Quality pioneers Bill Deming and Dr. Joseph Juran built a foundation focusing on continuous quality improvement and total quality management - tenets of what are now known as the Lean Manufacturing body of knowledge. Lean Manufacturing practices are concerned with changing a work area or business process to maximize efficiency, improve quality and safety, eliminate unnecessary motion and inventory, and save time. Dr. Eli Goldratt added to these principles the Theory of Constraints (TOC), which focuses on identifying, exploiting and eliminating bottlenecks that inhibit throughput. Worked in tandem, Lean and TOC provide a powerful method for manufacturers to focus on the right things at the right time, transforming their production and quality capabilities. This presentation will present Lean and TOC concepts and practices, addressing them directly to the jewelry manufacturer. Production and management problems specific to jewelry manufacturing will be addressed with Lean and TOC solutions. Whether you are interested in a full Lean/TOC implementation or in strategically attacking specific problem areas, you will be presented with tactical approaches you can use in your own manufacturing facility.

Author: Andrea M. Hill