operational excellence

5 of the Most Helpful Lean Manufacturing Tools

By Matt Wastradowski, copywriter with Graphic Products

Lean manufacturing incorporates various methods-including Kaizen, 5S, and Kanban-to improve production and efficiency by maximizing resources. The core goal of lean is to find better ways to do things so they require less effort, less time, and fewer resources. Numerous lean tools and concepts exist to help organizations achieve these goals. But the following five concepts stand out for their ease of implementation, usefulness, and potential for dramatic change.

5S Methods Enhance Green Manufacturing

By Jordy Byrd, public relations specialist with Graphic Products

Manufacturing industries play a tug-of-war between the public and private sectors, each demanding the fastest, cheapest, and highest-quality products - with the lowest environmental impact.

Cap-and-trade emissions policies, paired with limited natural resources, have changed the face of modern industry. As a result, lean companies, particularly those with established 5S systems, are one step ahead of the green curve.

Asset Management

Asset Management - ISO 55000 - The Sustainable Business Strategy for Operational Excellence

Asset Management is NOT about Managing Assets - 1:39
by Terrence O’Hanlon, CEO and Publisher, Uptime Magazine and Reliabilityweb.com
Original Release Date: June 29, 2014

Join Terrence O’Hanlon in a guest lecture that was part of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Engineering, Advanced Safety Engineering and Management for a discussion about ISO 55000 Managing System for Asset Management.

Journey to Maintenance Excellence

by Marc Begijn

After 48 years, Volvo Cars Gent received an award from the Belgian Maintenance Association (BEMAS) for the continuous efforts in its maintenance department. As the maintenance manager, I received the title of “Maintenance Manager of the Year 2013.” Here is why our maintenance achievements attracted the attention of the non-profit organization for maintenance professionals.

Leadership for Reliability

Leadership in Maintenance - Practical Implementation of Work Order [Back] Logs

I interviewed a mine operations manager in Newcastle, Australia, who said, "I have no idea what work orders or reliability improvements have been finished in the past week or which ones will be ...

Vendor Selection and Performance Evaluation: Building Successful Reliability Partnerships

by Ward Bond

In the mind of an average layperson, reliability is most likely a concept comprised of the predictable, continuous function of a system or repeatable action. When I joined my company’s reliability team, I learned that the reliability of an asset can impact our company’s overall operations. Our Greenfield, Indiana, site is made up of multiple business units, occupying approximately one million square feet. Each business unit has a group of functions and a unique list of support requirements that are critical to its continuous operation. Our reliability team supports the function of these critical systems by working with our shops and craftspeople to facilitate those needs. As a layperson myself, it is because I am part of that group that I have really begun to understand what reliability truly is. I have also learned that the reliability of critical systems can be very different in scope, yet have the same expectation of reliable performance. It is with this concept in mind that we developed a process for managing the reliability of contracted services.

MMI Unveils New Video

Michigan Manufacturing International (MMI) is pleased to announce the recent unveiling of their new capabilities video. As part of the company’s continuing efforts to grow and expand, the video was shot in the brand new headquarters facility in Stevensville, Maryland and highlights MMI’s high-tech manufacturing equipment and spacious warehouse.

Operator Care Course Promotes World-Class Performance and TPM Best Practices

Life Cycle Engineering, Inc. (LCE) today announced that it will offer an Operator Care course through its education entity, the Life Cycle Institute. The course will empower participants to improve operational stability through Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and autonomous maintenance best practices. The course was developed in response to a rising demand for autonomous maintenance practices that improve organizational performance.

operational excellence

5 of the Most Helpful Lean Manufacturing Tools

5S Methods Enhance Green Manufacturing