Lean Manufacturing Environment Research Articles

The effect of lean manufacturing and physical work environment on labor productivity in the apparel industry in Indonesia: case study

In general, this research aims to analyze and determine the effect of the application of lean manufacturing which is focused on eliminating waste and the influence of the physical work environment on labor productivity. This research used primary data through the distribution of questionnaires conducted to employees of Company X with a total of 230 respondents from sections in departments directly related to research variables. Data analysis methods using the Structural Equation Model (SEM) measured by the Partial Least Square (PLS) model, and data processing using SmartPLS 4.0 Software. Based on the results of calculations, data analysis shows that the application of principles related to lean manufacturing, which in this research is focused on the process of eliminating waste has a positive effect on the productivity of the workforce. The creation of a physical work environment that meets standards also positively affects the productivity of the workforce.

A conceptual framework for integrating Facility Layout and Production Scheduling in Flowshop Manufacturing Cells decisions

Objective: In this paper, a conceptual framework for integrating production scheduling in flowshop manufacturing cells, known as flowshop group scheduling (FSGSP), and unequal-area facility layout (UAFLP) decisions is proposed. Materials and Methods: First, a brief literature review is carried out to identify the elements, solution techniques and complementary decisions for the UAFLP, FSGSP and layout-scheduling approaches. Results: Based on the results of the literature review a 4-phase integrative model is proposed to integrate these decisions, based on a lean manufacturing environment. The phases include the input data collection and preparation process, the definition of the UAFLP, FSGSP and other complementary decisions, the optimization of the decisions, and the selection of the best alternative. Conclusions: The integration of these decisions using the proposed framework can achieve benefits related to the reduction of mudas, such as material handling, high work-in-process inventory levels and setup times for real, industrial contexts.

Integrating Lean and Sustainable Manufacturing Principles for Sustainable Total Productive Maintenance (Sus-TPM)

Abstract Total productive maintenance (TPM) is a systematic method to ensure equipment can function at the required performance to meet customer demand. The benefits of TPM are well known in lean manufacturing environments, and the technique is widely used to ensure no waste is created by defective equipment. Lean manufacturing principles and practices provide a solid basis to build upon to create more sustainable products, processes, and systems. TPM practices, therefore, can serve as a useful tool for more sustainable maintenance practices, leading to more sustainable manufacturing when additional criteria are incorporated into the existing foundation of the practice. This paper introduces a framework to integrate sustainability criteria and develop Sustainable TPM (Sus-TPM) as a complement to TPM practices. The approach to visually present the temporal sustainability performance variation of equipment by developing impact assessment trees using the Sus-TPM technique is presented. The application of the approach to an example is provided to demonstrate its benefits. Potential future expansions are also discussed to highlight how the Sus-TPM methodology could become an important tool for more sustainable manufacturing.

Forecasting Structural Equation Modelling of Lean Manufacturing using High Order Statistical Functions

Typically, the primary goal of lean technology (LT) is to improve profits and create value by minimising waste. The consideration of demand variability in a multi-dimensional lean manufacturing environment is an innovation in production system engineering. However, manufacturing systems that fail to recognise demand variability generate high work-in-process (WIP) and low throughput in the lean manufacturing process. Moreover, many companies have found it difficult to successfully implement and sustain lean manufacturing. It is, therefore, very important for companies to identify and understand the critical success factors for successfully implementing lean manufacturing. To overwhelm the challenges in the implementation of lean manufacturing, this paper plan to introduce an advanced model and this model is analysed using structural equation modelling.

Performance Measurement and Reporting in Lean Manufacturing Environment: Integration of Balanced Scorecard and Lean Accounting Box Score

Purpose – The study aims to develop a framework model to measure performance and report improvements and deficiencies as multidimensional with timely information in lean manufacturing environment accordance with philosophy of lean thinking. Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines research conducted in the area of lean thinking, lean manufacturing, lean accounting, lean accounting box score, balanced scorecard and proposes a performance measurement and reporting model. Findings – It was developed a multidimensional performance measurement and reporting framework model that, takes into account requirements of lean manufacturing and supports lean manufacturing. Discussion – In lean companies, performance measurement methods and reports should reveal gains and deficiencies of lean applications. Proposed model provides to measure performance and reports results based on value streams similtanously with manufacturing processes. Therefore, the study one of the few studies that contribute to expanding the limited existent body of knowledge of performance measurement and reporting in lean manufacturing environment. Also, model can be used by companies from different industries and as well as non-lean companies or organizations by modifying according to aims and strategies or requirements.

