Revision lesson 20 - Efficiency and lean production

In the news: Toyota


Standardisation


Cell production - cell production is a variance of flow production and allows different groups of people to produce different parts of the whole.  Some could make the engine, some could make the gearbox, others sort the wiring and others do the bodywork.  BMW has set up its UK operation in a similar way but uses PLANT Cowley to assemble everything in one flow production system that uses JIT to reduce costs


Lean production - to get as much OUTPUT (or product) as possible from a fixed amount of INPUTS (or raw material and labour)  This looks at ways in which each employee can produce more - labour productivity and introduced methods to reduce waste.
QUALITY CIRCLES, JIT, KAIZAN thinking are three aspects of lean production that you should know about 


Did you know... that fou


Group activity Pu


Discussion Discuss how useful formal interviews are in determining who is the best person for the job.  Are there better ways that could be used 


Web based activity


Quick Quiz 20 Efficiency and lean production

1. Besides cars what else does Toyota make?
2. When would a Toyota employee stop the production line from running?
3. Why did Toyoda become Toyota
4. Kaizan is a Japanese term: what does it mean?
5. How did Ford save money by making only black Model T cars?
6. What is meant by standardisation?
7. Describe what is meant by lean production
8. What do the initials JIT stand for?
9. Explain two ways in which JIT can result in lower costs for a business. 
10. Outline two advantages of flow production to employees
11. Give two ways in which cell production differs from flow production.
12. Discuss which production method has the lowest costs: cell production or flow production
13. Give two advantages to a business of operating quality circles.

Worksheets


Nine mark question