The new logistics at the service of the work station

The improvement of line side productivity requires a switch to small containers and modification of the packaging and delivery method. The new logistics improves production considerably by eliminating Mudas: it facilitates compression of line side spaces with the natural consequence of reducing the most penalising
Mudas for production: the Mudas of motion and waiting.
The new logistics serves the point of added value. It improves supply to more compact line sides because it is based on flow. In addition to serving the workstation, the new logistics reduces its own mudas, mainly the mudas of inventory and transport.

Mudas generated by traditional logistics:

1. Muda of inventory: considerable capital tied up in warehouses. Large amounts of stock on the line side, low stock rotation.
2. Large areas occupied on the line side by the stock, generating the mudas of waiting and motion.
3. Muda of transport: high cost of the lift truck and its maintenance.

Principles of the new logistics: setting up flows

1. With LeanTek, replacement of the pallet truck + large container mode with a shopstock/small box model: setting up modular JIT shopstocks as close as possible to the line.
2. Supplying the line by small trains making frequent deliveries.

Main advantages of hand-portable containers in place of large containers: improved logistics productivity. Expensive-to-run lift trucks are replaced by small versatile trains circulating between shopstocks and the line sides. Small container flows are set up to shopstocks with LeanTek-type line side racks providing better rotation of circulating assets.
The shopstock LeanTek (stock supply close to workstation) possibly including kit preparation. In some lean factories, the traditional shopstock has been brought to the immediate vicinity of the line side (generally a few metres) and modified in the preparation zone: “lean trains” are eliminated by line-shopstock proximity. This allows the use of “shooters” and hand-pushed trolleys for very tight JIT and total elimination of vehicle costs.  Before this practice can be introduced lean manufacturing and JIT tools must be mastered.

Lean manufacturing : Economic comparison of the new logistics

Economic comparison of Direct Labour - Lean manufacturing

A necessary step: Placing in small boxes

Switching to small boxes facilitates space compression. It is a prerequisite of setting up stock and in-process materials flows since it is easier to position all the line side parts and therefore possible to produce several models on the same line, in  sequence and in small batches in a reduced space. As a result, in-process materials, stocks and delivery times are reduced and work is standardised. The operators carry out the same operations during the work cycles.

Logistics at the service of production and not the reverse

The new logistics contributes to improving line side productivity. The elimination of waste and setting up pulled flows for all production assists the elimination of other mudas, especially the mudas of over-production, inventory, processing, waiting and transport