Lean manufacturing is a production philosophy that aims to eliminate waste and increase efficiency in manufacturing processes. It is based on the idea of continuously improving and streamlining production by identifying and eliminating non-value-adding activities, such as excess inventory, unnecessary processing steps, and defects.

The goal of lean manufacturing is to create a “pull” system in which production is based on actual customer demand rather than forecasted demand. This allows manufacturers to reduce lead times, increase flexibility, and improve responsiveness to changes in customer demand.

To implement lean manufacturing, companies often use tools such as value stream mapping, kanban systems, and visual management to identify and eliminate waste. Lean manufacturing principles can be applied to a wide range of industries, including automotive, aerospace, and electronics.

Like most organisations whose service delivery includes significant face-to-face engagement on their client’s premises, The Manufacturing Institute found themselves grounded when lockdown restrictions came into force across the UK in March 2020. Not one to sit back and dwell, the senior leadership team in the company immediately started to look at ways they could continue to provide a much-needed service to their customers, in a remote and COVID-secure way. 

One of the ways we approached this problem of remote teaching, was to create a Lean Manufacturing Simulator. 

Following a successful demonstration, our client commissioned The Immersive Learning Studio to design and build a lean manufacturing simulator mainly because of the following benefits that this would bring: 

Risk reduction: A lean manufacturing simulator allows companies to test and evaluate different production strategies and processes in a virtual environment, reducing the risk of implementing changes in the real world.

Cost savings: By identifying and eliminating waste in the production process, companies can reduce costs and improve profitability. A lean manufacturing simulator can help companies identify opportunities for cost savings and optimize their production processes accordingly.

Improved efficiency: A lean manufacturing simulator can help companies identify bottlenecks and other inefficiencies in their production process and develop strategies to address them. This can lead to improved overall efficiency and productivity.

Enhanced training: A lean manufacturing simulator can be used as an effective training tool for new employees, allowing them to learn and practice lean principles in a controlled environment before applying them in the real world.

Improved decision-making: A lean manufacturing simulator allows companies to evaluate the potential impact of different production strategies and make informed decisions about which approach is most likely to be successful.

The simulation has moved out of the BETA stage and is now released to the client and their partners so that it can be put through its paces. The Manufacturing Institute are the first organisation to have a fully-featured online, multiplayer Lean simulation of this type and we are proud to have worked with the team to bring this product to life.

Click the link if you would like to see a demonstration of our Lean Manufacturing Simulator