Lean Manufacturing Implementation: A Complete Execution Manual for Any Size Manufacturer

Rating:
Summary: Excellent How-To Guide
Review: I have been looking long and hard for a simple, step-by-step guide to implementing Lean methodologies in my facility and I have finally found it. Most of the Lean books I've seen up to this point discuss high-level concepts, without detailing the steps and tools needed to put the strategy into practice. However, this book (more of a "how-to" manual, really) outlines all the tasks needed to move from a traditional batch manufacturing system to a Lean environment.

It covers everything from project scoping to line design to Kanban materials movement systems. Not only that, the author provides all the tools (formulas, charts, project management tips, etc.) to guide you through the process. He's also provided methods, like the daily resource planning tool, that help you manage the line after the Lean processes are up and running.

I'm using the guide now for my line reconfiguration, and have gotten it for everyone on my implementation team. This book is good for any manufacturer that is planning to implement Lean, but doesn't have a plan for how to go about it.

Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: A highly recommended "get-things-done" guide
Review: In Lean Manufacturing Implementation: A Complete Execution Manual For Any Size Manufacturer, business consultant Dennis P. Hobbs draws upon his more than thirty years of experience in the manufacturing sector to present a no-nonsense, go-getter business guide offering a project management approach guided by a "how-to" sequence in order to make manufacturing processes lean and efficient. Emphasizing how to make a factory conversion to "Lean Manufacturing" without hiring expensive consultants -- as well as offering practical information concerning resource identification, line design, operational definition, pull chains, pull sequences, replenishment time and more, Lean Manufacturing Implementation is a highly recommended "get-things-done" guide that specifically focuses upon what is needed and necessary to get results.

Rating:
Summary: Lean Secrets
Review: It is very unusual when a consultant reveals their secrets to implementation concepts. Dennis Hobbs tells how to implement lean on a step by step basis. The secrets of kanban calculation in addition to line balancing are exposed. This book is a critical resource for companies interested in conducting their own lean implementations. Dennis provides detailed explanations and not just lean stories that fail to get to the real issues of how to implement the concepts.

Rating:
Summary: DON'T BUY THIS BOOK!!
Review: So call "LEAN Manufacturing Implementation" title is very appealing. Very bad decision buying this book. I have several other books on the subject. From Mr. Pyzdek to Womack (warranted satisfacton with this guy's book) and some other japanese authors on the subject. I paid $6.00 for the book "The machine that changed the world" I learned more reading this book. This book is highly priced. Shame on APICS backing up this kinda of got-to-write-a-book authors. I hope the author could read this comentary and give me money back. This book is just the product of somebody not enought professional to accept HE CAN'T WRITE A BOOK ON THE SUBJECT. Very repetitive, boring. Anyways...!!!

Rating:
Summary: Finally! A Pragmatic Approach to Lean Manufacturing!
Review: This is the first book that I have read on Lean Manufacturing that was not a reflection of the author's ego masquerading behind a plethora of platitudes and hedonism. Mr. Hobbs uses a lexicon of terms and applications anybody can understand, making this not only a useful implementation tool, but also a dynamic resource and training tool. As proof, we assembled an implementation team of personnel from all areas of our factory, and were successful in converting two of our product lines in less than twelve weeks simply by following Mr. Hobbs' book. We plan on completing the other seven by the end of Q2. If you want to reap the rewards and benefits as a Lean Manufacturer, I highly recommend this book!

Rating:
Summary: From a Lean Manufacturing Engineer
Review: This treatment of Lean Manufacturing is written from the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) viewpoint. The center of the manufacturing world for the production control dept. is the MRP software which makes this viewpoint on Lean interesting, especially since two of the major advantages of implementing Lean is to reduce inventories and to eliminate production control department overhead. The only requirements for MRP in a lean environment are long term raw material scheduling and finished product delivery scheduling.
Hobbs does not establish the roots of Lean (The Toyota Production System) nor does he use Japanese lean terms with the exeption of Kanban and Kaizen. Nor does he recognize the existence of the value stream map (VSM) choosing to use the process flow diagram (PFD) to define the manufacturing process. Thus Hobbs only defines process level manufacturing data and totally ignores the systems approach to lean Manufacturing. As a result the Lean Enterprise, total lead time, and how the manufacturing process relates to the whole value stream are not even adddressed. He is, however, quick to use total lead time in his so called 'Strategic Business Analysis'. Finally, the key concept of pull/flow production control is not fully compared to push/MRP production control. Herein lies the proof that pull/flow is superior.
This is the only treatment of lean manufacturing I have found that espouses providing for scrap and rework in the manufacturing process. There is no jidoka even mentioned.
Somehow the term 'MRP' shows up on almost every page. This book should be labeled 'In Defense of MRP'.
There is no bibliography - all original?

1) A lean practitioners publication 2/10
2) A lean managers publicaton 4/10
3) Clear thought/Organization 3/10
4) Information Content 2/10
5) New or original content 2/10
6) Topical relevance 2/10