The Application Study On Lean Production In Kautex Changchun

In recent years, some well-known international companies in the world started to learn from Toyota Company, and implement their own production system by learning and customizing. In addition, some domestic companies started to learn Toyota Production System as well. The result is that some of them succeeded in learning and implementing lean production system, and the others only achieved less success and even finally gave up the Lean production system and look for other good solution for their companies.Due to the market pressure and the needs out of the company management, Kautex Changchun started to introduce and implement the Lean Production since April, 2006. Later a Lean leadership Team was setup led by the certified Black Belt. The team consists of all department managers (Certified Green Belt or Green Belt Candidate) and colleagues related. It is lucky for me to be one member of the Lean Production Leadership team, I am not only responsible for the element assigned to me and also fully involved into the overall implementation in Kautex Changchun together with the team.Kautex Changchun had obtained some achievement in some Lean Production Elements already focused on after more than 1 year introduction and implementation of Lean Production. However, some findings also were observed. Hope provide the leassons learned on the implementation of Lean production in Kautex Changchun by summarizing and studying the implementation of Lean Production and hope share the experiences and learn from each other.The soul of Lean production is to eliminate all unnecessary wastes. Kautex Changchun performed a series of Kaizen workshops related to Lean elements during implementing Lean Production. All the participants are from different function and different positions. So far the Lean activities conducted are Value Stream Mapping, 5S, Standardized work, Visual Management, Autonomation, Mistake-Proofing, SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die, Continuous Flow, Production Leveling, Flexible Manpower system and TPM as well. It was found out during implementing Lean Production that all Lean elements are not isolated, but correlated. Lean Production is a system which is based on a company culture that develops to support Lean production, respect for people and continuously pursue Excellence and devoted to be a leaning company.It was observed during implementing Lean Production that there were no Lean thinking considered for some of the components being used in production line since the launch of the new product project, for example, if the purchased parts are common ones and if they are ease of assembly, handling and packaging? Secondly, No Lean thinking was focused on the machine/equipments during launch phase, at this stage, for example, no autonomation, Mistake-proofing and cycle time between machines/equipments was considered. Furthermore, during the layout of new product line, Value stream thinking, ergonomics were not considered enough. Therefore I think that Lean thinking needs to be started/involved as earlier as possible as far as one new project is concerned, that is to say that we need to apply the Lean thinking at earlier stages of one new product, such as Lean R & D, Lean Product design, Lean Equipment design, Lean Production line design and Lean Plant design. Thus we could identify and eliminate the defects and wastes as earlier as possible. And the production line will be a inborn Lean process. Of course, Lean thinking also could be applied in other function with the organization, such as Lean Supply Chain, Lean Office etc.