Lean Production System Research Articles

Simulation of Integrated Total Quality Management (TQM) with Lean Manufacturing (LM) Practices in Forming Process Using Delmia Quest

Study on TQM in Malaysia is first reported in 1997 while LM in 2010. Since then, voluminous studies reported that TQM and LM can bring more benefits to a company but there is still lack of case study on company that has implemented both initiatives. Preliminary status of Integrating TQM and LM has been established from survey conducted on the highly practices LM in Malaysian automotive companies in 2011. The findings from the survey are used in order to evaluate the Integrated TQM and LM in a Malaysian Automotive Company. An Integrated Total Quality Management (TQM) with Lean Manufacturing (LM) is a system comprises TQM and LM principles. This system focuses in achieving total customer satisfaction by removing eight wastes available in any process in an organization. This paper presents the Integrated TQM and LM practices by a forming company. The integrated practices are an adaptation combination of four models award, ISO/TS16949 and lean manufacturing principles from Toyota Production System, SAEJ4000 and MAJAICO Lean Production System. A case study of the forming company in Selangor has been conducted and simulation of the process is done by Delmia Quest Software. It was found out that the company has been practicing TQM and LM separately. Other type of software can also be used to measure the level of TQM and LM implementation and can determine whether the model is adaptable for other industry and for all type of manufacturing process. This is the initial case study that combined 4 awards practices, ISO/TS16949, Toyota Production System, SAEJ4000 and MAJAICO Lean Production System (LPS).Lean Total Quality (GLTQ).

Knowledge Management in Lean Production Systems

The implementation of Lean Production Systems is more than redesigning some production processes. The most seminal change has to be made in people's knowledge. Otherwise, the changes will not be sustainable. Most implementation processes describe the sequence of necessary tasks but do not regard the integration of knowledge in the organization. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze how knowledge and knowledge flows can be described. The research showed that a multitude of different knowledge flows can occur during the implementation of Lean Production Systems and that a decentralized, role-specific approach can help to identify adequate methods of knowledge management.

Ergonomics and Kaizen as strategies for competitiveness: a theoretical and practical in an automotive industry

With increased international competitiveness in the automotive industry, came the concern of the companies save costs and lower production costs. For this purpose many ways are designed to reduce costs and waste of raw materials and reduce activities that do not aggregate value to manufacturing processes. In the early XVII appears the manufacturing system, which processes were hard with little concern for the health and safety of employees and conditions of the workplace. After the advent of the production system called lean manufacturing, a new paradigm in terms of production system capable of providing high levels of productivity and quality. It is based on waste elimination that occur during the production process. After began a new way of thinking, creating a culture of continuous improvement and lean process with no waste and reducing costs, without neglecting the welfare worker and improving the conditions of their work environment. This paper presents a reflection on the application of ergonomics in a lean production system of an automotive industry, using methodology based on the Kaizen (Continuous Improvement) to gain performance and improving the conditions of the workplace, also will be presented with positive and negative points in using this methodology in relation to ergonomics. The research will be conducted by collecting data 'in loco' and interviews with workers. Some studies show that in companies that are lean system and using the methodology of Kaizen, the results of product quality, levels of absenteeism and accidents are better than those obtained in companies that do not apply the same concept.

Transfer of Lean Manufacturing to China – Lessons from Two German-Chinese Production Plants

The purpose of this paper is to provide a greater understanding of the implementation process of lean production in China. In particular, it will investigate the main barriers when implementing lean production in China. The aim is to evaluate if implementation barriers can be explained by Chinese national context factors. Case studies of two auto-parts production plants of a German multinational company in China were used to evaluate lean barriers within China. During a two month research trip to China, sixty interviews with Chinese and Western employees were conducted to evaluate barriers when implementing Lean in China. Strong evidence is found that Chinese context factors do significantly influence the implementation process of lean in China. The paper proposes the necessity for organizations to consider cultural, socio-political and economic context factors of China when applying lean principles. The fieldwork leads the author to develop a model of barriers which restrain the successful implementation of lean production systems in China. Beside a comprehensive compilation of barriers, the model indicates Chinese cultural, socio-and economic national context factors which may influence the implementation barriers.

프레스 라인 적정 로트 크기의 결정에 관한 사례 연구

This paper develops a mathematical model which searches an optimum lot size of a press line, and applies this model to the scheduling of the press line. This mathematical model is not a widely studied cost model but a model which considers the utilization of the press line under a lean production system. In this paper, the optimum lot size is a minimum lot size which does not exceed the total work time of the press line. A production volume and the priority of the production in the press line are adjusted using this optimum lot size. A mathematical model developed in this paper will allow determining the optimum lot size easily in case of variable production environments such as an introduction of a new product and a fluctuation of production volume of each item. Therefore, our model will make a better scheduling of the press line and will enhance the utilization of it.

