What Happens When Kaizen Blitzing Replaces Strategy

http://www.strategosinc.com/kaizen_ex1.htm

A smaller but well-known aircraft company attempted to implement Lean Manufacturing for their machine shop and subassembly operations. The Kaizen Blitz was their primary approach. They employed consultants  who came in with the usual panoply of edicts and pronouncements:

• Inventory is evil and must be eliminated regardless of all other considerations.
• The primary measure of work-cell performance is throughput time.
• Machine utilization is of no consequence and should be ignored.
• Work-cells must have a straight-through flow for all products.
• Work-cells must have one-piece flow.
• Low-tech, manual machine tools are superior to high-tech NC equipment.
• Lot sizes must be cut drastically.

These edicts apply to many manufacturing situations including this particular manufacturer's subassembly cells. Indeed, the subassembly cells functioned quite well.

Things did not work so well in machining..................