Lean Manufacturing Enterprise Tech Group

This group offers an important gateway to lean improvement through SME. We discuss, explore and advance lean across the enterprise by bringing members with common interests together to share knowledge and create problem-solving resources. Join the group, contact one of the tech group advisors or join the virtual group of the same name in SME's Lean Registry to get more involved with learning by doing together.

Tech Group Links What is lean manufacturing? Our advisors How you can help Resources Join this tech group Join SME Other tech communities SME member benefits

Tech Group Strategy

At SME's 2009 Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Paul Demers from VMEC and
Dan Fleming from GBMP led a members-only workshop where he presented the following resources:

Leveraging a Lean Tool to Get the Right Things Done
Information & Presentations

	A3 Session Resource List (PDF)
	Leveraging a Lean Tool to Get the Right Things Done: PDCA and A3 Thinking (PDF)
	Leveraging a Lean Tool: Part 2 (PDF)

Templates & Samples

	X-matrix Template (MS Excel)
	Anyorg Inc. X-matrix Sample (PDF)
	VSM Action Plan Template (MS Excel)
	ABC Instrument – VSM Example (PDF)
	A3 Sample Chapter Spreadsheet Template (MS Excel)

Together Demers and Fleming showed how a volunteer group, chapter or company could assess: what they really want to accomplish, why and how to develop shared agreement and ownership for the endeavor. As you can see from the A3 Session Resources List (PDF), they used many excellent resources on the subject including many from our friends at Lean Enterprise Institute. LEI's John Shock provided excellent guidance in the early planning stages. The best way we can really appreciate this excellent volunteer help is to do something with it that will in turn help others on their lean journey. We experienced this of success from our earlier work in developing SME's Lean Certification program.

Strategy-Building Summary

The Lean Nation radio show debuted November 9, 2009, at 4:00 p.m. on 790AM (Rhode Island) Talk and Business! Host Karl Wadensten and the Vibration Nation Team at VIBCO in Rhode Island share some great insight with listeners on their lean journey. The show airs weekdays from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is an optimistic discussion that showcases how innovation, change and a true understanding of "lean business" can help you to weather any economic climate. Rhode Islanders can tune in to 790AM; everyone else can listen online. You can also get the latest show updates and participate in discussions by becoming a fan of the show on Facebook.

Want to participate in the show? Call 401.437.5000 or 888.345.0790 to talk to Karl Wadensten live on the air. You can also check out the show's sponsors at 790Business.com.

Wadensten was a recent presenter at the NE Shingo Prize Conference and in the Lean & Green Resource Center at EASTEC 2009, although the PDF of Wadensten's presentation only provides a glimpse of the excitement he brought to the conference.

Lean Webinars

AME 2009 Virtual Lean Conference Presentations — Available Now!

Dan McDonnell Manager, Lean Initiative GE Transportation

In his presentation, McDonnell discusses "Transforming 100 Year-old Culture" and draws on his experiences at GE Transportation. He has been a passionate volunteer leader for AME and lean practitioner for many years. This recorded session is very powerful and worth sharing with your team. Special thanks to AME for making this resource readily available.

Lean Certification

Panasonic Adds SME's Lean Manufacturing Certification to its Credentials

Review Courses

Take the free quiz.

Training Within Industry – "Featured Methodology"

You can use TWI methodology wherever you need to teach people to quickly learn to do a job: correctly, safely and conscientiously. TWI takes us away from command and control "scientific management" to "management by science." Standards are set — as bases of comparison — and used as baselines for improvement now.

You can use TWI to ensure problem solving is embedded in daily work and structured improvement. This method creates a productive workplace environment where people are treated as individuals yet work together as a team, where jobs are performed the standard way by all operators and where problem solving is embedded in the work. TWI is not a "silver bullet" and requires disciplined deployment. It can start with you if developing the competence of your people is really important. More

TWI Resources

	Problem Solving with TWI: Job Instruction for Semiconductor Manufacturing at IBM (PDF)
	Training Within Industry DVD
	Green Mountain No. 204
	Training Within Industry Wikipedia

Lean Activities

	Chapter lean tours, technical sessions and monthly meetings
	Consortia in Manufacturing (PDF)
	Toronto No. 26: Human Side of Lean Special Tech Group