Differences in Organizational Factors by Lean Duration

The aim of this paper is to explore whether employees’ perceptions towards perceived organisational support and participative decision-making vary by lean duration (i.e., the duration of lean production in operation), and whether managers’ perceptions towards propensity for participative decision-making vary by the lean duration. For the study, quantitative research methodology was used and data was collected from 616 shop-floor employees and 129 middle level managers engaged full-time in export-apparel manufacturing firms that have implemented lean production systems in Sri Lanka. It was found that participative decision-making and propensity for participative decision-making significantly differ by the duration of lean production in operation.

Reference model for implementing an MRP system in a highly diverse component and seasonal lean production environment

Companies are currently choosing to integrate logics and systems to achieve better solutions. These combinations also include companies striving to join the logic of material requirement planning (MRP) system with the systems of lean production. The purpose of this article was to design an MRP as part of the implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) in a company that produces agricultural implements, which has used the lean production system since 1998. This proposal is based on the innovation theory, theory networks, lean production systems, ERP systems and the hybrid production systems, which use both components and MRP systems, as concepts of lean production systems. The analytical approach of innovation networks enables verification of the links and relationships among the companies and departments of the same corporation. The analysis begins with the MRP implementation project carried out in a Brazilian metallurgical company and follows through the operationalisation of the MRP project, until its production stabilisation. The main point is that the MRP system should help the company's operations with regard to its effective agility to respond in time to demand fluctuations, facilitating the creation process and controlling the branch offices in other countries that use components produced in the matrix, hence ensuring more accurate estimates of stockpiles. Consequently, it presents the enterprise knowledge development organisational modelling methodology in order to represent further models (goals, actors and resources, business rules, business process and concepts) that should be included in this MRP implementation process for the new configuration of the production system.

Using Toyota's A3 Thinking for Analyzing MBA Business Cases

ABSTRACTA3 Thinking is fundamental to Toyota's benchmark management philosophy and to their lean production system. It is used to solve problems, gain agreement, mentor team members, and lead organizational improvements. A structured problem‐solving approach, A3 Thinking builds improvement opportunities through experience. We used The Toyota Way to introduce these concepts and practices and we incorporated A3 Thinking into the case analysis dimension of our functionally integrated MBA class, Managing People and Processes. Results of A3 Thinking were communicated by the A3 report, using a single 11” by 17” sheet of paper. We surveyed students at the end of the semester, after they had created numerous A3 reports for case analysis. In addition to reinforcing A3 Thinking concepts, students and faculty found that A3 reporting added value to case analysis, class discussions, and presentations and pushed the focus of analysis into key issues and root causes often overlooked in a more intuitive approach. Emphasis on conciseness and graphics helped students improve communication and the format of the A3 reports helped instructors quickly review and evaluate the case analyses.

Fatores influenciadores do sucesso da adoção da produção enxuta: uma análise da indústria de três países de economia emergente

Organizational culture has been said to be an important factor for the success of lean production systems. As companies are influenced by the culture of the countries in which they are located, comparative advantages might result from location, whenever the national culture has a better fit with the lean philosophy. This paper presents the results of a survey conducted with the industrial managers of 248 companies in Argentina, Brazil and Romania. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of cultural patterns in the success of the implantation of lean manufacturing systems. Among other findings, it appears that many of the cultural attributes that might facilitate the introduction of lean systems in those emerging countries are not in place.

Managing Lean Projects: Understanding the Structures of Lean Production

The purpose of this paper is to assess problems with lean production (LP) in the wake of recent worldwide recalls of millions of cars by automakers at the forefront of LP. The paper defines LP more broadly than the literature to include the structures of culture and political economy. It uses Toyota as a case study to identify the structural weaknesses of the entire lean production system beyond the shop floor. The main findings are, firstly, that the Toyota system is not well understood, and often misunderstood, with respect to its possible political-economic and social conditions of existence. This implies that the system cannot be easily replicated elsewhere. Secondly, changing structural conditions, particularly in the labor market and industrial system, have encouraged Toyota to introduce slower lines of production for older and female workers, use buffers to overcome more frequent production halts, and reduce the design cycle. Coupled with rising demand for its vehicles and the inevitable use of accelerated testing of complex systems, the recent spate of quality problems is not unexpected. These findings are of value to project managers who wish to obtain a deeper insight into the structural problems of LP and project management.

