Best Practices for Advanced Manufacturing Techniques

Manufacturing Leaders Love Talking About Lean—But Who’s Actually Doing It? Everyone loves to talk about Lean. Lean principles. Lean thinking. Lean transformation. But when it’s time to make real changes—where does all that talk go? I’ve seen it too many times: A company maps its value stream, holds a big workshop, talks about reducing waste… and then? Nothing. The shop floor stays the same. Cycle times don’t improve. Bottlenecks remain bottlenecks. Why? Because real Lean isn’t about PowerPoint slides or whiteboard exercises. It’s about getting your hands dirty and fixing what’s broken. It means making practical, real-world changes—not just talking about them in meetings. Here’s what actually moves the needle: ✅ Cutting redundant inspections only where it makes sense, not blindly eliminating quality checks. ✅ Moving tools closer without disrupting ergonomics or safety. ✅ Automating material flow where volume justifies the investment, not just for the sake of automation. ✅ Reducing lead time by fixing scheduling bottlenecks, not just tweaking processes that aren’t the real problem. ✅ Managing inventory to avoid both excess and shortages, instead of forcing a one-size-fits-all JIT approach. ✅ Standardizing work only where it helps, while keeping flexibility where needed. ✅ Fixing quality at the source but making sure operators have the training to do it right. ✅ Empowering frontline workers with real authority to improve processes, not just asking for their “input.” ✅ Synchronizing production with demand without creating unrealistic targets that break the system. ✅ Using real-time data that’s actually useful for decision-making, not just flooding dashboards with numbers no one acts on. Lean isn’t about buzzwords. It’s about execution. The best manufacturers don’t just talk about Lean. They live it. They enforce it. They make it happen. They do VST (Value Stream Transformation), not just VSM! - If it’s not executed, it’s not Lean. ♻️Repost to lead real change!

The Japanese didn't just give us cars and electronics... They gave us a mindset that transformed manufacturing worldwide. Here are 7 concepts every CI leader should master: 改善 KAIZEN → Continuous improvement → Small changes, big impact → Example: Toyota's suggestion system generates 40+ ideas per employee yearly からくり KARAKURI → Mechanical automation using simple devices → No electricity, just clever engineering → Example: Gravity-fed parts delivery systems 無理 MURI → Overburden/unreasonableness → Pushing beyond capacity → Example: Running machines at 110% speed = breakdowns 無駄 MUDA → Waste in all forms → 8 types: Transport, Inventory, Motion, Waiting, Overproduction, Overprocessing, Defects, Skills → Example: Walking to get tools = Motion waste むら MURA → Unevenness/variability → Inconsistent flow → Example: Batch production vs. continuous flow 現地現物 GENCHI GENBUTSU → Go and see for yourself → Real place, real thing → Example: Executives spending time on shop floor 標準作業 HYOJUN SAGYOU → Standard work → Best known method → Example: Documented work instructions with time and sequence These aren't just tools. They're a philosophy. Master the mindset, and the methods follow. *** Liked this? Repost & follow me Angad S. for more!

As headhunters, we are witnessing how leaders in the manufacturing industry are thriving in their decision-making under pressure by implementing the following recommendations: Embrace IoT for Predictive Maintenance: Implementing the Internet of Things (IoT) in manufacturing operations, as seen with General Electric, enables predictive maintenance, reducing downtime and enhancing efficiency. Utilize AI for Quality Control: Adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) for tasks like quality control, like BMW's use of AI for assembly line analysis, leads to more accurate and faster decision-making processes. Leverage Big Data for Supply Chain Optimization: Companies like Cisco Systems demonstrate how big data can optimize supply chain management, allowing manufacturers to respond swiftly to changes and disruptions. Incorporate 3D Printing for Rapid Prototyping: Utilizing 3D printing technology, as Ford does, speeds up the prototyping process, enabling quicker decision-making and reducing time to market. Use Digital Twins for Testing and Simulation: As Siemens does, implementing digital twins for product and process simulation can significantly enhance decision-making efficiency and accuracy. Implement Real-Time Dashboards for Operational Insight: Integrating real-time dashboards, like Tesla, offers immediate operational insights, aiding faster and more informed decision-making. Adapt JIT Philosophy for SMEs: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) should consider adopting Just-In-Time (JIT) strategies with adjustments for scale, as demonstrated by ABC Manufacturing, to enhance efficiency and responsiveness. Build Robust Local Supplier Networks: Like ABC Manufacturing, SMEs can benefit from developing strong local supplier relationships to reduce dependency and increase supply chain resilience. Adopt Flexible Production Strategies: Incorporating flexible production strategies allows companies to respond rapidly to market changes, a crucial aspect for SMEs in JIT implementation. Commit to Continuous Improvement and Feedback: As practiced by ABC Manufacturing, regular process reviews and incorporating feedback are essential for adapting and refining strategies and ensuring continuous improvement in decision-making processes. The following article provides a holistic approach to leaders’ decision-making under pressure in the manufacturing sector, emphasizing the importance of digital integration, agility, and strategic partnerships in navigating modern manufacturing challenges. #decisionmaking #topnotchfinders #sanfordrose

