Posts Tagged ‘Lean manufacturing’
Continuous Improvement double take: the shakeout in shakeout
Continuous Improvement is, by definition, a never-ending process. At The C.A. Lawton Co., as with all CI organizations, the mindset of this philosophy becomes part of the culture. Every team member is trained and prepared to participate in improvement events. The week of May 18-22, 2020, the Lawton team embarked on a very ambitious kaizen…
Read MoreLawton’s All Employee Training 2020
The C.A. Lawton Co. held its annual training day on Friday, March 6, 2020. This training day is an opportunity for the company to update all employees on required safety and environmental issues as well as provide other specialized instruction. The training day is a focused, full day event. Each employee was scheduled to participate…
Read MoreMetals Engineer in Germany uses Lawton to inspire employees to go LEAN
Guest post by: Daniel Ribeiro da Silva, Materials Engineering, Metallurgist and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt As a typical Foundryman, I am passionate about the foundry environment and the metallurgy science behind the castings’ manufacturing process. This inspiration also comes from my father, who has worked for more than 40 years in the foundry business.…
Read MoreThe history of Lean – part 4
During the 20th century, the concept of Lean became a worldwide phenomenon from an unlikely source: a small Japanese loom manufacturer that would become one of the world’s most well-known and respected auto manufacturers: Toyota. Through the Toyota Production System (TPS), the Japanese automaker molded ideas for making improvements into the concept of lean. Toyota…
Read MoreThe history of Lean – part 3
The 1900s were a pivotal time in the history of Lean. It was during this era that the Gilbreths introduced the idea of process analysis and process mapping. Frederick W. Taylor introduced the concept of scientific management to further streamline manufacturing processes. And Henry Ford built upon these ideas to mass produce affordable automobiles. Although…
Read MoreThe history of Lean – part 2
Since the 1400s, innovators like Jean Baptiste Vaquette de Gribeauval, Honoré Blanc and Eli Whitney have developed new ways to eliminate waste in manufacturing. By reducing waste, processes become Lean and manufacturers are able to meet and sustain higher quality standards more safely and efficiently. Although Whitney, Ford, and Toyota are commonly credited for the…
Read MoreThe history of Lean – part 1
Although many people believe the concept of Lean originated with Henry Ford and Toyota in the 1900s, its roots can actually be traced back to Venice in the 1450s. Lean is a concept or way of thinking that focuses on eliminating waste and streamlining processes to save time, space, materials and money. Its name comes…
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