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Kaizen
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| | WHAT IS "KAIZEN?"
The word "Kaizen" originally comes from Japan, where it is written with two Japanese characters, meaning "to change," and "good," thus implying the goal of "to change for the better." As a concept, it was the driving force behind Toyota Motor Company's own journey to excellence.
As used in the United States, "Kaizen" often refers to an event, from three to five days of intensive activities directed at factoy floor improvements.
"Kaizen," once initiated, never ends! A company that embraces the principles of Kaizen is a company that will be working continuously for improvement, in all facets of its operations- everything from production scheduling practices to basic line configuration to getting rid of pesky bolts that slow down setup changes.
"Any where there is a method, there is a potential improvement to that method! | |
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| | HOW KAIZEN WORKS...
"The mission is to design a plan and implement it in one week.."
Referred to as "Kaizen Events" or "Kaizen Workshops," the approach targets a particular manufacturing cell or other segment of the production chain. Typically, the participants are a cross functional team including managers, engineers, support staff, maintenance workers and production operators-sometimes supplemented by marketing or financial personnel, and even people from outside the company. The team generally spends five days in the targeted area, studying the process, collecting and analyzing data, discussing improvement options, and implementing changes- which may involve moving or modifying equipment.
The five day Kaizen event is a quick-hitting way to get results. Experienced practitioners like Bayside, know that the job is never really finished. Bayside has in fact deployed Kaizen techniques over and over again- often revisiting the same target area. | |
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| | RESULTS... Bayside's efforts toward constant improvement never cease. Our first Kaizen event took place back in February 1998, and they are still taking place today. For the company, Kaizen has produced tremendous results both on the factory floor, and in the sales pit. Together, Bayside's employees are designing and implementing solutions to make their own jobs easier and more efficient.
Everyday processes are shortened, improved and sometimes even eliminated, meaning quicker response to our customer's needs. | |
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