Lean System

According to our textbook, we can know that "Lean systems is a systematic production method which focuses on minimize the useless effort and creates the largest value for final customer. "

There are 8 types of waste always appear in the lean system.

1. Overproduction: Producing items before it is needed.
2. Inappropriate Processing: Wasting the utility of equipments, labors or other factors during the process. For example, using a high technology equipment to do simple work.
3. Waiting: Additional waiting time during the process, such as delivery person keeps the food waiting instead of giving it to the customer as soon as possible.
4. Transportation: Unnecessary movement to a place.
5. Motion: Unnecessary actions, such as lifting.
6. Inventory: Inventory cost, such as extra store space and covering problems.
7. Defects: A process needs to rework on it.
8. Underutilized of Employees: Not use all of employees’ skills.

Process level and supply chain level are two different aspects we will discuss about the strategic characteristics of lean system. Consider creating and managing material flows in a supply chain, close supplier ties and small lot sizes are 2 outstanding characteristics of lean systems.

1. Close supplier ties: Suppliers are willing to deliver the items as soon as they are needed.
2. Small lot sizes: Ordering small amount of products for manufacturing. Using small size of batch in order to take less time to switch to another model.

However, there are more characteristics when we analyzing another aspect.

1. Pull method of workflow: Keeping low inventory, basicly is using made to order method.
2. Quality at the source: Jidoka: Fixing problems during the process in order to produce less scraps; Poka-Yoke: Designing the process in a way that mistakes cannot happen.
3. Uniform workstation loads: Avoiding unnecessary waiting time during the process, such as using reservation at hospital.
4. Standardized Components and Work Methods: Finding a best way of the process and trying to keep using it instead change it too often. It gains a lot efficiencies.
5. Flexible workforce: Fewer employees are trained at higher level. They have many skills and can do many types of tasks.
6. Automation: Using equipments instead of many workforce.
7. Five S (5S): Sort, straighten, shine, standardize and sustain.
8. Total preventive maintenance (TPM): Checking equipments regularly to prevent the process from mistakes.

Pull method of workflow is an obvious characteristic that China Star has. Fresh is an important property when customer judging the food. Different people have different interests of food. Based these two main reasons and China Star is a restaurant, which means it cannot keep high inventory. Made-to-order method has to be it’s producing method. Furthermore, China Star is a small business just located outside our campus and labor cost is the most heavy burden for it. Flexible workforce is another remarkable characteristic for it. There are less than 5 full time employees in China Star and the register person also can do the delivery work and waiter’s work. This is resulted from that most of works in China Star are not special skill needed. In addition, standardized components and work methods also can identify as a characteristic of China Star. Standardized menu and recipes are used by it. Finally, we also can see Poka-Yoke which belongs to quality at the source as a characteristic of China Star. The manager put food picture stickers on the register machine in order to avoid order wrong food for customer.