The concept of lean manufacturing isn’t new- its roots, in fact, can be traced back to Ben Franklin and his Poor Richard’s Almanack. Just because the concept has been around for some time, however, doesn’t mean that most companies have implemented it and achieved its benefits. On the contrary, most companies that have embraced lean are still practicing it at its most basic level.
Lean manufacturing is the management philosophy of reducing waste in manufactured products or any type of business. Achieving the beginning stages of lean is fairly easy; it’s taking it to the next level that requires hard work, dedication, and in many cases, the right equipment.
When it comes to the equipment component of achieving lean, one type stands out for its ability to take companies where they need to go due to their ease of operation: horizontal and vertical carousels, and vertical lift modules (VLMs).
“Lean manufacturing is all about managing your processes with the goal being a measurable return-on-investment for your efforts at implementing change, however simple or sophisticated that change may be,” says Dick Ward, executive vice president, MHIA. “You can achieve the first steps of lean relatively easily, and then you reach a point where you have to look for the next opportunity. Many times, carousels and VLMs can help you make the most of that opportunity.”
This equipment helps companies maintain the simple practices required by lean by delivering automation that easily boosts productivity. Ward says that many companies are missing the boat, however, simply because they are unaware of the role that technology can play and what it can do for them, and carousels and VLMs are no exception.
Visit www.mhia.org for more.
