JIT vs Lean: Difference and Comparison

Over the past few decades, manufacturing and production businesses have been constantly increasing. While there are many manufacturing methods, JIT and lean manufacturing are two of the most prominent.

While there has been a simultaneous use of the two, they also have significant differences.

Key Takeaways

1. Just-in-Time (JIT) manufacturing focuses on producing and delivering goods as needed, reducing inventory and waste.
2. Lean manufacturing aims to eliminate waste across the entire production process, promoting efficiency and quality.
3. Both JIT and Lean methodologies contribute to improved productivity, cost reduction, and increased competitiveness in business.

JIT vs Lean

The difference between JIT and lean is that JIT manufacturing deals with increasing business efficiency, whereas lean manufacturing deals with utilizing this efficiency to increase customer value. JIT is only one step of lean manufacturing.

JIT stands for Just-in-time. It is defined as a manufacturing philosophy that focuses on minimising all resources used in various enterprise activities, including identifying and eliminating non-productive activities.

It works on a small scale in the project. This philosophy is advantageous in reducing inventory and the overall work in progress.

Lean is defined as a manufacturing technique that focuses on services based on the planned elimination of all waste and continuous improvement in productivity. Lean manufacturing is also called ‘ The Toyota Way ‘.

It works on a large scale in the project. This technique is advantageous in improving productivity, efficiency, and customer value.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	JIT	Lean
Definition	It is a philosophy.	It is a technique.
Other Names	Just-in-time manufacturing.	‘The Toyota Way’ manufacturing.
Methodology	It prioritizes the least possible time.	It prioritizes the highest possible quality.
Purpose	Improving efficiency.	Improving customer value.
The Scale of Work	It works on a small scale.	It works on a large scale.

What is JIT?

JIT stands for Just-in-time. It is defined as a manufacturing philosophy that focuses on minimising all resources used in various enterprise activities, including identifying and eliminating non-productive activities.

It works on a small scale in the project. This philosophy is advantageous in reducing inventory and the overall work in progress.

JIT is not a technique but rather a philosophy. The core purpose of this philosophy is to improve productivity and quality.

It ensures the best utilization of all the available resources. In JIT manufacturing, an organization is created which works as per the market’s responsiveness in a highly efficient and effective manner.

JIT works on various principles, including lowest over-production, waiting, transportation, stocks, etc.

One of the major advantages that JIT has is that it is neither early nor late, which is why this philosophy is termed Just-in-time manufacturing. Furthermore, it marginally reduces the inventory.

Nevertheless, JIT has a few disadvantages. Since the project is only a small step of a large project, there can be a lack of control over work.

The risk of the late arrival of supplies, loss in buying bulk amounts of resources, risk of quality, etc., are a few of the disadvantages of JIT.

What is Lean?

Lean is defined as a manufacturing technique that focuses on services based on the planned elimination of all waste and continuous improvement in productivity.

Lean manufacturing is also called ‘ The Toyota Way ‘. It works on a large scale in the project.

This technique is advantageous in improving productivity, efficiency, and customer value.

Unlike JIT, lean is not philosophy itself but rather a technique. The core purpose of lean manufacturing is minimizing waste and simultaneously maximizing productivity.

This technique deals with utilizing efficiency to increase value for the customer. It highly prioritizes customer satisfaction.

Lean manufacturing works on various principles, including value, flow, pull, and perfection, etc. Improved customer value is one of the biggest advantages of this technique.

Furthermore, it reduces waste and increases efficiency and productivity. If needed, it redesigns the manufacturing setup, integrates a pull system, controls the inventory, or implements a vendor program.

Nevertheless, it has a few disadvantages. Lean manufacturing has a high implementation cost, difficulty with the changeover, the safety of workers, etc. It also requires a dedicated staff of workers to deal with the suppliers.

JIT manufacturing is only one step of the lean manufacturing technique, and the two can simultaneously work.

Main Differences Between JIT and Lean

1. JIT manufacturing is a philosophy, whereas Lean manufacturing is a form of technique.
2. JIT manufacturing focuses on improving business efficiency, whereas lean manufacturing focuses on improving customer value.
3. JIT manufacturing doesn’t have a very high implementation cost, whereas lean manufacturing does.
4. JIT manufacturing is a narrow term and only a step of lean manufacturing, whereas lean manufacturing is a much broader area of work.
5. JIT manufacturing emphasizes principles based on lowering resource use, whereas lean manufacturing emphasizes principles based on the quality of work.

References

1. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=WL95yzpj1TIC&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=just+in+time+manufacturing&ots=o5k29yW6Z8&sig=XqoT9lwMxbhCzkIBB5idRlZtKBw
2. https://www.accessengineeringlibrary.com/content/book/9780071625074