Topic:

Objective:
Tools:

Read a PLANT Fast

Learn to tall if a plant is truly Lean in as little as 30 mins.
RPA Rating Sheet with 11 categories
RPA Questionnair of 20 assocoated Y/N questions to determine usage of best practice

Seq No
1

Category
Customer
Satisfaction

What to do
Where does your product go next ?

Safety,
Envoronment,
Cleanliness, and
Order.

Find the importance given to each type of

invemtory, cleanliness maintained and is it well
lit.

Visual management Look for Kanbab scheduling, Color coded

system
Production lines, Quality Productivity charts and
maintenacne records.

Scheduling system Look for how the scheduling is done.

Use of Space ,
Movement of
Materials and
Product Line Flow

Count Forklifts.

Level of inventory
and WIP

Count invemtory at each work stations.

Teamwork and
Motivation

Do employees know their job well. Eager to

share their knowledge and do they focus on
plants productivity.

Condition and
Maintenance of
Equipment and
tools.

Look for Clean equipment. Stenciled .

Management of
Complexity and
Varibility

Look for paralysis by analysis. Are people

keeping track of lot of thinggs. More than
required. Are their manual book keeping of
expenses.

10

Supply chain
integration

Figureout number of supplier involved.

11

Commitment ot
Quality

Does company have names for the quality

improvement program. Banners displaying
vision, mission and objectives.

ne usage of best practices in each category.

What is expected
Worker must know whoe is end user or
immidiate user of the inventory processed by
him.
Plant should be well lit, proper staking of
inventory. "Aplace ofr everything and
everything at its place". Visual Labelling of tools
process and flow.
Name of team member/manager, Productivity
measures, vacation schedule etc.
"single Pacing procesS"

Material and space used efficiently. Materials

moved over small distance. Storage at the line
side and not a separate storage.
WIP should be just enough to engage the
upstream activities.
Clearly posted safety measures. Photos of
football / Criclet team, Are there any slogans
boasting their quality and productivity
measures.
Details of maintenance.

Automated yet simple systems to signall

problems. Workers should be invollved in
purchase decision of the equipment they
handle.
Pay supplier on completed and shippable
products. Automate payment process for
suppliers.
Stive to improve quality and productivity. How
to handle defectives. And scrap.

Why it is expected
Workers in best plants clearly know their internal or external
customers.
Easy to find. Easy to count. Safe and efficient movement. Ensures
that orders are delayed because of small part missing.

Guides employees to right locations and tasks. Improves productivity.

Central Scheduling nearly always or under produce some parts or

some times . Helps control Speed and prodictions for all upstream
activities.
Fork lift are expense, use space and create pollution.

Exces sinventory is Blocked capital

This shows that plant has truly embraced team work.

Helps workier lan preventive maintenance activity.

Helps understand how variationa dn complexity is handled.

Helps worker understand strength and weakness of the equipment.

Helps keep cost low and quality hig.

Helps achieve cost and time goals.