The Importance of Standard Work in Manufacturing

Manufacturers need to be more efficient, reduce waste and deliver high quality products all the time. Standardization is part of any manufacturing strategy as it’s the foundation of a consistent, efficient and quality process. One of the lean principles, as introduced by Ohno, the creator of the Toyota Production System (TPS) states, “Without standards, there can be no improvement.”

Standardization is key because it’s consistency, repeatability and best practice. The outcome of this process is what’s called standard work – a set of work instructions that tells employees how to do tasks in the most efficient way possible. Standardized work reduces variation, reduces errors and improves product quality because everyone on the shop floor does the same tasks in the same way.

In this article we’ll look at what standardised work is, why you need it and how to implement it on your shop floor. We’ll also look at how you can use digital tools to create and manage standard work and go paperless.

What is Standard Work?

Standard work is the foundation of lean manufacturing, a way of organizing and documenting production processes. It’s a set of detailed instructions that describes the most efficient way to do a task or sequence of tasks. The goal of standard work is to produce products according to best practice, with minimal waste, defects and variation in the process. Standardized work instructions play a big role in this by providing visual and written guidance to ensure clarity and consistency in training and execution. A standard work template can be used to document these detailed instructions.

Standard work is applicable in any environment where consistency and quality are critical, including automotive, electronics, furniture and food processing.

Why Standard Work Matters

Here is why standardized work is important:

1. Consistency and Quality Control: Standard work ensures tasks are done the same way every time, which reduces variation and errors. Same process across teams means better results, higher product quality and fewer defects. Standard work template ensures consistency and quality control, provides a framework for documenting and following procedures.
2. Efficiency: By defining best practice for each task, standard work eliminates waste such as searching for tools, materials or instructions.
3. Training and Onboarding: New employees can get up to speed quickly by following standard procedures. Reduces training time and they will do tasks correctly from day one.
4. Continuous Improvement: Standard work is not static. It’s the foundation for continuous improvement, so producers can find inefficiencies and areas for improvement over time.
5. Safety: Standard work identifies potential safety hazards in the process and workers follow safety protocols to avoid accidents.

Standard Work Elements

These elements are the foundation of the work instructions and give the employee all the information they need to do the task efficiently and safely.

1. Inventory List: An inventory list is a list of materials, components, tools and equipment needed to complete a task. It should include quantities, units of measurement, and any special handling or storage instructions.
2. Work Sequence: A sequence of work is a step-by-step guide for completing a task. It should indicate the exact order in which the work is to be done with clear instructions for each step. Each step should state the expected outcome as well as possible problems that may arise and how they will be solved. Precautions and contact information for the supervisor or team leader should also be included.
3. Time Metrics: Time-related metrics such as Takt Time and Cycle Time are part of standard work. Takt Time is the time available to produce a product based on customer demand, and Cycle Time is the time to complete a task or complete a production cycle. Both metrics help synchronize production with demand and resource allocation.

Standard Work Templates

Standard work templates is part of standard work in an organization. A standard work template is a document that outlines the steps and procedures for a specific task or process. It’s a guide for employees to follow to get consistency and efficiency in the production process.

1. Choose Process to Standardize

First step in creating a standard work template is to choose a process to standardise. This means identify a specific task or process that is repetitive and has big impact to the organisation’s productivity and efficiency. Choose a process that is critical to the organisation and has lots of room for improvement.

When choosing a process to standardise consider:

• Frequency of the Process: Is the process done regularly or is it a one-time task? Regular tasks benefit more from standardisation.
• Impact on Productivity: Does the process have big impact to the organization’s productivity and efficiency? High impact processes are the ones to standardize.
• Room for Improvement: Is there room for improvement in the process and can standardizing it lead to big gains? Processes with clear inefficiencies or variability are the ones to standardize.

2. Divide Step-by-Step

Once you’ve chosen a process to standardize, the next step is to break it down into individual steps. This means analyze the process and identify each task or activity. Be thorough in this step as it will help you create a complete standard work template.

When breaking down the process into individual steps consider:

• Each Task or Activity: List all the tasks and activities.
• Task and Activity Sequence: What order do the tasks need to be done in.
• Dependencies: Note any dependencies or relationships between tasks and activities.

3. Write Each Step Out

Once you’ve broken down the process into individual steps, the next step is to write each step out. This means write a description of each task or activity, including tools and materials required, expected outcome and any safety procedures.

When writing each step out consider:

• Simple Language: Make it easy to understand.
• Visual Aids: Use diagrams, flowcharts or images to help.
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Include metrics to measure and track.

4. Sequence Steps

Last step in creating a standard work template is to sequence the steps. This means determine the order of the tasks and activities to be done to be efficient and effective.

When sequencing the steps in the correct order consider:

• Logical Order: Make sure the sequence makes sense and follows a logical progression.
• Dependencies: Note any dependencies or relationships between tasks and activities.
• Process Flow: Make sure the process flow is smooth.

Digital Tools for Standard Work

To make standard work more efficient manufacturers can use digital tools. Standard work is key to consistency and efficiency in many tasks such as machine operations and customer service interactions. Digital platforms allow for digital work instructions so they can be updated, distributed and accessed in real time.

Digital tools offer:

• Easy to Update: Work instructions can be updated and distributed across the organisation without printing and re-distributing paper documents.
• Visual Integration: Digital tools allow for inclusion of multimedia, such as photos, videos and 3D models, to help understanding and make instructions easier to follow.
• Real-Time Data: Digital tools can connect to real-time production data so workers can track progress and ensure they are meeting targets and quality standards.
• Paperless Factory: By removing paper based work instructions manufacturers can reduce waste and go green.

One such platform is ProcessNavigation which allows you to create, manage and share digital work instructions. With ProcessNavigation work instructions are always up to date and available to workers and the platform supports real-time performance tracking and continuous improvement.

Summary

Standard work is the foundation of lean manufacturing and brings consistency, quality and efficiency to production. By documenting and standardising processes you can eliminate waste, reduce defects, improve training and get more out of your operations. And by using digital tools to manage and update standard work you can get even more out of your operations, reduce paper and create a culture of continuous improvement.

As manufacturing environments get more complex and more demanding standard work is more important than ever to maintain high performance. Implementing good standard work practices will improve day to day operations and position your company for long term success and competitiveness in the market. A standard work template means all processes are followed consistently and easily updated which is key to sustaining improvements and adapting to change.