Industry 4.0-Based Real-Time Scheduling and Dispatching in Lean Manufacturing Systems

Lean manufacturing is one of the most popular improvement agents in the pursuit of perfection. However, in today’s complex and dynamic manufacturing environments, lean tools are facing an inevitable death. Industry 4.0 can be integrated with lean tools to avoid their end. Therefore, the primary purpose of this paper is to introduce an Industry 4.0-based lean framework called dynamic value stream mapping (DVSM) to digitalize lean manufacturing through the integration of lean tools and Industry 4.0 technologies. DVSM with its powerful features is proposed to be the smart IT platform that can sustain lean tools and keep them alive and effective. This paper specifically tackles the scheduling and dispatching in today’s lean manufacturing environments, where the aim of this research is developing a smart lean-based production scheduling and dispatching model to achieve the lean target through optimizing the flow along the VSM and minimizing the manufacturing lead time. The developed model, called the real-time scheduling and dispatching module (RT-SDM), runs on DVSM. The RT-SDM is represented through a mathematical model using mixed integer programming. Part of the testing and verification process, a simplified IT-based software, has been developed and applied on a smart factory lab.

Productivity improvement of an electrical appliance industry by implementing lean manufacturing tools and a low-cost intervention (A case study)

The focus of lean manufacturing tools is the cost reduction by eliminating non-value added activities (waste, i.e., Muda), thus, enables continuous improvement. The purpose of this paper is to address the importance of value stream mapping (VSM) in a lean manufacturing environment in an Indian electrical appliance industry. This research aims to highlight how lean tools can be utilised to reduce the bottleneck, meet customer demand and increase productivity. A current state mapping study was conducted to find the areas of improvement. Several lean tools were implemented to determine the production pace. The study reveals that the wiring and connection workstation had maximum bottleneck value; hence, the customer demand was not met. Furthermore, wireless connection as an intervention was introduced in the production process to reduce the bottleneck in the cycle time. The improvement can be visualised through future state VSM. Lean tools along with some small interventions could play a significant role in improving the productivity of the company.

Productivity improvement of an electrical appliance industry by implementing lean manufacturing tools and a low-cost intervention (a case study)

The focus of lean manufacturing tools is the cost reduction by eliminating non-value added activities (waste, i.e., Muda), thus, enables continuous improvement. The purpose of this paper is to address the importance of value stream mapping (VSM) in a lean manufacturing environment in an Indian electrical appliance industry. This research aims to highlight how lean tools can be utilised to reduce the bottleneck, meet customer demand and increase productivity. A current state mapping study was conducted to find the areas of improvement. Several lean tools were implemented to determine the production pace. The study reveals that the wiring and connection workstation had maximum bottleneck value; hence, the customer demand was not met. Furthermore, wireless connection as an intervention was introduced in the production process to reduce the bottleneck in the cycle time. The improvement can be visualised through future state VSM. Lean tools along with some small interventions could play a significant role in improving the productivity of the company.

Modeling Lean and Agile Approaches: A Western Canadian Forest Company Case Study

In the forest supply chain of the coast of British Columbia, the material flows are directed toward the push production of commodity products. This industry has not adopted lean and agile principles due to unclear economic impacts on the supply chain in changing market conditions. We tested the ability of lean and agile principles to improve performance in the coastal integrated forest industry. Mixed integer programming formulations were subject to over–under production capacity, and over–under demand fulfillment penalties to emulate agile, lean, and hybrid manufacturing environments, when solving the planning problem. Assuming that the coastal integrated forest industry performs as a hybrid environment, the profit results of each manufacturing environment were judged. The results show that, opportunities for profit improvement were 11% for adopting an agile environment when demand was stable with low variation and large batches of production. However, profit improvement was non-existent when the same demand attributes apply but with high variation. The opportunities for profit improvement were 12% when an agile environment or lean environment was adopted when demand was stable with low variation and small batches of production. However, opportunities for profit improvements of 15% existed for adopting an agile environment when demand was unstable with high variation and small batches of production.

Innovation in Lean Manufacturing by Kansei-Chisei Engineering

This article forms part of the research for innovation in intelligent systems and sustainable production in a social approach, with the aim of formulating a neuroscientific model for the application of Kansei-Chisei Engineering in Lean manufacturing environments, in the metal-mechanical sector. In the area of ergonomics design of environments and products has developed from a practical rational approaches to design emotional solutions incorporating affective design with Kansei engineering design. This paper describes the main objectives for methodological development based on Kansei-Chisei Engineering for application to design Lean manufacturing environments, the main background, current state of art and objectives.

