Abstract
This paper presents an action-research project aiming at improving the performance of “just-in-time, just-in-sequence” auto parts manufacturing and delivery in three tier-1 suppliers of the Nissan plant in Barcelona. This research was conducted at the Barcelona School of Engineering (ETSEIB) and promoted by the Nissan factory in Barcelona. In this paper, first, the concept of synchronous manufacturing is explored. After several improvement ideas are spotted within the Nissan plant, the paper focuses on the suppliers. An intervention approach is proposed. Suppliers are categorized and selected suppliers are analyzed (by means of three case studies, each one corresponding to a different type of supplier). This research contributes to understanding how synchronous manufacturing and delivery can be extended to suppliers and the existing drawbacks. The critical variables in synchronous manufacturing and delivery and the relations between them are identified in a conceptual model termed the M-S Model. Implications for suppliers are derived, allowing us to improve the performance of the whole synchronous manufacturing system. A piece of software is developed to help companies schedule a smooth flow of components, making synchronous manufacturing easier. Results may help decision makers develop a supply management system, including policies, procedures and the necessary resource deployment.
Highlights
This paper presents an action-research project aiming at improving the performance of “just-in-time, just-in-sequence” auto parts manufacturing and delivery in three tier-1 suppliers of the Nissan plant in Barcelona
Beach et al (2001) contend that a holistic approach to research design should be adopted when carrying out this type of production management research because the study of topics such as strategic flexibility cannot rely on quantitative methods alone, which fail to capture the essence of the issue
The importance of JIT-JIS procurement, and the fragile conditions it relies upon, were already stated by Ford (1923) “We have found in buying materials that it is not worthwhile to buy for other than immediate needs...If transportation were perfect and an even flow of materials could be assured, it would not be necessary to carry any stock...Raw materials would arrive on schedule and in the planned order and amounts, and go from the railway cars into production.”
Summary
“Production of the redesigned, aluminum-bodied Ford F-150 has been slowed by a shortage of frames from a supplier’s plant in Kentucky, according to workers and a UAW official” (Bunkley, 2015). The others fall into the second and third tiers of the supplier pyramid Since this system has greater informational efficiency (Klier, 1994), the thesis of the authors of this paper is that situations such as the one described by Bunkley can be improved with a better coordination between the OEM and its first-tier supplier, on the basis of the principles of synchronous manufacturing and with the help of a management system. This hypothesis is backed by the findings of Liker et Wu (2000) that the performance of American suppliers depends on the specific customer. (section 6), a decision-aid piece of software is developed
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