Lean Manufacturing: Commonly Asked Questions
Lean Manufacturing Questions Answered Implementing a Lean manufacturing strategy in your facility can be a great way to eliminate waste and improve overall efficiency. While the general concept of this methodology is not overly complicated, there is a lot that people need to know. The following are some of the more frequently asked questions regarding…
Tony Ferraro | November 25, 2015 | Lean | Lean Manufacturing
PDCA Cycle Tips
Useful Tips to Help Implement PDCA One of the most effective ways to implement changes in a facility is by using the PDCA cycle. PDCA, which stands for Plan Do Check Act is a system that has been used for years by many different types of industries. It is simple enough to use that it…
Tony Ferraro | November 17, 2015 | Lean | Continuous Improvement, Facility Efficiency, Gemba, Kaizen, Lean Manufacturing
Gemba Walk for Shipping and Receiving
Have you Completed a Gemba Walk in Shipping and Receiving? When thinking about gemba walks most companies immediately start thinking about the manufacturing floor. While this is certainly a key area where gemba walks can be completed, it is not the only option. In fact, it is not even the first place that should come to…
Tony Ferraro | November 12, 2015 | Gemba | 5S, Facility Efficiency, Forklift Safety, Gemba
Industrial Label Printer for Manufacturing
Are You Looking for an Industrial Label Printer for Your Manufacturing Facility? When running a manufacturing facility it is important that you have all the right equipment available to get the job done properly. While every facility is unique and will require different types of equipment, one thing almost every manufacturing facility needs is an…
Tony Ferraro | November 10, 2015 | Safety Products | Barcoding, Equipment Labeling, Labeling, Organized Workplace, Regulations & Compliance, Safety, Safety Signs
Kaizen Tips from My Personal Experience
Implementing Kaizen from My Experience Continuous improvement in the way a facility or entire company works is the heart of Kaizen. While the concept is fairly simple, the implementation can be extremely difficult. Even when companies begin using Kaizen strategies for a time, they often end up losing momentum and falling back into old habits.…
Tony Ferraro | October 30, 2015 | Kaizen | Kaizen
5S Products that Work
Proven 5S Products that Work When attempting to implement or improve a 5S strategy in a facility you will undoubtedly find that there are many different products out there that claim to effectively address 5S challenges. While many of them are great, others really just don’t get the job done. Using ineffective 5S products is…
Tony Ferraro | October 27, 2015 | Product Spotlight | 5S
How to Establish the Lean Supply Chain
Understanding the Basics of Lean Supply Chain Many companies and individual facilities have implemented LEAN techniques into their daily processes, and have gotten great results. When looking for ways to take that success to the next level, consider establishing a lean supply chain to further eliminate waste and improve efficiency within virtually any company. A Lean…
Tony Ferraro | October 22, 2015 | Lean | Facility Efficiency, Kanban, Lean Manufacturing
Safety Signs – OSHA’s Standards and Specifications
Reviewing Safety Signs Standards and Specifications Safety signs are one of the simplest, yet most effective safety improvement options you can use for your facility. These signs are affordable, easy to get and can convey almost any message you need quickly and easily. They fall in the category of ‘visual communication’ as well, which is…
Tony Ferraro | October 7, 2015 | Safety Products | Fire Safety, OSHA, Regulations & Compliance, Safety, Safety Signs
Removing Painted Floor Markings – Tips and Tricks
How to Remove Painted Floor Markings Painted floor markings can be an effective way to convey a message within a facility. In the even that you no longer need these markings or you want to make adjustments to them, however, you may run into trouble. This is because removing painted floor markings can be surprisingly…
Tony Ferraro | October 2, 2015 | Floor Marking | Facility Marking, Floor Marking, Floor Paint, Safety
6S or 5S – The Great Debate
6S or 5S – Which side of the fence are you on? 6S is seen by many as the ‘next step’ in the evolution of workplace waste elimination and efficiency improvement. As with any type of change, however, there are also some people who are resistant to the idea. Those who have adopted the 5S…
Tony Ferraro | September 29, 2015 | 5S | 5S, 6S, Facility Efficiency, Regulations & Compliance, Safety, Tool Organization, Workplace Safety
OSHA Spill Kit Requirements and Tips
Understanding OSHA’s Spill Kit Requirements Most facilities have some type of chemicals or other things that are dangerous, yet necessary for getting specific jobs done. Most of the time these products are used without any problem, but in the event of a spill it is important to be able to get them contained and cleaned…
Tony Ferraro | September 23, 2015 | Safety Products | OSHA, Regulations & Compliance, Safety, Spill Cleanup
Kaizen Continuous Improvement – Ten Tips
Ten Tips to Help You with Your Kaizen Continuous Improvement Strategy The Kaizen methodology encourages ongoing efforts to ensure continuous improvement throughout a facility. This improvement can come in many forms including waste elimination, improved efficiency, safer work environments and much more. To simply say that a facility is employing Kaizen strategies, is essentially meaningless…
Tony Ferraro | September 21, 2015 | Kaizen | 5S, 6S, Continuous Improvement, Facility Efficiency, Kaizen, Six Sigma
Kanban System Basics for Manufacturing
Introduction to Kanban for Manufacturing If you are looking for a way to reduce waste in your facility, the Kanban methodology might be the perfect solution. Kanban was developed by the Toyota Corporation and has since been used by thousands of manufacturing companies around the world. The effectiveness of this system is well-established from a…
Tony Ferraro | September 10, 2015 | Kanban | Kanban
Pipe Marking Saves Lives
Pipe Marking and Your Employees When someone is talking about pipe markings the conversation typically is focused on why they are important for regulatory compliance or for convenience or even to improve general safety. When it comes right down to it, however, pipe markings are important because they save lives. This isn’t an exaggeration or sales…
Tony Ferraro | September 4, 2015 | Safety Solutions | Pipe Marking
Gemba Walk for Manufacturing
Introducing Gemba Walk in a Manufacturing Environment Gemba walks are becoming a very popular and effective way for facility management and other key areas to learn more about what goes on within the facility. Gemba, which simply means ‘the real place’ or ‘where the action is’ shows those who don’t normally do a specific task how…
Tony Ferraro | September 2, 2015 | Gemba | 5S, Gemba, Lean Manufacturing