Additive Manufacturing Industry: Another posting on advancement in Additive Manufacturing. A visible example you can perform yourself of why new post-processing procedures are needed to advance the Additive Manufacturing Industry. When an AM metal or polymer part is cut in half following conventional post-processing methods, including chemical finishing for polymers, it reveals imperfections and porosity both on the surface and internally throughout the part. This is in contrast to a visual examination after dividing a traditionally manufactured component. Cutting a subtractive piece from the same material will illustrate high integrity material characteristics. Post-processing in Additive Manufacturing needs to meet or achieve the same material integrity and performance as it has in conventional components to move forward, meeting today's standards and the adoption of OEMs To meet manufacturing standards in Additives, following clear quality objectives and criteria, implement robust quality control measures, conduct regular audits, monitor processes, and maintain a clean, controlled environment. These are the common practices of conventional finishing companies through process development, and through reverse engineering of conventional post-process methods, high integrity material properties are achieved. With the achievement of the Additive Components that match the material performance of conventional manufacturing, today's testing and quality controls can be implemented. 1. Embrace new Technology: Consider adding some spark to your processes by investing in advanced manufacturing technologies and automation. It can boost productivity and enhance product quality! 2. Define Quality Standards: Matching conventional manufacturing, let's start by clearly outlining what makes a product high-quality! Think about the necessary specifications, and tolerances. This needs to be accomplished before any movement forwards in finished components for critical part applications. 3. Document Quality Control Measures: It’s important to create and document quality control processes. This can include handy inspection checklists, testing methods, and plans for fixing any issues that arise. 4. Implement Quality Assurance: Quality assurance system in place! This will help us ensure that our products and processes align with our quality standards, including checking for quality at different stages of production. 5. Perform Regular Audits and Inspections: It’s a great idea to conduct routine audits and inspections of the manufacturing process. 6. Corrective and Preventative Actions: Let’s develop a system for tackling any non-conformances we encounter and work on preventing future quality issues! 7. Continuous Improvement: Finally, make it a habit to regularly review and refresh your quality procedures and processes. #additivemanufacturing #postprocessing #physics #oem #manufacturingstandards #certification #reverseengineering

Modern manufacturing excellence requires seamless integration of machine learning operations (MLOps) within converged IT/OT environments, creating the foundation for true Industrial DataOps. This structured approach enables organizations to deploy, monitor, and continuously improve AI models while maintaining data integrity. Three 🔑 core capabilities manufacturers must have: 1️⃣ Continuous Model Evolution: MLOps pipelines automatically retrain models as production conditions change, maintaining detection accuracy and preventing model drift that would otherwise lead to increased false positives or missed quality issues. 2️⃣ Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Standardized governance frameworks like Unity Catalog create common ground where data scientists, IT specialists, and manufacturing engineers can jointly develop, test, and deploy AI solutions that respect operational constraints while leveraging enterprise data resources. 3️⃣ Scalable System Architecture: A properly implemented MLOps strategy enables organizations to scale successful AI implementations from pilot projects to enterprise-wide deployments, replicating proven models across multiple facilities while preserving crucial site-specific customizations. #IndustrialAI #AI #Governance