Perceived organisational support, job involvement and turnover intention in lean production in Sri Lanka

The literature suggests that the bottom-line changes often cited in lean implementation success stories, such as reduced inventories and faster flow times, are not the only results that should be considered. The potential detrimental effects on employees should be considered as well, or turnover and morale problems may sabotage the effectiveness of such implementations. However, the ways in which lean production environment influence employee behaviour has received scant empirical attention. The aim of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of job involvement on the relationship between perceived organisational support and turnover intention in the lean production in Sri Lanka. A random sample of 616 shop-floor employees engaged full-time in export-apparel manufacturing firms that have implemented a formal lean production system in the whole manufacturing function and it has become the standard of operation for at least 1 year in Sri Lanka responded. Regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. It was found that job involvement partially mediates the relationship between perceived organisational support and turnover intention. The findings provide useful information to better understand employee perceptions toward lean production environment and the findings will be a source of general guidance in stimulating future research in this area.

Lean principles, learning, and knowledge work: Evidence from a software services provider

In this paper, we examine the applicability of lean production to knowledge work by investigating the implementation of a lean production system at an Indian software services firm. We first discuss specific aspects of knowledge work—task uncertainty, process invisibility, and architectural ambiguity—that call into question the relevance of lean production in this setting. Then, combining a detailed case study and empirical analysis, we find that lean software projects perform better than non-lean software projects at the company for most performance outcomes. We document the influence of the lean initiative on internal processes and examine how the techniques affect learning by improving both problem identification and problem resolution. Finally, we extend the lean production framework by highlighting the need to (1) identify problems early in the process and (2) keep problems and solutions together in time, space, and person.

Multi-vendor integrated procurement-production system under shared transportation and just-in-time delivery system

Just-in-time (JIT) procurement is one of the important elements of lean production system. Successful implementation of JIT needs vendor-manufacturer cooperation on small lot size delivery and inbound logistics cost reduction. Unlike the most recent literature focusing on single-vendor and single-buyer integrated inventory systems, this paper studies a multi-vendor integrated procurement-production inventory system that incorporates delivery and shared transportation costs. A multi-vendor optimal model is developed here for deciding the batch size of vendor's production, and delivery frequencies of different vendors to the manufacturer. Solution procedures for two special cases—uncapacitated and capacitated models are developed; especially, a new approximate method for capacitated model is devised. Numerical examples demonstrate the solution mechanism for the model. The results highlight cooperation between vendors and manufacturers on JIT procurement practices.

Diversity in the lean automobile factory: doing class through gender, disability and age

This study advances a critical re-conceptualization of ‘diversity’ through class. Drawing on the case of CarCo, the Belgian branch of a North American automobile company, I show how the discursive constructions of various socio-demographic identities reflect underlying class relations between labour and capital and are, in turn, implicated in their reproduction. Reflecting the instrumental conceptualization of labour as the source of economic value in the capitalist mode of production, female, older and disabled workers were discursively constructed as unable or unwilling to perform as expected within the factory lean production system. These negative identities in turn legitimized the elimination of ‘different’ workers in the company restructuring and the outsourcing of the phases of the production process that could be carried out by them, materially reproducing class relations. The analysis unveils the ‘dark’ business case against diversity at CarCo, a company which was renowned as a ‘best’ case for diversity in Belgium. I argue that the re-conceptualization of diversity through class offers a powerful analytical tool to better understand how unequal power relations are played out in contemporary organizations.

Group Technology (GT) and Lean Production: A Conceptual Model for Enhancing Productivity

While Group Technology (GT) has considerable effects on important dimensions of lean production such as production wastes, set up time, quality and inventory management, the relationship between the two subjects has been not been sufficiently addressed in the literature. In this paper, a conceptual model has been proposed for enhancing productivity through the application of Group Technology (GT) in lean production systems. The model includes dimensions of GT and its relationship with lean production goals. Statistical analysis has been conducted and the links in the proposed model have been examined based on a questionnaire. The statistical population included managers of two industrial companies. The results confirm the high correlation between the elements of the proposed model in both companies. Also, the results of the variance analysis imply that except two items of the questionnaire, there is no difference in other items between the two companies.

How Becoming Lean Can Improve Performance: A Study on Bangladeshi Garment Industry

In this article the researchers would like to discuss two basic points: Why lean production systems becoming increasingly important as a technique to improve organizational performance and how two Bangladeshi garment firms brought changes in their traditional business process through LPS (Lean production system).Lean production is the end point of the process leading out of the Fordist-Tailorist paradigm. Lean production places emphasis on the elimination of non-value added activity as well as waste from the production process. The goal of lean is to satisfy the customer by delivering the highest quality at the lowest cost in the shortest time (Manufactured Housing Research Alliance, 2005). The major purposes of the use of lean production are to increase productivity, improve product quality and manufacturing cycle time, reduce inventory, reduce lead time and eliminate manufacturing waste. To achieve these, the lean production philosophy uses several concepts such as one-piece flow, kaizen, cellular manufacturing, synchronous manufacturing, inventory management, pokayoke, standardized work, work place organization, and scrap reduction to reduce manufacturing waste (Russell and Taylor, 1999). In lean production systems attempts are made to eliminate waste through continuous improvement of processes of the entire value chain in the organization. Having nurtured a lean manufacturing mindset among the employees, it facilitates achievement of continuous product flow through physical rearrangement and control mechanisms. A study (Sohal, 1996, p.91) indicates that most western manufacturers have been aware of the need to improve their performance and competitiveness for nearly two decades.

