Lean Manufacturing Tools

Multimachine Handling
 The work practice of assigning operators to operate more than one machine in a process village layout. Requires the separation of human work from machine work, and usually is facilitated by applying jidoka and auto-eject to the machines.


 Multiprocess Handling 
The work practice of assigning operators to operate more than one process in a product-flow oriented layout  Requires training operators to operate different types of machines (e.g., bender, crimper, and tester) so they can walk products through cellularized operations. (Also known as cross-training.) This practice contrasts with the typical mass production practice of placing operators in separate departments—turning, milling, grinding —where they work only one type of machine and make batches of parts to transfer to other processes in other departments.