Waste investigation on product development process using the lean and simulation approaches

Abstract

The product development process (PDP) has become increasingly critical to the competitivity of enterprises due to the growing international market, the increasing variety and diversity of materials and the reduction of product lifetime. The present work has as its main goal to identify wastes within the PDP. The methodological approach used was the quali-quantitative, along with an exploratory outline and a taxonomy development model. Initially, a qualitative approach is used in this model, through a case study, in order to identify enterprise waste in the PDP. Secondly, a quantitative approach is then, performed through simulation in order to evaluate possible gains as result of these waste mitigations or eliminations. The analysis unit selected for this research was a multinational enterprise in Brazil. This enterprise develops holders used on test tables for wire harnesses, which has short, medium and long product development cycles. Results showed that Value Stream Mapping is an appropriate tool to building current and future state mapping used in identifying PDP wastes. Moreover, the simulation of mitigation or elimination of identified waste showed that the studied enterprise could obtain gains in the order of 12% the amount of developed hoders.