Lean vs Six Sigma

Lean vs Six Sigma | Difference between Lean and Six Sigma Methodology

→ Lean vs Six Sigma: the difference between lean and six sigma are mentioned below.
→ The concept of Lean Manufacturing was firstly suggested by the Toyota Production System.
→ Lean Manufacturing is focused on the removal of waste from system or process.
→ Motorola primarily introduced the process of Six Sigma in the year 1986 which ensures that 3.4 ppm of defect of manufactured products.

Lean Process

→ Lean is an organized process of eliminating wastes from the process.
→ The 8 wastes of Lean are Transportation, Inventory, Motion, Waiting, Over Production, Over Processing, Defect generation, Skill-set.
→ Toyota Production System introduced the concept of Lean Thinking and Lean Process in 1990's.
→ The elimination of wastes can be done by analyzing every process and non-productive steps.
→ There are two main concepts of this process; they are Just in Time (JIT) and Jidoka.

➤ The Five Principles of Lean Process:

  1. Identification of value
  2. Ascertainment of value stream
  3. Flow of Activities
  4. Pull
  5. Perfection


Six Sigma

→ Motorola introduced the Six Sigma Methodology in 1986.
→ Six Sigma is used for maintaining the Quality of Products and processes.
→ After the success of Motorola, many other organizations have also implemented the Six Sigma.
→ Six Sigma focuses on providing products and services with the highest quality.
→ The foundation of Six Sigma technique is probability and normal distribution.

➤ There are two methodologies for implementing six sigma:

→ DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control): When the improvements are made in the existing product, service or process.
→ DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify): When a new product, service or process is designed.

Differences Between Lean and Six Sigma - Lean vs Six Sigma

1. Definition
→ Lean Manufacturing eliminate wastes from system or process
→ Six Sigma reduces the variation from the product or process

2. Introduced
→ Lean was introduced on 1990's.
→ Six Sigma was introduced on 1980's

3. Major focus
→ Lean Focuses on Process Flow.
→ Six Sigma Focuses on Problem.

4. Tools used
Lean Tools are used for the improvement project
Six Sigma: Statistical Tools are used for the improvement project

5. Nature of Control
→ Lean: Visual Control
→ Six Sigma: Statistical Process control


6. Methodology
→ Lean: To eliminate eight lean wastes (i.e. TIMWOODS such as Transportation, Inventory, Motion, Waiting, Over Production, Over Processing, Defect generation, Skill-set)
→ Six Sigma: DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control)  or other methodology for new product or process is DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify) methodologies are used.

7. Introduced by
→ Lean: Toyota Production System
→ Six Sigma: Motorola

8. Major benefits
→ Lean: Improve production by increasing productivity
→ Six Sigma: improve profit and quality of the product