First steps
- Count stops by cause for two weeks.
- Label and fix locations.
- Add a scan or check at the point of use.
How to measure success
Line stops due to material. Record the value before you start, so the effect of every action can be shown.
When these methods are the wrong choice
- Kanban / pull: Very irregular, one-off demand.
- 5S: Process capability problems.
- Poka-yoke: Causes in the material or the supplier’s process.
- Value stream mapping: A problem at one machine.
- Standard work / work instruction: Processes that are still changing every week.
The methods in one line
| Method | What it is |
|---|---|
| Kanban / pull | Replenishes material by actual consumption with cards or signals and fixed limits. |
| 5S | Workplace organisation: sort, set in order, shine, standardise, sustain. |
| Poka-yoke | Makes the error impossible or detects it immediately, so it does not depend on attention. |
| Value stream mapping | Maps material and information flow end to end and shows waiting, inventory and lead time. |
| Standard work / work instruction | The current best way to do a job, with key points and reasons, used for training and audits. |