Product Description

Lean manufacturing is not a collection of best practices from which manufacturers can pick and choose. It is a production philosophy, a way of conceptualizing the manufacturing process from raw material to finished goods and from design concept to customer satisfaction. The tremendous benefits of lean manufacturing are realized when a lean strategy is used to support well-conceived business goals. Running Today's Factory synthesizes lean manufacturing into a concise and coherent strategy for manufacturing managers. The philosophies and principles presented are reinforced with examples from the author's research and consulting work. Common obstacles and barriers that may be encountered in a lean environment are discussed, and both intuitive and mathematical proofs are provided to illustrate why lean philosophies can transform modern manufacturing. After reading Running Today's Factory, you'll understand why Lean is truly a different way of thinking about manufacturing. Co-published by Society of Manufacturing Engineers and Hanser Gardner.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1304142 in Books
• Published on: 1999-10-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 293 pages

Customer Reviews

At Last !
Running Today's Factory is the best book written so far regarding the actual application of Lean Manufacturing concepts to the shop floor. In a well written and entertaining manner, it allows the reader to understand the somewhat counter-intuitive aspects of Lean Manufacturing by explaining both the simple mathematical proof and then the antedotal examples behind the theory. Running Today's Factory also illustrates with many practical examples how to apply Lean theory consistently to the day to day situations we encounter. There have been far too many antedotal articles and books written that gloss over the fundimentals. Running Today's Factory is a great book about logically applying Lean Manufacturing concepts with understanding and confidence.

Strategy? Not in this book
This book lists the many problems we see in manufacturing, but to entitle the book "A proven strategy for lean manufacturing" is quite a stretch. For anybody who has been involved in Industrial Engineering or manufacturing for many years, this book will be yet another which lists known problems without describing a strategy for addressing these problems.

I question whether a degree in Anthropology is the best back ground to write a book in manufacturing strategy.

Evidences of Lean's Power
While the word 'strategy' appears in the subtitle of this book, it never promises to present an implementation strategy or a blueprint. The book dubs lean a 'proven strategy', and it goes on to present evidences (historical roots followed by logical and mathematical proofs) of many lean tools.

I tend to prefer the earlier books on what is now called 'lean', such as those of Shigeo Shingo. This is one of the relatively few recent books that has some real meat. It is not a light read, but it was an enjoyable and educational read. Anyone who wants to add more depth to their lean understanding should appreciate this Shingo Prize-Winning Book.