Manufacturing Glossary
Essential manufacturing terms, lean concepts, and technical definitions. No-nonsense explanations for manufacturing professionals.
Lean Manufacturing
5S
A workplace organization methodology with five steps: Sort (Seiri), Set in order (Seiton), Shine (Seiso), Standardize (Seiketsu), and Sustain (Shitsuke). Creates organized, efficient, and safe work environments by eliminating waste and improving productivity.
Andon
A visual management tool that alerts workers and management to production problems, quality issues, or equipment failures. Typically uses lights, sounds, or displays to signal when immediate attention is needed on the factory floor.
Gemba
Japanese term meaning 'the real place' - refers to the actual location where work is performed, typically the factory floor. Gemba walks involve managers going to see the actual process, understand the work, and identify improvement opportunities.
Heijunka
Japanese term for production leveling - a technique to reduce waste by producing goods at a constant rate, smoothing out demand fluctuations. Helps eliminate overproduction and creates more predictable workflows.
Jidoka
Japanese principle meaning 'automation with a human touch.' Equipment is designed to automatically stop when defects are detected, preventing bad parts from moving downstream and enabling immediate problem-solving.
Kaizen
Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement involving all employees. Focuses on making small, incremental changes that collectively result in significant improvements in quality, efficiency, and waste reduction.
Kanban
Japanese visual scheduling system that controls production flow by signaling when to produce, move, or replenish inventory. Uses cards or visual signals to pull materials through the production process based on actual demand.
Muda
Japanese term for waste - any activity that consumes resources without adding value for the customer. The seven types include: overproduction, waiting, transportation, over-processing, inventory, motion, and defects.
Mura
Japanese term for unevenness or inconsistency in processes. Refers to variation in workload, scheduling, or quality that creates inefficiency and waste in manufacturing operations.
Muri
Japanese term for overburden or unreasonableness. Refers to pushing equipment, processes, or people beyond their natural limits, which leads to breakdowns, defects, and safety issues.
Nemawashi
Japanese practice of informal consensus-building before formal meetings or decisions. Involves discussing ideas with stakeholders individually to build support and address concerns before implementation.
Poka-Yoke
Japanese term for mistake-proofing or error prevention. Design techniques that make it impossible or obvious when mistakes occur, preventing defects from reaching customers.
Senpai-Kohai
Japanese mentoring relationship where experienced workers (senpai) guide and teach newer employees (kohai). Essential for knowledge transfer and continuous learning in lean organizations.
SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Dies)
Methodology for reducing changeover times to single-digit minutes. Separates internal setup (machine must be stopped) from external setup (can be done while running).
Standard Work
Documented best practice for performing a task that specifies the sequence, timing, and outcome. Provides baseline for improvement and ensures consistent quality and safety.
Takt Time
The rate at which products must be completed to meet customer demand. Calculated by dividing available production time by customer demand, it sets the rhythm for production processes.
Value Stream Mapping
Lean technique for analyzing and designing the flow of materials and information required to bring a product to customers. Identifies waste and improvement opportunities in the entire process.
Yokoten
Japanese term for horizontal deployment - the practice of sharing best practices, lessons learned, and improvements across different areas, departments, or facilities within an organization.
Technology
Digital Twin
Virtual replica of physical manufacturing assets, processes, or systems that uses real-time data to simulate, predict, and optimize performance. Enables testing scenarios without disrupting actual production.
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)
Business management software that integrates core business processes including finance, procurement, manufacturing, and supply chain. Focuses on planning and resource allocation rather than real-time execution.
HMI (Human Machine Interface)
User interface that allows operators to interact with machines and control systems. Typically includes touchscreens, displays, and controls that show process status and enable manual intervention when needed.
IoT (Internet of Things)
Network of connected devices, sensors, and equipment that collect and exchange data. In manufacturing, enables real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and automated decision-making.
MES (Manufacturing Execution System)
Software that connects and monitors machines, work centers, and people on the factory floor to ensure effective execution of manufacturing operations. Provides real-time visibility into production processes and manages work orders.
PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)
Industrial computer that controls manufacturing equipment and processes. Receives input from sensors, processes logic, and sends output signals to control motors, valves, and other devices on the factory floor.
SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)
Industrial control system that monitors and controls equipment and processes. Collects real-time data from sensors and devices, displays information to operators, and enables remote control of manufacturing equipment.
Quality Management
Control Chart
Statistical tool that displays process data over time with upper and lower control limits. Used to distinguish between normal process variation and special causes that require investigation.
Cpk (Process Capability Index)
Statistical measure of how well a process meets specifications relative to its natural variation. Higher Cpk values indicate better process capability and more consistent quality output.
First Pass Yield
Percentage of products that pass quality inspection on the first attempt without rework or repair. Key quality metric that indicates process effectiveness and efficiency.
FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis)
Systematic method for identifying potential failure modes in products or processes, assessing their impact, and prioritizing corrective actions. Helps prevent problems before they occur.
Pareto Analysis
Problem-solving technique based on the 80/20 rule - identifying the 20% of causes that create 80% of problems. Helps prioritize improvement efforts on the most impactful issues.
Six Sigma
Data-driven methodology for eliminating defects and reducing variation in processes. Uses statistical tools and DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) approach to achieve near-perfect quality levels.
SPC (Statistical Process Control)
Method of quality control using statistical techniques to monitor and control manufacturing processes. Uses control charts to detect when processes are out of statistical control and need adjustment.
Operations & Metrics
Bottleneck
The constraint or limiting factor in a production process that determines the maximum output rate. Improving bottleneck performance increases overall system capacity.
Changeover
Process of switching production equipment from making one product to another. Reducing changeover time through SMED techniques increases flexibility and reduces waste.
Cycle Time
Total time required to complete one unit of production from start to finish. Includes processing time, waiting time, and any other time the product spends in the system.
Lead Time
Total time from when a customer places an order until the product is delivered. Includes processing time, queue time, and transportation time.
MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures)
Average time between equipment failures during normal operation. Higher MTBF indicates more reliable equipment and better maintenance practices.
MTTR (Mean Time To Repair)
Average time required to repair failed equipment and return it to operational status. Lower MTTR indicates more efficient maintenance and faster problem resolution.
OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)
Key performance metric that measures manufacturing productivity by combining availability, performance, and quality rates. World-class OEE is considered 85% or higher.
Throughput
Rate at which products are completed and exit the production system. Measured in units per time period and limited by the system's bottleneck constraint.
TPM (Total Productive Maintenance)
Maintenance strategy that involves all employees in maintaining equipment to maximize effectiveness. Focuses on preventing breakdowns through proactive maintenance and operator involvement.
Uptime
Percentage of scheduled production time that equipment is available and operating. Key availability metric that directly impacts production capacity and efficiency.
WIP (Work in Progress)
Inventory of partially completed products at various stages of the production process. Excess WIP ties up capital and can hide production problems.
Visual Management
Dashboard
Visual display of key performance indicators and metrics that provides at-a-glance view of operational status. Enables quick decision-making based on real-time or near-real-time data.
Red Tag
Visual indicator used in 5S to identify items that are not needed in the immediate work area. Tagged items are moved to a holding area for evaluation and potential disposal.
SQDCP
Framework for tier boards covering Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and People metrics. Ensures all critical aspects of manufacturing performance are monitored and discussed daily.
Tier Board
Visual management tool used in daily management systems to display KPIs, track performance, and facilitate structured communication during tiered meetings from shop floor to management.
Visual Management
Lean technique using visual indicators, displays, and tools to communicate information quickly and clearly. Makes performance, problems, and processes immediately visible to all team members.
Problem Solving
5 Whys
Simple problem-solving technique that asks 'why' five times to drill down to the root cause of a problem. Helps move beyond symptoms to address fundamental issues.
A3 Problem Solving
Structured problem-solving methodology that fits on a single A3-sized paper. Includes problem definition, current state, target state, analysis, countermeasures, and follow-up.
Fishbone Diagram
Visual tool for root cause analysis that organizes potential causes into categories (typically People, Process, Equipment, Materials, Environment, and Management). Also called Ishikawa diagram.
PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act)
Iterative problem-solving and improvement cycle. Plan the change, Do the implementation, Check the results, and Act to standardize or adjust based on learnings.
Root Cause Analysis
Systematic process of identifying the fundamental cause of problems to prevent recurrence. Uses techniques like 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, and fault tree analysis.
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