While I am not a “production” kind of a guy, I find the application of Lean in the production environment particularly interesting. For me, I believe, is due to the similarities in woodcraft.
Today’s woodcraft, minus all the fancy power equipment, is much the same as it was in the 1800’s. Individual’s working mostly alone through diverse challenges of how to turn chunks of wood into beautiful artwork, functional furniture or anything else.
This journey of creation often requires the application of an accumulation of skills, a mix of innovation, a variety of tools and a few jigs and fixtures.
Jigs and Fixtures were a natural part of production environments prior to mass production and the industrial revolution. Once the production of products was broken down into individual steps and stretched along a production line the workers no longer had the need to work through development of the product and the natural creative experience of developing the process and the jigs to make it all possible.
It is often in the experience gained building one jig that ideas are sparked and other jigs and fixtures are imagined. Each improvement leads to increased quality. Each new innovation leads to increased productivity.
The mass production environment limits exposure to the opportunities of developing the skills necessary to create, improve and innovate.
How many jobs have you had in your life? How often have you been told to just “do your job”, “nose to the grindstone”, “don’t rock the boat”.
Have you ever had a boss that challenged you to not only do your job but to improve your job each day? Imagine how much more enjoyable a job would be if you were not only allowed but encouraged to figure out how to do your job better, faster and with higher quality.
hmmm… sounds kind of like a day in the shop.
Over 3,000 people just like you have viewed this blog. How about sharing a little? What Jig or Fixture have you felt most proud of? Click on the comments link at the bottom of this post and share with us.
I have used jigs and fixtures most of the 45 years I have been doing woodworking. The first was one my dad showed me that would allow you to calculate the circumference of anything up to the size of a basketball. We made one of these together out of some scrap metal, and I was hooked. Nice job on the website!