A management framework for understanding change in a lean environment

This paper examines human behavior with regard to the transition from a traditional manufacturing philosophy to the implementation of the lean management philosophy. Diverse reasons for why and how associates resist or embrace change in transitioning from a traditional manufacturing environment to a lean manufacturing environment are explored in a lean management model. Senior-management leadership and intrinsic cost/benefit analyses to change by associates play crucial roles in the successful transformation to a lean environment. Knowledge about the myriad reasons why and how associates resist or embrace change may prove useful to engineering managers who champion a massive transformation in business philosophies.

Implementation of Lean Tools-Value Stream Mapping & SMED for Lead Time Reduction in Industrial Valve Manufacturing Company

In lean manufacturing environment Value Stream Mapping (VSM) & SMED are one of the renewed industrial engineering technique used worldwide. VSM is used for visualizing the system of manufacturing and many other relevant processes and helps in great extend to understand to system itself effectively. Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED) helps to reduce the setup time of process. A valve manufacturing company was being selected for Case study. First we draw the current state value stream map. From the current data analysis find out the problems and give some recommendations to improve the production lead time and provide a future state value stream map, we reduced the lead time through VSM, from 46.63 days to 43.03 day. Second we applied SMED techniques & reduced the setup time from 21 min to 16 min in bonnet machining operation of valve.

The use of 5-WHYs technique to eliminate OEE’s speed loss in a manufacturing firm

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reduce or eliminate the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE’s) speed loss in a lean manufacturing environment. Design/methodology/approach – This action research study uses the lean manufacturing 5-whys analysis technique to reduce or eliminate the speed loss. Findings – The application of the 5-whys analysis technique in a manufacturing industry (XYZ Corporation) completely eliminated its top speed loss and resulted in a valuable savings of USD 32,811.5 per annum. Practical implications – The 5-whys analysis technique which has been primarily known to improve the OEE’s quality loss and changeover loss has been proven to be an effective approach to also tackle speed loss; a loss which has been regarded as the most dominating loss among all the types of OEE’s losses and a difficult one to eliminate. Originality/value – Little or no attempt has been made to date to expand the use of the 5-whys analysis technique beyond its originally intended purpose. The lessons learnt in this study could be applied to other organizations. The outcome of the study has also opened the possibility of widening the horizon of the use of the 5-whys analysis technique beyond its original intended objective and could be applicable to solve other losses of OEE and non-value added activities of lean philosophy in general.

Suzhal – An Alternative Layout to Improve Productivity and Worker Well-being in Labor Demanded Lean Environment

Ergonomics continues to be relevant in work-places in which a significant amount of manual labor exists, such as in some of the Cellular manufacturing Systems (CMS). In order to distribute the workload evenly over all the workers in the line, some of the industries resorted to the practice of rotating all the workers through all workstations in the cell (Nagare cell) that prevents monotony and boredom. The presence of automated equipment in the cell will hamper this strategy for job rotation. This study aims to demonstrate the application of ergonomically designed looping layout in the assembly cell in the labor demanded lean manufacturing environment. The study was conducted in a process line in an automobile ancillary unit. The current process line which was conventional U-shaped line was simulated and the productivity has been verified and validated with the real life environment. Process map showed that the operators walked long distances, felt stress in certain workstations and that inventory piled up at the bottleneck workstation. We identify sub-cells within the cell. With the same manpower, we develop a new layout (Suzhal) and make workers rotate within each sub-cell. The proposed layout was simulated and results have been compared with the current layout. The analysis shows a reduction in the total operating cycle time, higher alertness among operators, better distribution of workloads in the group and hence higher productivity.

Lean manufacturing implementation using value stream mapping as a tool

Purpose – Value stream mapping (VSM) is a lean manufacturing (LM) tool used for analyzing material and information flow on a specific product family. The purpose of this article is to address the importance of VSM in LM environment in an Indian auto components industry. Design/methodology/approach – The case study approach has been used to show the applicability and importance of VSM in an Indian auto components company, in which the current state of manufacturing is mapped with the help of VSM symbols. According to the current state mapping, the study conducted analysis and identifies the area of improvement needed in terms of work in process, lead time and cycle time. The study further implemented kaizen on the current state map and developed future state map while including these kaizens. Findings – The study clearly shows that the VSM brings out the positive impact on process ratio, TAKT time, process inventory level, line speed, total lead and process time and reduced man power. It is helping the company in satisfying their customers with respect to quality, cost and delivery. Research limitations/implications – The main limitation of the study is the confined focus on a single industry. The case should be extended to other industries in order to support the findings and for the purpose of the wider generalization. Practical implications – The results obtained from the study will help other industries and sectors to implement VSM in LM environment. Originality/value – The article deals with a real case study, which shows application of VSM for implementing lean principles.

