In which type of manufacturing process are end-of-line inspections considered a form of waste?

End-of-line inspections in a lean manufacturing process are considered a form of waste primarily because lean principles focus on eliminating non-value-adding activities to enhance efficiency and reduce costs. In lean manufacturing, the goal is to make processes as streamlined and efficient as possible, minimizing anything that does not directly contribute value to the final product.

In lean methodologies, defects are identified as part of waste because they indicate that something went wrong during the production process. Instead of relying on end-of-line inspections, lean practices emphasize quality at the source, which involves preventing defects through better training, continuous improvement, and empowering workers to identify problems as they occur. By addressing issues early in the production process rather than at the end, a lean approach helps to reduce the time, materials, and effort associated with rework or scrapping defective products.

This way of thinking contrasts with traditional manufacturing or mass production systems, where inspections are often integral to the quality control processes. In these settings, there may be less emphasis on early detection and prevention of defects, leading to the perception that inspections are a necessary part of ensuring product quality. Just-in-time manufacturing also values efficiency and waste reduction, but its focus is on inventory management rather than directly tackling inspection-related waste. Thus, within the lean framework