Customer Reviews

Lean Manufacturing for the Small Shop

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have reviewed hundreds of technical books over the years for our magazine. Each gets a letter "grade" of either A, B, C, D, or F. Very few ever get an "A"but Gary Conner's book does and it is well deserved. It is entertaining, believable and loaded with graphics -- an easy, enjoyable and educational read.

For decades, large manufacturing operations have benefited from Lean Manufacturing principles. Many small, job-shop-type manufacturers try and fail to implement the Lean approach because Lean Manufacturing principles were developed for the large manufacturing environment.

Gary Conner has successfully adapted Lean principles to fit the job shop environment and presents them in an enjoyable story that allows the reader to witness the power of Lean. He makes Lean Manufacturing principles understandable, clearly demonstrating how job shops can implement them successfully. I highly recommend this book to small shops wishing to reap the profits of Lean.

Verda O. Hinkle, Manufacturing Consultant Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership

I am astonished that this publication would be recognized by the Shingo Prize Committee. I was originally optimistic about the contents based on the title. FOOLED AGAIN! The book is simply a collection of QUALITY based analysis and improvement tools, a few "war stories" and a very general discussion of LEAN tools and systems. I have been a Lean Practitioner for over twenty years and have had the privilege of learning from some of the original teachers of Lean in the United States. "Lean for the Small Shop" is another of the flurry of textbooks recently published that offer very little in the way of useful information about how to successfully design and build a lean production system. Small shops really do need a simple and useful guide for understanding and implementing a lean system. "Lean for the Small Shop" is NOT that guide. If you are the "Lean Champion" in your company, read "Lean Production Simplified" by Pascal Dennis (the BEST introductory text that exists today). Do look at some of the series by Shigeo Shingo or Taiichi Ohno for your first "baby steps". Beyond that, find a real lean "sensei".

Beyond that, find a real lean "sensei". AVOID using a consultant just because he is near your location. There are still only a handful (literally) of Lean practitioners who really kow what they are doing here in America. Also don't be fooled by those universities who have put their otherwise good name on a group of people (Lean charlatans) who really can offer you nothing of value except a great looking "certificate".

As a Continuous Improvement Technician with many years of mechanical and production experience, I found "Lean Manufacturing for the Small Shop" the best guide I have read for the implementation of lean manufacturing principles for any small to medium size manufacturing facility. It's strength lies in its easy to understand principles as well as the examples and instructive aids that can be used in any company. I feel it should be required reading for any manager or facilitator of lean manufacturing. Martin L. Espinola Continuous Improvement Technician Clear Pine Mouldings, Inc

Sometimes when attempting to change processes within a company the intent is there, but you just don't know where to start. Conner's book not only explains Lean Manufacturing, but gives you a virtual checklist of action items to achieve your goal of having a Lean enterprise. The book is rich with illustrations, examples, processes, and stories that will inspire even the cautious to take the plunge! The tools supplied on the CD are invaluable. I look at Lean Manufacturing for the Small Job Shop as a profitable investment as well as an understandable text.

It seems that most books out there on lean (and there a lot of them) are either very easy to read but without a lot of details (Lean Thinking) or good information but tough to get through (no names mentioned here!). This book balances the two. The book uses a fictional company for many examples to make it easy to read, yet provides many very practical details for those task with actually implementing lean. It comes with a CD full of presentations (for you to teach others) and spreadsheets (worksheets to give you a jumpstart on implementation.)

If you read one book on Lean, this should be it!

SME has distributed thousands of Gary Conner's book with its accompanying CD since it was first published in 2001. Many small shop owners have voiced their satisfaction with the CD-ROM's content, stating the material is very usable for training and practical purposes.

Since publication, only four individuals have voiced problems in using the CD. The problems have revolved around the CD not running if its contents are copied onto a hard drive. This is because the PDF files, which comprise the interface, require a special plug-in along with running Acrobat Reader(R) from the CD. The CD is designed to autorun. If you purchase the book and have problems running the CD, the collection of example files (comprised of Powerpoint[R] and Word[R] documents) can be easily accessed by viewing the CD's contents in Internet Explorer(R). The directory is X:\LeanSmallShopCD\LMS\LMSS\EXAMPLES (where X is the drive letter of your CD-ROM drive). This directory may be copied to a hard drive and is functional. Simply double click on a file name and it will open in its native program (Powerpoint or Word).

For decades, large manufacturing operations have benefited from Lean Manufacturing principles. Many small, job-shop-type manufacturers try and fail to implement the Lean approach because Lean Manufacturing principles were developed for the large manufacturing environment.

Gary Conner has successfully adapted Lean principles to fit the job shop environment and presents them in an enjoyable story that allows the reader to witness the power of Lean. He makes Lean Manufacturing principles understandable, clearly demonstrating how job shops can implement them successfully. I highly recommend this book to small shops wishing to reap the profits of Lean.

Verda O. Hinkle, Manufacturing Consultant, Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership

love it, its the best that I have read in a long time

Since posting my previous review, the author personally mailed me a CDR with copies of all of the files noted in the book. He gets a 5 star review for the content of both the book and the CD and his personal effort to provide copies of his files. His powerpoint files were particularly useful.

However, the 1 star rating remains for the SME - despite their promises, they never provided either a replacement CD or access to their PDF files on the CD that were included on the CD. In addition, their arrogance and poor implementation of a digital rights management system with poor usability and appearant compatibility problems was extremely disappointing and in poor judgement.