The Toyota Production System vs. Lean Manufacturing
You will sometimes hear the terms “Lean Manufacturing” and “Toyota Production System” used interchangeably. Strictly speaking, these two terms are not synonymous, although they contain some common elements.
The Toyota Production System (TPS) was developed in the 1950s and 1960s at Toyota Motor Corporation, in response to the unique challenges that Toyota and the Japanese nation faced at the time. TPS was widely adopted and modified by other Japanese manufacturers; and eventually companies outside Japan began to employ it.
Lean manufacturing is a term that originated in the United States in the 1980s, mostly as means of differentiating American adaptations of the Toyota Production System from the Japanese system.
Lean manufacturing is largely based on TPS, but there are key differences:
Lean manufacturing is a set of tools and techniques that help companies reduce waste and heighten efficiency.
The Toyota Production System is a way of thinking, a set of philosophies used to approach problems.
Both systems are aimed at the same goals: make the shop floor more efficient and less wasteful. But TPS is more focused on the human side of the equation, whereas lean manufacturing focuses more on using the tools and techniques in isolation.