Sorry, no posts matched your criteria.
Hi Sismanity! 👋
Have you ever felt like you’re wasting time just running back and forth looking for something you forgot to bring? Or perhaps you’ve cooked too much and ended up leaving some of the food uneaten? At first glance, these things seem trivial. However, if they happen repeatedly, the wasted time, energy, and money can add up to significant amounts.
In the industrial world, a similar condition is known as waste. Interestingly, waste doesn’t just refer to garbage piled up in landfills. In manufacturing, waste is any activity that consumes resources but doesn’t add value to customers [1]. This is one of the key concepts in Lean Manufacturing, an approach that aims to create more efficient work processes by reducing various forms of waste.
The concept of Lean Manufacturing is heavily influenced by the Toyota Production System (TPS), a production system developed by Toyota to produce high-quality products with more effective use of resources [2]. In TPS, waste is known as the Japanese term Muda, which means activities that should be reduced or even eliminated because they do not provide added value [1].
Understanding the 7 Types of Muda
Taiichi Ohno, one of the figures behind the Toyota Production System, categorized Muda into seven main types of waste, which are still used as a reference by many companies worldwide [1].
1. Overproduction
Overproduction occurs when a company produces goods in greater quantities or faster than customers need. As a result, products must be stored longer and potentially go unsold. Imagine printing hundreds of copies of meeting materials only to find that only a few people attend.
2. Waiting
Waiting is the time when humans, machines, or materials are unable to work because they are waiting for another process to complete. For example, operators must wait for raw materials to arrive before production can begin, or customers must wait in long lines because the service system is not ready [2].
3. Transportation
Moving goods repeatedly without adding value to the product is also waste. For example, raw materials must pass through several warehouses before finally reaching the production area. In addition to being time-consuming, excessive movement also increases the risk of damage to goods [3].
4. Overprocessing
This waste occurs when a product is processed more complexly than necessary. Examples include performing the same inspection repeatedly or using high-tech machinery for a simple job that could have been completed with a more efficient method [2].
5. Inventory
Having stock is important, but too much inventory can actually be wasteful. Excess inventory requires storage space, maintenance costs, and risks spoiling or expiring before it can be used [4].
6. Motion
Motion refers to avoidable body movements. For example, workers must constantly bend, twist, or walk long distances just to retrieve work tools. Although seemingly simple, these repetitive movements can reduce productivity and increase fatigue [1].
7. Defects
Defective products must be repaired or even discarded, requiring additional time, effort, and expense. An example is a component manufactured to the wrong size that must be remade before being shipped to a customer [2].
Fun Fact 💡
Did you know? Lean Manufacturing principles are currently used not only in automotive factories. Various organizations such as hospitals, logistics companies, banks, and even government agencies are also implementing Lean concepts to reduce non-value-added activities and improve service quality [3]. Even at Toyota, simple activities like walking too far to get work tools are considered wasteful and need to be addressed through more efficient work area organization [1].
Start recognizing waste around us. It turns out that waste can be found everywhere, not just on the production floor. When studying, for example, we might waste time because we are often distracted or have to search for messy notes. When cooking, buying too many ingredients and ultimately throwing them away is also a form of waste. Even when working on assignments, redoing work due to lack of thoroughness from the start is an example of waste. By recognizing various forms of waste, we can start working smarter, not just harder. That’s why Lean Manufacturing principles remain relevant today. Not only do they help companies become more productive and efficient, but they also teach us to use time, energy, and resources more wisely in our daily lives.
Writer: Andika Putra Pamungkas
Editor: Brian Arga Prasidio Putra
Reference
[1] Taiichi Ohno, Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production. Productivity Press.
[2] Jeffrey K. Liker, The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World’s Greatest Manufacturer. McGraw-Hill.
[3] Lean Enterprise Institute, “What is Lean?”, https://www.lean.org/.
[4] Toyota Motor Corporation, “Toyota Production System”, https://global.toyota/en/company/vision-and-philosophy/production-system/.
Check out the full news on our social media:
Website: https://www.its.ac.id/tindustri/laboratorium-sistem-manufaktur/ Instagram: @sismanity LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/manufacturing-systems-laboratory YouTube: SISMANITY ITS
