Lean Production

What is Lean Production?

Lean production is a manufacturing philosophy that is similar to lean manufacturing. Both lean manufacturing and lean production focus on eliminating waste, optimizing efficiency, and increasing the speed and flexibility of production processes.

The main difference between lean manufacturing and lean production is that lean manufacturing is primarily focused on improving the efficiency of manufacturing processes, while lean production is focused on improving the efficiency of the entire production system, including both manufacturing and non-manufacturing processes. This includes things like design, engineering, procurement, and logistics.

Like lean manufacturing, lean production emphasizes the importance of creating value for the customer through continuous improvement, the elimination of waste, and the optimization of efficiency. It also involves using tools and techniques like value stream mapping, JIT production, and TQM to identify and eliminate waste and improve overall efficiency.

The goal of lean production is to create a production system that is highly efficient, flexible, and responsive to changing customer needs, and that delivers high-quality products at the lowest possible cost. Examples of companies that have successfully implemented lean production techniques include Toyota, which is often cited as a model for other organizations, and Dell, which used lean principles to revolutionize the way it designed and built computers.