If you want to gain a fundamental understanding of the principles of lean manufacturing, you can’t do much better than to read the works of Dr. Shigeo Shingo.
The namesake of the Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing, Dr. Shingo was the
We publish five books by Dr. Shingo
- A Study of the
- The Sayings of Shigeo Shingo: Key Strategies for Plant Improvement
- A Revolution in Manufacturing: The SMED System
- Non-Stock Production: The Shingo System of Continuous Improvement
- Zero Quality Control: Source Inspection and the Poka-Yoke System
Other sources for classic information about lean manufacturing include Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production by Taiichi Ohno, often regarded as the inventor of the Toyota Production System, and, for case studies, Becoming Lean: Inside Stories of U.S. Manufacturers by Jeffrey K. Liker.
Do you have a question or comment about a book(s) that you would like addressed in Book Talk? Email me directly at Ralph.bernstein@taylorandfrancis.com.
From what I understand Dr. Shingo never worked at Toyota. He was an external consultant and he wasn't / isn't(?) really held in such high regard there.
ReplyDeleteFor example, check out the interviews at http://www.artoflean.com/