LEAN MANUFACTURING

In lean manufacturing, which refers to the a system that helps in the elimination of wastes also known as muda in a manufacturing system, a stable schedule must be maintained. One of the reasons that make a stable schedule in lean production necessary is that it enables all the processes of manufacturing are performed at the required time, and this helps to minimize delays that may be experienced in manufacturing. Level production helps in maintaining a stable schedule in lean manufacturing by pulling materials into a final assembly point (Jacobs & Chase, 2013). It helps to ensure that all the production levels respond to pull signal. Freezing window also helps to maintain a stable schedule by ensuring that part and components are accounted for in the production process. It helps to reduce time wastage that may happen during shop floor data collection. According to (Jacobs & Chase, 2013) back flush measurement is also used in this process, and this helps to examine that all the parts that are required in the production of the item are included. This, in turn, ensures that the final product is perfect and ready for distribution to the suppliers and customers.

Lean manufacturing also involves a string of suppliers and consumers. A stable schedule will ensure that there is a constant flow of products (Koren, 2010). In case of an increase in demand for the manufactured items, and the employees are not enough, the employees can work overtime or part-time laborers can be added to the existing team. The manufacturers should ensure that the products are available to avoid instances where the needs of the customers are not met. An irregular supply will also affect a business as people may look for an alternative that is always in supply and this will affect the performance of the company. It will also cause the company to incur losses instead of profits that are an integral part of any business function. The constant flow of products will also enable the company to understand the products that are in high demand (Nicholas, 2010). When this is understood, the items that consumers require more will be produced in large quantity while production will be reduced for the products that are not in high demand.

A stable schedule is also necessary because it helps the manufacturers to handle any challenge that they may face in time. In some cases, the production may be affected by the malfunction of a machine that is critical to the production process. When the schedule is stable, it is easy to counter the problem and facilitate the production of items. This can be controlled by having an alternative means of production that can be used before the main machine is repaired or replaced.

References

Jacobs, R & Chase, R. (2013). Operations and supply chain management. United States:

            McGraw Hill Higher Education.

Koren, Y. (2010). The global manufacturing revolution: Product-process-business integration,

            and reconfigurable systems. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

Nicholas, J. (2010). Lean production for competitive advantage. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.