In the late-90s, Cirtronics started implementing the principles of lean manufacturing and moving away from traditional batch processing.
Our goal was to reduce non-value added activities and streamline manufacturing by producing only what the customer needed and delivering the correct amount of product when they required it. Manufacturing is now driven through a Kan Ban process (cards/signals) to release work into the queue. Visual systems have been implemented in manufacturing to aid in simple, precise, and quickly understandable information transfer. Continuous improvement of our processes is ongoing.
Benefits of Lean Manufacturing:
- Increased Productivity/Throughput
- Increased Flexibility and Response to Customer Demand
- Increased Responsibility/Participation of the Manufacturing Teams
- Improved Inventory Management/Reduction of Material Liabilities
- Improved Management of Customer Needs
- Improved Quality
- Improved On-Time Shipments
- Reduction in Manufacturing Cycle Times
- Reduction in Waste
- Reduction in Over Production/WIP that is not needed
