The core idea of Lean is to maximize customer value while minimizing waste. In simple terms, Lean means creating more value for customers with fewer resources.
Lean works on three principles:
- Eliminating waste (Muda)
- Eliminating overburden (Muri)
- Eliminating lack of balance in workloads (Mura)
Here’s more detail on each:
Muda:
Muda refers to the type of waste that adds no value to the end product or service from the customer’s perspective. It consists of two types: Type 1 Muda, which is non-value-added but necessary under current conditions, and Type 2 Muda, which is non-value-added and unnecessary. The elimination of Muda is critical as it involves the direct removal of waste or non-value-added activities, thereby improving efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Muri:
Muri refers to overburden, or the imposition of unreasonable work or stress upon a particular resource, such as employees or equipment. This could be due to uneven work distribution, unclear instructions, or unrealistic expectations. By eliminating Muri, organizations can prevent employee burnout and equipment failure, thereby enhancing productivity and overall product quality.
Mura:
Mura represents inconsistency or variation in business processes. These variations lead to an unstable and unpredictable process, which can cause a variety of problems including delay, defects, and overproduction. By focusing on eliminating Mura, organizations can make their processes more predictable and efficient, leading to a consistent level of output and quality.
Lean is a systematic approach to identifying and eliminating these three types of waste (Muda, Muri, Mura) from a process to improve operational efficiency and customer value. The goal of Lean is to include Continuous Improvement in the DNA of organizations. Organizations can accomplish Lean by forming Kaizen project teams that work towards transforming major improvements to quick wins. Kaizen project teams are cross-functional groups of employees within an organization, formed to identify, analyze, and implement improvements in processes, systems, or workflows.
Examples of Muda:
Muda is a core concept of waste in the Toyota Production System and Lean management. It serves to identify the non-value-adding activities within a process. Here are some examples of muda:
- Type one muda: Non-value adding actions that have to be performed. The best example of type 1 muda is safety tests and inspections. They don’t improve the product as such, but they have to take place.
- Type two muda: Non-value-adding actions that have no impact on the end product or the integrity of the process delivering it. It’s the kind of waste that needs eliminating. An example of type two muda is multiple movements of products and inventories between steps in a fabrication and assembly process.
These examples of muda can help identify areas of waste within a process and can be used to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Examples of Muri:
Muri is a key concept in Lean management that refers to overburdening. Here are some examples of Muri:
- Putting a machine under too much strain, expecting it to produce more and faster than possible
- Overburdening equipment or operators by requiring them to run at a higher or harder pace with more force and effort for a longer period of time than equipment designs and appropriate workforce management allow
- Working on processes, you are not trained in
- Poorly laid-out workplaces
- Unclear instructions
- Lack of proper tools
- Demanding workers to work longer, harder, or quicker than they physically can
Muri can lead to a breakdown in the system, which will result in a large amount of Muda and Mura.
It is important to identify and remove Muri to create a steady work pace and maintain a smooth and well-organized workflow.
Examples of Mura:
Here are some examples of Mura:
- A gyrating schedule that is not consistent, leading to uneven production and wasted time
- A lack of standardization in the production process, leading to variations in product quality and production time
- An unbalanced workload among team members, leading to some members being overworked and others being underutilized
- An uneven distribution of materials or resources, leading to delays and inefficiencies in the production process
Eliminating Mura is important in Lean manufacturing because it can cause Muda and Muri.
By selectively adding capacity or leveling the workload in the production line, Mura can be avoided.
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