Intertek Alchemy Launches Lean Manufacturing Library with Supervisor-level eLearning Courses
May 13, 2022 – AUSTIN, TEXAS – Intertek Alchemy, a global leader in training for manufacturing and food processing industries, announced the availability of its Lean Manufacturing Library of eLearning courses. These courses provide training for managers and supervisors to identify waste in an organization and offer various tools that can be used to eliminate it.
Companies across the world are struggling with labor shortages, shrinking profit margins, and increased costs as supply chain challenges continue. In this environment, any downtime, production delays, or product defects are amplified and often devastating. Intertek Alchemy Lean Library content trains operations leaders of any type of business to help them define and map critical processes so their companies can run more efficiently and cost effectively.
“The Alchemy Lean Manufacturing Library can harness the power of teams to increase efficiency and profitability by teaching them to identify and eliminate waste,” said Laura Dunn Nelosn, VP -Sustainability, Intertek Alchemy. “This training program provides easily digestible courses for leadership from large enterprises and smaller companies so they can get to work implementing solutions that make a real impact.”
Intertek Alchemy designed Lean Manufacturing Library courses to be industry agnostic, helping leaders from restaurant kitchens to manufacturing facilities to automotive plants and much more. Each course is full of practical information and includes a resource guide so participants can practice what they have learned.
The Intertek Alchemy Lean Library currently included the following courses:
- ABCs of Lean – This module introduces the ideas behind lean manufacturing, including identifying waste, understanding just in time production, and creating a safer, more productive work environment.
- Categories of Waste – Eliminating waste is one of the fundamental principles of lean manufacturing. This module explains the eight types of waste and suggests countermeasures to prevent or eliminate each type.
- Documenting Activities: Value Stream Mapping, Workflow Diagrams – Once you and your team understand the different types of waste, this module will provide tools to identify waste at your site and in your workflow
- Examining Data – Spreadsheets, Pareto Charts, Five Whys – All the data in the world can’t help you solve a problem if you don’t have the right tools and strategies. In this module, you’ll learn three approaches to examining data in order prioritize issues and determine root causes of problems.
- Identifying Solutions – Brainstorming, Fishbone Diagrams – After your team has found the issue they want to focus on, they’ll need to identify potential solutions. This module introduces two tools that are commonly used for this purpose: brainstorming and fishbone diagrams.
- Identifying Solutions – Kaizen, PDCA – Once you’ve identified problems at your site, how do you go about solving them? This module will discuss two methods for developing action plans, evaluating solutions, and maintaining changes you’ve put in place.
- Implementing Solutions – Kanban, Performance Management Boards – One of the best ways to identify and eliminate waste is to study workflow. This module introduces two lean manufacturing tools that can help you with this: kanban boards and performance management boards.
- Implementing Solutions – Line Balancing, Takt Time, Pull Systems, Changeovers – One of the biggest challenges in lean manufacturing is making adjustments to the production line. This module will go over strategies for eliminating bottlenecks, creating smoother changeovers, and balancing the line for more efficient workflow.
- Implementing Solutions – Workplace Organization – Continually improving processes and reducing waste is the goal of lean manufacturing. Implementing 5S at your site can help you reach both of these goals.
- Verifying Solutions -Standardization, Audits – Once you’ve made positive changes at your site, you want to make sure your team is invested in maintaining those changes. You’ll also need some tools to help you document processes in a way that is easy to follow, even when new personnel come on board.