Simultaneous engineering for self-directed work teams implementation: A case study in the electronics industry

Abstract

Simultaneous engineering is based on the interaction between different disciplines and parallel consideration of design with production. This is usually taken as embracing product design and the manufacturing process (for instance in design for manufacturability), or product, manufacturing process and maintenance strategies (in design for maintainability) etc. A simultaneous engineering approach can also be of great value, however, for work organisation change, and vice versa. This paper describes a case study where problems with the product design and manufacturing process meant that these were redesigned in parallel with the implementation of self-directed work teams. In fact, the involvement of the first pilot team in this redesign enabled them to gain much of the confidence, skills and knowledge they required to operate successfully, and early decisions on the form and management of the team structure were supported. Relevance to industry Team work is an increasingly common choice of manufacturing and other companies to organise their production and assembly activities. The case study in this paper illustrates lessons in implementation of self-directed work teams. Moreover, it is emphasised that such implementation can be a fundamental part of simultaneous engineering, and also that teams themselves can contribute to concurrent product and process development.