Pushing the Limits of Lean Thinking–Design and Management of Complex Production Systems

Abstract

This paper presents an approach for handling variability in production systems. A classification for variability which includes a differentiation in non-value adding and value adding variability is proposed and indicators for their quantification are derived. It is shown that classical Lean methods fail in make-to-order production because of the misconceived influence of value adding variability. Consequently, different approaches from Data Mining and Factory Physics are applied.