Lean For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 11

Flow and Pull Tools

In This Chapter

Preventing interruptions to flow

Organizing the process for flow

Orchestrating the material flow

Lean fundamentals include the concepts of flow in the value stream and pull from each customer through the value stream; Lean tools help you implement these flow and pull techniques. Use these tools to set the pace of your system and eliminate restrictions or blockages to flow. Start with the flow tools. Applying the flow tools first clears out the obstructions and gives you a solid foundation upon which to use the pull tools to create a kanban-based pull system

Along with the customer and value-stream tools in Chapter 10, the perfection tools in Chapter 12, and the management tools in Chapter 13, these tools make up the overall Lean toolbox. You need all these tools to support Lean practices. To maintain balance in your overall system, you must use the full complement of tools in the Lean toolbox.

Attempting to implement Lean can fail if your organization tries to implement a tool in isolation or at the wrong time (this has been particularly ...