Waste Reduction Plan – Understanding and Implementing the 7 Wastes (Muda, Mura, Muri)
♻️ Waste Reduction Plan – Understanding and Implementing the 7 Wastes (Muda, Mura, Muri)
In any manufacturing or service organization, waste is one of the biggest barriers to efficiency and profitability. The Japanese philosophy of Lean Management gives us a clear way to identify and eliminate waste through the concept of Muda, Mura, and Muri — the “Three Ms” of waste reduction.
Let’s understand what they mean and how to implement a Waste Reduction Plan in your system effectively.
🔹 Step 1: Understand the 3Ms of Waste
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Muda (Waste)
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Refers to any activity that doesn’t add value to the product or service.
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Examples: Overproduction, waiting time, excessive inventory, unnecessary motion.
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Mura (Unevenness)
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Occurs when workloads are inconsistent — some processes are overloaded while others are idle.
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Example: In a brass foundry, if casting runs continuously but machining is delayed, it creates an #ISOimbalance.
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Muri (Overburden)
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Happens when people or machines are pushed beyond capacity.
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Example: Forcing employees to work overtime frequently, leading to fatigue and mistakes.
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🔹 Step 2: Identify the 7 Types of Wastes (Muda)
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Overproduction – Producing more than needed.
Solution: Implement “produce-to-order” or JIT (Just-In-Time) scheduling. -
Waiting – Idle time between processes.
Solution: Improve coordination and eliminate bottlenecks. -
Transportation – Unnecessary movement of materials.
Solution: Redesign layout to shorten movement paths. -
Overprocessing – Doing more than required.
Solution: Standardize processes and eliminate redundant steps. -
Inventory – Excess raw materials or finished goods.
Solution: Maintain optimal stock levels using demand forecasting. -
Motion – Unnecessary movement by workers.
Solution: Ergonomic workstations and proper tool placement. -
Defects – Errors causing rework or scrap.
Solution: Root cause analysis and preventive maintenance.
🔹 Step 3: How to Implement a Waste Reduction Plan
| Step | Action | Example | Responsible |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Map your processes | Use value stream mapping to identify non-value activities | Quality/Process Team |
| 2 | Conduct a waste walk | Observe the production floor and record visible wastes | Supervisors |
| 3 | Prioritize improvement areas | Start with the top 2-3 major wastes | Management |
| 4 | Train employees | Educate on the 7 wastes and Lean tools | HR & QA |
| 5 | Implement 5S | Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain | All Departments |
| 6 | Review and monitor | Use KPI dashboards to track improvements | ISO Coordinator |
🔹 Step 4: Continual Improvement
Once the waste reduction plan is in place, make it part of your ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System.
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Review waste trends during Management Review Meetings
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Set annual improvement objectives like reducing defects by 10% or improving cycle time by 15%.
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Encourage employees to share suggestions through Kaizen or suggestion schemes.
💡 Example:
In a copper extrusion plant, overproduction and motion waste were reduced by introducing:
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Smaller batch sizes,
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Better workstation layout,
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Real-time monitoring through a dashboard.
Result: 18% productivity improvement and 12% energy savings!
📈 Benefits of Waste Reduction Plan
✅ Cost savings and higher profitability
✅ Improved process flow and efficiency
✅ Better employee morale and engagement
✅ Enhanced customer satisfaction due to consistent quality
At BIGISO, we help organizations identify, reduce, and eliminate waste through our ISO documentation software and Lean-based improvement tools.
👉 Start your digital waste reduction journey today — simplify, streamline, and sustain excellence!