ABSTRACT
Waste can be considered anything that does not add value to products or services destined for the customer. Waste exists in many forms including inventory, procedures, equipment, material flow and product design. Waste can impact organizations from many different aspects as reflected in a stressed-out workforce, unpredictable equipment failures or an inability to deliver products on time. Variation in system performance and fluctuation in product mix and volume can significantly stress people and the systems within which they work, leading to process defects and delays. This chapter provides a brief description of non-value-added waste in manufacturing processes of waste category as defined by Toyota. In addition to the seven types of process waste defined by Toyota, waste has also been highlighted in other areas including information, human resources and the physical environment in which work is performed. The goal of waste elimination is to reduce process cycle time. The shading of value-added activities reveal areas where waste elimination opportunities exist.
