Comparison Of Lean And Six Sigma Approach

Lean Six Sigma concepts were introduced in the book titled Leaning into Six Sigma: The Path to Integration of Lean Enterprise and Six Sigma (Lean Six Sigma). Lean Six Sigma methodologies combine lean manufacturing and Six Sigma strategies to rely on improved performance from a collective team effort that systematically reduces variation and removes seven kinds of waste, known as Muda. Muda includes any unnecessary motion, transport, wait time, inappropriate processing, excess inventory, overproduction, and defects (Lean Six Sigma). Furthermore, Lean Six Sigma methods aim to provide customers with the best possible quality, cost, and delivery (ASQ.org, n.d.). In all, Lean Six Sigma is a business performance improvement strategy that uses a systematic approach to improving the way people advance processes. Its methodologies allow for systematically enriched processes to satisfy the customer and make money. Simply put, Lean Six Sigma as a business enhancer, ingrained with tools and techniques people can use to learn how to improve their processes (iSixSigma,

Successful deployment of Lean Six Sigma is often considered a function of the inputs with those being shown below in figure 1.1. As the companies are evaluated keep in mind those critical X’s are often evaluated as the function Y = f(X) or Outputs = f(Inputs). In other words by controlling the inputs an organization can predict the output of the Lean Six Sigma implementation. This point is key when evaluating the difference between successful and not-so-successful implementations.

Lean production and Six Sigma help a company to make the production and the workers work more efficient. The processes allow different types of programs to be put in place to ensure the workers and the production process operate at the optimal levels. The processes ensure that each element of the production and looks at each step to ensure that the process is working in a more efficient way (Wisner , Tan, & Leong, 2012).

Lean Six Sigma combines Lean’s time-focused waste-elimination philosophy to dynamic analytical problem solving toolkit of Six Sigma.

Lean Six Sigma is a combination of two business-improvement systems, Lean and Six Sigma. Lean refers to the reduction of waste, or the elimination of unnecessary steps to increase speed and productivity. Six Sigma is the reduction of variance to improve system performance. Ultimately, the depot’s bottom line is a process that frequently produces a high-quality product, on time and within or below established budgets, so that equipment can be returned to the Warfighter quickly and at the lowest possible cost to the taxpayer.

The Lean Six Sigma looks for ways on how to eliminate defects. In healthcare, a defect can be the difference between life and death. The Lean Six Sigma is used to improve patient safety by eliminating life-threatening errors. Lean Six Sigma uses a five-step approach to process improvement called the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC). The DMAIC is an approach that is a data-driven quality strategy used to improve processes (ASQ, n.d.). The first phase, the define phase, is where the leaders would define the problem and begin to understand the needs of the customers. This is an important phase of the Lean Six Sigma because this is where the team would outline of their efforts for themselves and the leaders of the organization (goLEANSIXSIGMA.com,

An integration of the two approaches and a general focus on process innovation regardless of the origin of the tools and approaches would be more productive. Lean and Six Sigma have complementary strengths that are useful for systematically developing healthcare service innovations. An integrated Lean-Six Sigma approach incorporates the organizational infrastructure and the thorough diagnosis and analysis tools of Six Sigma with Lean analysis tools and best-practice solutions for problems dealing with waste and unnecessary time

Six Sigma, Lean, and Kaizen are all strategies that hold their roots in business for the positive improvement of functions for particular entities. These strategies are unique in their global applicability and specific processes and yet similar with regard to the manner in which they are structured. They can be applied to improve processes for anything from large scale manufacturing to something as simple as gardening. The purpose of this paper is to introduce these individual strategies and then illustrate the similarities and differences among them.

Lean Six Sigma approach is recognized widely and has been implemented predominately in manufacturing rather than other industries. To illustrate the point, this paper draws attention to the adoption of Lean Six Sigma in various industries with a case study. The combination of Lean tools and Six Sigma methodology is used to improve the process and quality by eliminating the variations and creating workflow in a process. The hypothesis of this study was that the Six Sigma technique can be used along with lean tools in order to improve process and quality in any area of industries. The review of case study discovered the use of

Global trends are changing on a seemingly daily basis. Global economies are weakening and some companies are discouraged by the condition of terror threats that are occurring. These threats are changing the spending behavior of the average customer. Not only is the customer not purchasing because of the economy, but businesses face the threat of shipments not being secure or not arriving in a timely manner. To lower cost, and increase benefits, the lean Six Sigma approach will benefit companies by improving strategies and tactics.

This essay is going to analyze a case study based on lean thinking principles and techniques. It is could divide in four significant parts. First, to outline the definitions of Lean manufacturing philosophy and applied the strategies to achieving, next create future state Value Stream Map, Furthermore justification Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques, which would appropriate, and critically discussed the key successful should his idea to the Evenort Company.

This phase of six sigma improvement process essentially answers one critical question; “What problem would you like to fix?” In this case the primary business objective is to predict the stresses and warp of the specimen with varying factor levels. Also the primary objective is to make use of computer simulations to predict the stress as this would lower the cost of actual production cost. The team uses design and analysis of computer experiments (DACE) to predict the stress caused by the laser welding process.

Elaborate how Kanban, Kaizen, Takt time and Statistical process control can aid in improving Lean 6 Sigma operations.

Nave D. ( 2002) has compared Lean, Six Sigma and Theory of Constraints and described essence of these methodologies in following

Lean and Six Sigma, both are different words or we can say two powerful methodology which changed the view of the manufacturer to the customer. Lean Six Sigma pleased customer with manufacturers over the years by its implementation of various industries. Today, almost all industries have adapted Lean Six Sigma methodology to make standard quality products. I personally feel proud and fortune as I am able to consume quality products at present because of hard work of my past generation’s Quality engineers, mathematics and statisticians. In the remembrance of these great minds I would like to discuss about origins of Lean Six Sigma origins of statistical tools.