IE767 Lean Manufacturing at WSU

This information is for reference only, all official course information is on the course blackboard site at:

Lean Manufacturing IE767 (updated for Fall 2004! - The grading scale may change, though)

Lean is defined as the elimination of waste. This class will discuss the basic principles of lean (value, value stream, flow, pull, and perfection).

Lean thinking principles are emerging as a method to improve the flexibility, reliability, and profitability of enterprises worldwide. Lean thinking is being used to reduce setup times, lot sizes, and inventories. Lean is all about removing waste in the enterprise. This includes waste in time as well as cost. As enterprises have reduced costs and improved quality, the primary competitive measure is the ability to respond to the customer. This class presents an overview of lean manufacturing concepts and introduces methods and tools designed to put these concepts to work in a manufacturing environment.

The class will include topics gleaned from multiple sources and multiple improvement activities. Topics covered will include: Overview of Lean, Muda (Waste) and techniques for identifying it, Value Stream Mapping including exercises, Push vs. Pull (including hands-on simulation), visual controls, and discussion of cultural issues. The class will use a virtual reality model of a factory and student teams will create As-Is and To-Be Value Stream Maps.

Tuesday and Thursday, 4:10 - 5:25 PM, MC102

Instructor: Dr. Larry Whitman
Office: Room 120G, EB
Phone: 978-5907
E-mail: larry.whitman@wichita.edu
Office Hours: T-Th 2:00-4:00 Th 5:30-7:00PM, other times by appointment

Why take the class?

Students will profit from this class by understanding principles for improving the manufacturing enterprise and avoiding suboptimal (locally optimal) solutions. Whereas the focus of the class is on the manufacturing environment, most of the concepts presented will enable students to leave the class with a set of methods and tools that will make the student an asset to all types of organizations.

Objectives

	To develop a lean manufacturing enterprise,
	To understand Lean Manufacturing principles and its benefits, and
	To be able to apply Lean in a production environment.

Upon completion of the class, participants will:

	Understand the basic principles of a lean manufacturing environment,
	Be able to recognize muda (waste) in its various forms,
	Recognize continuous improvement strategies that apply to the manufacturing environment,
	Know how to create and apply Value Maps (both As-Is and To-Be).

Texts
Note: The suggested books are STRONGLY recommended, but you can get them at the library and read them!

Required Texts
Value Stream Management Buy it at Amazon.Com
	by Don Tapping, Tom Shuker, Tom Luyster
	Paperback - 176 pages (June 2002) Productivity Press
Lean Thinking Buy it at Amazon.Com
	by James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones
	Hardcover 350 pages 1st edition (January 15, 1996) Simon & Schuster; ISBN: 0684810352

Tentative Outline

Topics

Description

Classes

Introduction

Basic overview of what the class is all about and its requirements. Students will learn the advantages of Lean, QRM, and TOC and associated terminology and philosophy.

Lean

Details of the principles of Lean

VSM

Details of the Value Stream Mapping

Project Presentations

Guest Speakers, Panels

Industry experts will speak to the class

Exams

Assignments

	Details	Percent of Grade
3 exams	Each test will be closed book/notes - fill in the blank/essay format. First two exams are worth 15% each. Final will be comprehensive (10%).	40%
Homework and class participation	Small individual project(s) using tools and techniques given class such as Value Stream Mapping, and others. Pop quizzes will be given throughout the semester (these will be open book). Attendance in class and participation in class discussion is a minimal requirement.	20%
Project	Virtual Reality Industry-based Value Stream Map (including improvements). The group projects will partially be graded on a competitive basis. In other words, consider yourself a consultant. The team that I would choose to do the job, will get the highest score and ranked down the line. Your objective is, in the words of Tom Peters, "Excite the customer!" For the purpose of this project, I will be your customer.	26%
2 Paper reviews	First Review (7%) - Topic Paper (details on Bb) Second Review (7%) - Journal Review Paper - (details on Bb)	14%

		Graduate Students	Undergraduate Students
A	=	93% - 100%	90% - 100%
B	=	84%-93%	80%-89%
C	=	75%-83%	70% - 79%
D	=	60%-75%	60%-69%
F	=	Below 60%	Below 60%

Rules and Policies

Attendance:

Regular participation to the class is mandatory. Pop Quizzes will given at the beginning of many classes to ensure reading of the material. Outside articles will be presented during class sessions, and good portion of these materials will be included in the tests. Do not ask to leave early or to turn in assignments late. Most ALL quizzes will allow open book and open notes. (Be sure to bring them to every class!) No sharing of notes or books during exams or quizzes.

Exams:

The exams will have two sections; a closed book and an open book section. Be sure to bring your book with you to class. If you miss an exam, a COMPREHENSIVE exam will be given in addition to the final.

Incomplete Grade:

This grade may be given at the discretion of the course instructor to a student who has been making satisfactory progress in a course except for work which could not be completed due to circumstances beyond your control (such as, illness, serious accident, death in family, natural disaster, etc.). You will be asked to produce evidence of the event being beyond your control. If incomplete works due to these extraordinary events take place before the last date to withdraw, then you should withdraw from the course. An incomplete for a course must be removed by the end of the next semester or it will change to F.

Assignments:

Assignments will be assigned and collected ONLY at the beginning of a class session. If you are late, you will lose points. Assignments turned after class starts will lose two percent. Assignments turned in after the date due, will receive one percentage point off for each day late.

Extra Credit:

There is no extra credit in this class.

Academic Honesty:

Wichita State University rules and regulations on academic honesty are strictly enforced. Please refer to the 2003-04 WSU Undergraduate catalog for more details.

Contact Information

Telephone: 316-978-5907
FAX: 316-978-3742
Electronic mail: larry.whitman@wichita.edu

Last updated: 08/22/2006