IIE Lean Division Newsletter

January 2015

Attend an IIE webinar! Click here for listing of webinars and registration
These free one-hour presentations by knowledgeable professionals and experienced volunteers provide deeper insight into topics and issues involving industrial engineers and industrial engineering-related disciplines. Most of these webinars are only accessible by IIE members.

2015 deadline for nominations for Lean Awards is fast approaching

It's not too late, but don't hesitate! If you, or a colleague has produced some innovative thinking on Lean or has implemented a particularly interesting application of Lean, submit a recommendation to be considered for one of the Lean Division sponsored awards. But don't wait. The submission doors will close soon.

A brief list of awards and submission deadlines:

The Lean Best Practice Competition
The Lean Division is launching its fifth industry best practice award and welcomes applications from organizational teams for the Lean Division Best Practice Award 2015. The Award recognizes organizations for innovative and effective implementation of lean principles and practices that deliver exemplary business performance improvement. The award deadline for applications is Jan. 31. Details of the competition

Lean Teaching Award Annual Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Lean Concepts
Sponsored by Lean Enterprise Value Foundation
The Lean Division's teaching award is given out annually to honor the services of a person/group of people who have developed curriculum and disseminated courses in the subject area. The Lean Division now invites nominations for the seventh Lean Teaching Award, which will be presented at the IIE Annual Conference & Expo, May 30-June 2 in Nashville, Tenn. Nomination deadline is Jan. 30. More information about award

IIE Lean Division Student Paper Competition
The ninth annual IIE Lean Division Student Paper Competition will be held to honor outstanding papers in the field of lean research and practices. The papers should demonstrate or describe the use of techniques such as simulation, lean principle implementation, alternative designs, kaizen implementation, etc. Both undergraduate and graduate students and design teams are invited to submit papers. The deadline for submission of papers is Jan. 31. More information

Call for nominations for the Lean Division Board of Directors

Nomination Deadline: Jan. 31

The Lean Division has more than 4,000 members and it is the top division within IIE in terms of membership. It is poised to grow as the division offers various value adding activities for its members including webinars, newsletter, awards and interactive networking. We are looking for motivated, enthusiastic volunteers to continue our significant progress in the future.

Take advantage of this excellent opportunity to serve your Lean Division in a significant way. If not you, then perhaps someone you know is qualified to take a leadership position on the Lean Division Board.

Please, take a few minutes to consider submitting your name or that of a colleague.

We are filling four director positions (a two-year term) and the position of president-elect (a three-year term) who will succeed to serve as president in the following year. Please see the Lean Division Bylaws for the duties of each position.

New term will begin on April 1. Board members are expected to be an active participant in monthly board conference calls and to participate in various initiatives, some of which are led by committees working in partnership with the full board. Board members are also expected to attend the IIE Annual conference and to participate in the Town Hall meeting held during the annual conference.

All nominees must be current, regular members of the Lean Division. Students are not eligible.

To submit a nomination, complete the nomination form and send to Pam Patterson ([email protected]) by Jan. 31.

Contact Aman Sapra ([email protected]), Nominating Committee chair, if you have questions about the positions and responsibilities. Please consider giving back to your Lean Division.

Feature Article

Determine the Future of Lean

Authors: Dr. Rupy Sawhney and Enrique Macia de Anda

One of the recent discussion trends in Lean circles and possibly a more relevant question regarding continuous improvement is "what's next". Society has changed significantly; growing exponentially in technology/communication, new regional/national/international concerns, globalization dynamic population demographics yet Lean has not fundamentally changed over the same period of time. Read the full article

Featured Lean definitions

Cell manufacturing

A manufacturing approach in which equipment and workstations are arranged to facilitate small lot, continuous flow production. In a manufacturing cell, all operations are necessary to produce a component or subassembly are performed in close proximity, thus allowing for quick feedback between operations when problems and other issues arise. Workers in manufacturing cells are typically cross trained and able to perform multiple tasks as needed.

Management by wandering around (MBWA)

A practice whereby managers frequently tour areas for which they are responsible, talk to various employees and encourage upward communication.

Search the IIE online dictionary of industrial engineering terminology

Click here for lean definitions

Ask the Expert: Lean

Question
Are Lean Manufacturing principles limited to manufacturing environments or can they be applied to other organizations as well? Answer

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May 30 - June 2, 2015
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Submit An Abstract!

Don't miss your chance to be a part of IIE's Engineering Lean & Six Sigma (ELSS) Conference. Presented in collaboration with the Lean Educator Conference, the ELSS Conference combines innovative approaches to educational practices with exclusive access to the latest innovations and practical techniques to improve quality and efficiency.

You know the importance of effective lean and Six Sigma principles. Contribute to the future of the field and foster collaboration among industrial engineering practitioners, educators and researchers when you submit your best practices, proven solutions, or cutting-edge research.

Abstract presentations are being accepted

Submit an article
The Lean Division of the Institute of Industrial Engineers is continuously searching for new material to provide to its membership. If you would like to contribute and see your articles in the newsletter and on the website, please submit your article to Larry Clements, director of the IIE Lean Newsletter at
[email protected]

Articles should be approximately three to four pages in length. It should be single-spaced, 12 point, Times New Roman and in Word format. Graphs, diagrams, pictures and charts can also be included. Please also include a two or three sentence biography; however, they must be in a separate file and saved as a .jpg file. Contact information can be included at your discretion.

Feedback

We welcome your input. Please send submissions and feedback to Larry Clements, Director of the Newsletter at [email protected]

Please include "Lean e-Newsletter" in the subject line of your message.

"The best way to predict your future is to create it."
-- Abraham Lincoln