What happens to non-value-added activities in lean manufacturing?

In lean manufacturing, non-value-added activities are considered waste. This concept is fundamental to lean principles, which focus on maximizing customer value while minimizing waste. The goal of lean is to create more value for customers with fewer resources by eliminating any activities or processes that do not add value to the final product or service.

Non-value-added activities consume resources, time, and effort without contributing to the customer’s perception of value; therefore, they should be eliminated or minimized. Recognizing these activities as waste allows organizations to streamline their processes, reduce costs, and enhance overall efficiency. Continuous improvement efforts are often directed towards identifying and eliminating these types of activities to create a more efficient production process and deliver better quality products to customers.