifted further down the hierarchy with the help of standardized methods. For the application of such lean production methods, the term “holistic production systems” has become established in some countries. Representatives of the future project Industry 4.0 explain that this approach supports lean production, as the transparency of networked systems supports the continuous improvement process. Others argue that Industry 4.0 as an automation concept entails the opposite of a streamlining of production, because it is not based on the economic imperative, according to which effort and benefit should be in an economic relationship to each other, but on the technological imperative, according to which technology that is available should also be used (no matter how much it is whatever the cost).
Design Principles
In its early days, lean production was often associated with rationalization measures. This misinterpretation resulted in a loss of trust within the workforce. It quickly became clear that the methods of lean production systems can only lead to sustainable success if the overall system is geared towards customer benefits with a consistent focus. Ultimately, this approach also helped the Toyota Production System (TPS) to achieve a breakthrough. Holistic production systems provide for a company-specific orientation of the production system using the methods of lean production.
The avoidance of waste is the fundamental goal of integrated production systems. This design principle aims to eliminate all non-value-adding activities within the production system. Value-adding activities are activities that increase the value of the product for the customer. Non-value-adding activities are therefore to be regarded as wasteful. However, it must be taken into account that there are non-value-adding activities that are necessary for the product development process, such as research and development activities, production planning or other indirect areas.
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The avoidance or minimization of waste through lean production leads to more efficient processes and thus also to less use of resources. The use of resources combines lean production with green management and supports the sustainable development of a company. A particularly lean company is also more resource-efficient and therefore green. Lean & Green Management represents a further development of lean production and lean management approaches and aims to continuously improve the environmental footprints of companies in addition to increasing competitiveness. In Lean & Green concepts, optimising processes and minimising waste is not only a means of increasing the company’s success, but also improves the environmental and social impact of the company, which in turn brings benefits to society as a whole.
The goal of a holistic production system is the pursuit of perfection. This requires a continuous drive to improve existing processes and systems (continuous improvement process). A prerequisite for this is the involvement of all employees in the improvement process. The personnel of a company should always question all methods, processes and tools and improve them if necessary. In this context, the design of an in-house idea management system is useful. With each improvement, errors, problems and wastes are uncovered and eliminated.
Standardization deals with the definition of action steps in relation to repetitive processes, workflows, manufacturing steps, as well as planning and design tasks. The goal of standardization is to eliminate non-value-adding activities and increase process stability.
The zero-defect principle pursues the goal of avoiding the passing on of errors to subsequent work steps and thus increasing product and process quality. This design principle also contains methods for avoiding errors within a process chain and is closely linked to the methods of Total Quality Management (TQM).
The flow principle aims to realize a fast, consistent and low-turbulence flow of materials and information in order to achieve the shortest possible throughput time across the entire value chain. The aim is to transport products from one process step to the next without intermediate storage, without restricting the company’s flexibility.
The pull principle involves dragging a customer order through the production process. A counterpart is the push principle, in which production orders are pushed through the value chain on the basis of forecasted customer requirements. The pull principle is thus based on specific customer orders and aims to minimize the management effort and inventories. This design principle is often used in manufacturing in connection with methods such as Just in Time (JIT), Just in Sequence (JIS) or Kanban.
Employee orientation and goal-oriented management in production companies must meet the requirements of holistic production systems. The division of production work into mental and manual work is no longer up-to-date. In the context of integrated production systems, a company’s employees are seen as crucial resources for innovative concepts and continuous process improvements. The error-free and waste-free way of working of managers and employees must be ensured in order to achieve the desired result. The aspect of employee management concerns the day-to-day interaction between employee and manager, whereby both parties benefit from goal-oriented leadership with clearly defined specifications and a consistent goal structure.
The main goal of visual management is to visualize information about processes and workflows. This is intended to create a high level of transparency about goals, processes and services within a holistic production system. This makes it possible for employees and managers to obtain information about production-relevant key figures in a short time. The transparency and the resulting involvement of employees should lead to a stronger identification with the workplace and the work task. In addition, problems and deviations from targets are immediately apparent, so that appropriate action can be taken immediately. This further contributes to a reduction in waste and supports the continuous improvement process.