🚀 Are Your Projects “LEAN” or Just “Running in Circles”? 🔄 Let’s Fix That! 📢 Attention Project Managers, Process Gurus, and Continuous Improvement Champions! If your projects feel bloated with inefficiencies (👀 looking at you, unnecessary approvals) or riddled with defects (hello, last-minute rework), then Lean Six Sigma (LSS) + PMI-based Project Management might be the ultimate power couple you need! 🔥 💡 What’s in This Report? 🎯 1. Should You Use Lean Six Sigma? Not every project is a good fit for LSS! We break down when it’s the perfect solution (highly repetitive, data-driven, quality-focused) and when another approach might be better. Includes a quick assessment framework to help you decide! ✅ 🔗 2. Where Lean Six Sigma & PMI Overlap Both focus on structured problem-solving, risk mitigation, and quality control—but how do they work together? We provide a side-by-side breakdown of how LSS tools (DMAIC, FMEA, Control Charts) align with PMI's best practices (PMBOK, Quality Management, Risk Planning). 📊 ⚡ 3. Why Agile is the Secret Ingredient for LSS Success Agile’s iterative nature, rapid feedback loops, and adaptability make it a perfect match for LSS-driven improvements. 🔄 We explore how Scrum Sprints and Kaizen Cycles complement each other! 🏭 4. Real-World Case Studies – Because Theory is Great, But Results Matter! General Electric (GE): Slashed jet engine production times by 25% using LSS + PMI principles. ✈️ NHS (UK): Reduced ER wait times by 30% using data-driven process optimization. 🏥 Toyota: The OG of Lean, cut 50% of defects per vehicle while integrating project management best practices! 🚗 📌 5. Actionable Takeaways for Project Managers How to align LSS with PMI project governance for maximum impact. Why Agile thinking helps LSS improvements stick instead of becoming another corporate buzzword. How to eliminate waste, reduce defects, and optimize processes no matter your industry. 💡 One BIG Takeaway? Lean Six Sigma isn’t just for manufacturing! 🌍 When combined with Agile’s adaptability & PMI’s structured governance, it becomes a powerhouse for shredding inefficiencies while keeping your projects on time and within scope! 🎯 🔗 Read the full report now and let’s discuss! How have you used Lean Six Sigma in your projects? Did it cut down waste or just add more “motion” without progress? 😆 Drop your thoughts in the comments! 👇 Let’s eliminate defects in knowledge-sharing together! 🧠💬 #LeanSixSigma #ProjectManagement #PMI #Agile #ProcessImprovement #EfficiencyMatters #Kaizen #DMAIC The Council for Six Sigma Certification (CSSC) Six Sigma Global Institute ASQ - World Headquarters Project Management Institute PMI Central Indiana Chapter (PMICIC) Gina Saad

In this second part of our series on the US industrial and manufacturing landscape, let's delve into actionable strategies for achieving excellence. 1. Tailored Digital Transformation: Customize your digital transformation to fit your unique goals. Identify areas – whether it's supply chain optimization, predictive maintenance, or quality control – that can benefit most from digitization. 2. Design Thinking for Real Solutions: Innovation thrives when it addresses real problems. Embrace design thinking – an approach that fosters empathy and collaboration. Understand customer pain points and co-create resonant solutions. 3. Data as Your Guide: Data is your guiding light. Derive insights to make informed decisions. Data-driven insights fuel growth, optimizing production and predicting market trends. 4. Embrace Agility: Agility is a mindset that needs to permeate your operations. Test new ideas, gather feedback, and refine swiftly. Agility ensures you're always aligned with customer needs. 5. Sustainability Sparks Innovation: Sustainability is a wellspring of innovation. Look beyond cost savings – think circular economy models, eco-friendly materials, and energy-efficient processes. 6. Collaborative Power: Forge partnerships that amplify your capabilities. Collaborate with startups, research institutions, and suppliers for fresh perspectives and accelerated innovation. 7. Empower Through Training: Empower your workforce by offering continuous learning. Provide training in emerging technologies, leadership, and industry trends. An empowered team drives transformative change. 8. Cultivate Adaptive Culture: Promote a culture of curiosity, adaptability, and open communication. Ingrain innovation in your culture to navigate evolving landscapes. 9. Embrace Risk and Learning: Encourage calculated risk-taking and create a safe space for learning from failures. These experiences often lead to breakthroughs. 10. Listen for the Future: Anticipate trends by actively listening to your market, customers, and industry. Stay attuned to emerging technologies and market shifts. As we navigate this series, remember that transformation is ongoing. By tailoring digital strategies, embracing design thinking, harnessing data insights, and fostering agility, sustainability, and innovation, you're poised to excel in the evolving industrial and manufacturing landscape. Stay tuned for the final article, where we'll explore customer-centricity's role in driving growth.

