Lean Sigma Update Training

Ohno taught us that one-piece flow is the ideal but is also difficult to achieve

Need to be deliberate about reducing waste while moving in the direction of one-piece flow – also called continuous flow

Flowing reduces throughput time, while shortens the cost to cash cycle and can lead to quality improvements

One piece flow is fragile – the creation of flow forces the correction of problems, resulting in reduced waste

The terms “pull” or “pull system” are often used interchangeably with flow

Flow and pull are concepts, the two are linked, but not the same

Flow defines that state of material as it moves from process to process

Pull dictates when material is moved and who (the customer) determines that it is to be moved