Another key Kaizen technique is the customization of tools or even the creation of entirely custom tools. In one of the early posts I wrote about how a Japanese automotive supplier was able to switch parts in injection molding in minutes whereas a similar German supplier needed almost 12 hours. The basic setup they were using was quite similar, but the Japanese supplier had made extensive modifications to the basic injection molding machine. For instance, the die (mold) has to have a certain ...