Lean Machines for World-Class Manufacturing and Maintenance

by Robert M. Williamson

Lean Machines for World-Class Manufacturing and Maintenance started out as a decade-long quest for world-class simplicity. This led to my first book, Visual Systems for Improving Equipment Effectiveness,  in 1998, ahora disponibles en español. World-class simplicity resulted in common sense, but not common practice, solutions to equipment communications. Since equipment communications has evolved to software-driven logic controlling the obvious, visual communications without equipment has become even more important. By applying and using visuals on the equipment, we are able to communicate proper operating and maintenance information visually at the point of use. Visuals also provide reminders of important specifications that were learned in training. Visuals applied to machines, equipment, and processes remove much of the guesswork often associated with operations and maintenance.

Visuals result in equipment that is significantly easier to operate, easier to maintain, and easier to inspect and troubleshoot. Visuals have also shown that equipment-specific training can be reduced by 60 to 80 percent. All of this results in eliminating human error and improving efficiency and effectiveness.

This edition launches the next level of world-class simplicity for modern manufacturing and maintenance. We have collected and explained proven methods for simplifying the interactions between people and machines. Consistent with the principles of Lean Manufacturing, this book emphasizes techniques that eliminate many of the equipment-related wastes in the workplace. If we can apply and use the visuals and minor modifications in the context of Lean, we will be able to reduce operating, manufacturing, and maintenance costs. This book contains hundreds of hints and tips that will improve equipment effectiveness and simplify work.

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