Cellular Manufacturing and Teamwork Concepts in Garment Manufacturing

Typical layout of a garment manufacturing line includes on average about 30 machines arranged in a straight line configuration. Normally one skilled operator works on one machine and semi skilled operators are employed at some machines to help the skilled operator. This arrangement hinders work sharing and team work, as no communication is possible between operators in this long line. Work sharing in manufacturing cells and teamwork concepts are indispensible in lean manufacturing environments. Further, balancing of lines for one-piece-flow or near one–piece–flow is only possible with a large balancing loss or impossible due to large variations between cycle times of operations. The new layout proposed in this research facilitates work sharing and team working concepts and proved dramatic improvement when implemented. An algorithm to balance the cell based on the garment type and the skill matrix of operators too is proposed.

A strategic and operational approach to assess the lean performance in radial tyre manufacturing in India

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to assess the lean performance of a tyre manufacturing firm in India. The key objective is to find key strategic and operational decision‐making dimensions for developing effective lean manufacturing environment in a tyre manufacturing organization.Design/methodology/approach – This research is empirical in nature where the opinions of a group of experts of an Indian tyre manufacturing firm were consulted to formulate an interpretive structural model (ISM) of the critical success factors of lean manufacturing implementation in a tyre manufacturing organization. The authors have developed an Excel‐based template for quantitative assessment of lean performance indicators on the basis of feedback from the operational staff.Findings – This research work suggests that financial capability of an organization drives the top‐management commitment for incorporating lean manufacturing practices in a tyre manufacturing organization. Organizational culture and human resource man...

Effectiveness of Enterprise Resource Planning System in Supporting the Lean Manufacturing

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is integrated software that linked the functional areas in the organization by using and sharing the database in one platform. The implementation of ERP system in most of the manufacturing plants help in simplifying the production and scheduling system and smoothing the process flow which will lead the organisation towards lean manufacturing environment. Most of the manufacturers do not analyse and review on the effectiveness and implications of the ERP system at the post implementation stage. This study was established to address the impacts of the ERP system in leveraging the lean practices at the shop floor and the recommendations for the continuous improvement initiatives. Data for analysis has been retrieved from in house ERP system and from manual record system of a company that already implemented ERP system. Questionnaires have been distributed to ERP users within Malaysia and Singapore to gain insight the related issue of using ERP system in their company. The study provides evidence on the effectiveness and positive impacts of the ERP system to support manufacturing industries to become more lean and agile. ERP system also effectively to response to the customer requirement and added the value along the supply chain.

Management accounting and control practices in a lean manufacturing environment

A lean strategy is rapidly becoming the dominant paradigm in manufacturing. Kennedy and Widener (2008) use a case study to develop a theoretical framework of management accounting and control practices for firms following a lean manufacturing strategy. We build on Kennedy and Widener (2008) by examining a structural equation model that provides evidence on the extent to which a lean manufacturing implementation is related to five management accounting and control practices. Using survey data from 244 US companies with an interest in lean manufacturing, we find a direct positive relation between the extent of a lean manufacturing implementation and a simplified strategic reporting system, value stream costing, visual performance measurement information, and employee empowerment. We find a direct negative relation with inventory tracking; however, we find it is conditional on the extent of top management support for change in production strategies such that firms decrease reliance on inventory tracking in the presence of strong management support. We also conclude that the management accounting and control practices work together as a package in a lean manufacturing environment as evidenced by the many direct associations among the five management accounting and control practices.

The Operations-Time Chart: A graphical tool to evaluate the performance of production systems – From batch-and-queue to lean manufacturing

In this paper, we describe the spreadsheet modeling of manufacturing systems by means of the Operations-Time Chart (hereafter, OT-Chart), a graphical tool for an automatic time-phased representation and measurement of the operation of production systems, developed by the authors. In order to improve the design of a production system, it is necessary to know the key performance metrics of the system (productivity, lead-time, inventories, downtimes and wait times) and identify the effects of design parameters on system performance. Calculating some of these magnitudes can be very complicated, especially for production systems involving multiple and confluent processes, with different cycle times and lot sizes. The OT-Chart permits a visual tracking of the aforementioned parameters throughout each process, and like a simulation tool, the program calculates and displays the effects of changing input parameters. A special version of the Chart has been designed for lean manufacturing environments, where visual tools are much appreciated. The OT-Chart provides tracking of different types of waste and supports inventory supermarkets and pull scheduling. The paper includes a case study: a plant is redesigned from a conventional batch-and-queue production system into a lean manufacturing system with the help of the OT-Chart (it is used to test the performance of each layout) allowing managers to evaluate and refine their designs.