The results were quite astounding to the Navy. The Jacksonville base
quickly became a preferred tour site for personnel from the Navy, Naval
Air Depots, Air Force, and others to see real lean in action. Jacksonville
was emerging as a benchmark. Perhaps most dramatic was to see planes
being repaired in assembly-line fashion. Setting up a flow line with a
takt time drove tremendous continuous improvement to eliminate
waste and balance the line. Stability and control immediately began
to replace chaos and disorganization.Strategies to Create Connected Process Flow
Table 5-1, below, shows the strategies that guide the creation of connected process
flow, as well as the primary and secondary lean tools often utilized. The same
tools that were used during the stability phase may be used (continually refin-
ing the result), as well as additional tools, depending on the circumstances of
the operation. The objectives and strategies, however, alwaysapply.
Single-Piece Flow
This is the epitome of flow, and in fact the move toward single-piece flow has
reached fad status, with many companies failing in their attempts to reach this
level. Achieving single-piece flow is extremely difficult and requires a highly
refined process and very specific conditions. It will not ever be possible in many
Chapter 5. Create Connected Process Flow 89Table 5-1. Strategies and Tools Used in Creating Connected Process Flow
Strategies Primary Lean Tools Secondary Lean
Tools- Continued elimination of
waste - Force problems to
surface - Make problems
uncomfortable - Establish connected
processes to create
interdependency - Identify weak links in the
flow and strengthen
them- Workplace/Cell
design - Pull techniques
- Clearly defined
customer/supplier
relationships - Visual controls
- Kanban
- Kanban boards
- Supermarkets
- FIFO lanes
- Problem solving
- Workplace/Cell