With all the hype around gen AI, it's easy to forget how broad a field AI is and the impact other methods currently have on the bottom line. Machine Learning (ML) has been transforming manufacturing (and more) for decades. Here's how Nils o. Janus increases his 'golden batch ratio' 3-5% to save millions of Euros a year at Covestro 👇 1. Gather knowledge from first principles AI models and combine it with sensor readings from plant machinery. 2. Train a machine learning model to learn how production processes should be run optimally. 3. Combine 1 and 2 to give real-time predictions to plant operators about 5 set points that they have an influence over, then recommend how to improve them. The result? The golden batch ratio increases 3-5%. That means: - More finished goods from the same raw materials. - Less waste. - Millions saved every year on the balance sheet. This same approach can be applied to improve efficiency in use cases ranging from finance to people operations to network infrastructure. It's all about using the right AI technique for the right job.

GREEN MANUFACTURING OF ADVANCED MATERIALS A manufactured product requires both energy and raw materials. This is a fact. The real question is “How much energy is needed and how much raw materials are required?” From that perspective no manufactured product is 100% green, but they certainly can be much greener! Three technologies have evolved that can make the manufacturing of high temperature and ultra-high-temperature (UHT) materials much more energy efficient and raw materials efficient. The three technologies are 3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing), Microwave Sintering, and Field Assisted Sintering Technology (FAST). 3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing): 3D printing is great for high temperature alloys for combustion, missile propulsion, and hypersonics. This technology has progressed tremendously in recent years. ProtoLabs has recently demonstrated a very intricate dual wall combustor, as one example. Without 3D printing, these types of complex components would have required numerous high tolerance machined parts to assemble and wasted up to 90 percent of the material. Dozens of companies worldwide have demonstrated dramatic progress in 3D printed metallic alloys, ceramics, and cermets (ceramic-metal composites). Continuous fiber reinforced composites, however, remain an elusive challenge. That includes, especially, ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). Microwave Sintering: Microwave sintering started in the 1980s and has since gained traction in industry. There are two types of microwave sintering, direct and indirect. In direct microwave sintering, the microwaves couple directly with the material being sintered. That works well for materials that are microwave susceptors. Many materials are not, however, so indirect microwave sintering uses highly efficient microwave susceptors as “heating elements” to absorb the microwave energy and convert it efficiently to heat. Both approaches are very energy efficient when compared to traditional furnaces used in processing materials, saving as much as 75 percent in energy costs. Field Assisted Sintering Technology (FAST): FAST, very similar to Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS), is a highly efficient means of densifying extremely challenging UHT materials in a very short period of time using relatively little energy. Unlike traditional hot-pressing and hot isostatic pressing (HIP), FAST uses about 70 percent less power and cycle times are much shorter. With proper tooling, it can also be near-net-shape to minimize material waste and require either no post machining or very minimal machining. All three of these technologies advance green manufacturing and sustainability. 

Stop being so traditional Embrace innovation One way is to stop the bad habit of batch production. ___ Batch Production is a manufacturing method items are produced in batches, before moving on to the next step. Some manufacturers think that larger batches are better because they minimize changeovers. But the truth is the exact opposite! excessively long runs cause overproduction. Operators lose focus working on large batches, while equipment drifts out of standards between changeovers. Worse, they making too much of the wrong product and not enough of the right. There are several drawbacks: +defects are tougher to detect +lots of WIP inventory +space management +uneven workflow +over production +long lead times Switching to One-Piece Flow reduces all these issues. Workcells are arranged so that products can flow one at a time through each process step. Changeovers are more frequent, but shorter. Advantages: +low work-in-process inventory +Responsive to customer demand +Quality defects are detected easily +efficient use of space and material handling The choice between batch and one-piece flow is a no brainer. If you want improvements to quality, productivity, and lead time , choose One-Piece Flow.