How Becoming Lean Can Improve Performance: A Study on Bangladeshi Garment Industry

In this article the researchers would like to discuss two basic points: Why lean production systems becoming increasingly important as a technique to improve organizational performance and how two Bangladeshi garment firms brought changes in their traditional business process through LPS (Lean production system)."Lean production is the end point of the process leading out of the Fordist-Tailorist paradigm". Lean production places emphasis on the elimination of non-value added activity as well as waste from the production process. The goal of lean is to satisfy the customer by delivering the highest quality at the lowest cost in the shortest time (Manufactured Housing Research Alliance, 2005). The major purposes of the use of lean production are to increase productivity, improve product quality and manufacturing cycle time, reduce inventory, reduce lead time and eliminate manufacturing waste. To achieve these, the lean production philosophy uses several concepts such as one-piece flow, kaizen, cellular manufacturing, synchronous manufacturing, inventory management, pokayoke, standardized work, work place organization, and scrap reduction to reduce manufacturing waste (Russell and Taylor, 1999). In lean production systems attempts are made to eliminate waste through continuous improvement of processes of the entire value chain in the organization. Having nurtured a lean manufacturing mindset among the employees, it facilitates achievement of continuous product flow through physical rearrangement and control mechanisms. A study (Sohal, 1996, p.91) indicates that "most western manufacturers have been aware of the need to improve their performance and competitiveness for nearly two decades".

Adaptive Configuration of a Lean Production System in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are facing everyday the hard competition of global markets and higher requirements of the customers. For coping with these changing conditions many large enterprises implement a Lean Production System (LPS). An LPS offers a holistic strategy to eliminate waste in processes, to achieve high product and process quality, and to reduce lead times. The structure of an LPS is described by hierarchical connections of different elements and is configured in four levels: the goals, the sub-goals, the methods, and tools (Dombrowski et al. ZWF Zeitschrift fur wirtschaftlichen Fabrikbetrieb 101:113–118, 2006). While large enterprises are able to provide necessary resources and experts’ know-how to configure and implement an LPS, SMEs lack these essential resources for organizational, technological, and workforce-related changes. Due to the complexity of the structure of an LPS, SMEs have in practice a small opportunity to configure a suitable structure and often fail in selecting and evaluating the most adequate methods and tools to be used. In this regard, the paper presents a framework to support an adaptive configuration of an LPS in SMEs which has been partly developed in the research project ProfiL in close cooperation with six SMEs.

The Application of Value Stream Mapping Based Lean Production System

Many enterprises in Chinese Mainland have deployed lean production in consideration of its great success inother countries, but many of them failed to realize their original targets because they began to deploy leanproduction from tool level and haven’t understood the actual value stream of their business, which is essential foran enterprise to implement lean production and keep improving. The paper proposes a value stream mappingbased lean production system for Chinese enterprises to help them deploy lean production systematically, whichcan make them have a overall look at total efficiency, tell them where they are, where they want to go and map aroute to get there. We hope the paper will help them eliminate roots of wastes, rearrange overall value streambetter and increase the competitive ability of Chinese enterprises.

Handling multi-lean measures with simulation and simulated annealing

This paper describes a simulation-based approach for developing a lean production system of multi-lean measures. Three lean measures are defined to characterize the leanness of the underlying production system: productivity, cycle time, and work-in-process inventory. An optimized setting to certain operational parameters is determined so that a best tradeoff of the three lean measures is reached. The problem formulation results in a multi-objective optimization problem with no closed-form definition of problem objective functions and constraints. The solution approach utilizes Discrete Event Simulation (DES) to deploy lean techniques and model lean measures under process variability and plant constraints and dynamics. A direct search method (i.e., Simulated Annealing (SA)) is used to search of problem domain. A model-based Value Mapping (VM) is used for combining the conflicting multi-lean measures and guiding the SA search for optima. The DES model is also used to develop a future state dynamic Value Stream Map (VSM) of the optimized production process. The approach is applied to an example production system where the capacity of material handling conveyors and the size of maintenance crew are optimized to develop a lean system in terms of three lean measures. Little’s formula is used to verify the simulation assessment of lean measures. Optimization results are also used to demonstrate the conflict among lean measures, the impact of process variability on lean measures, and the role of VM in reaching an efficient tradeoff of multi-lean measures.