Lean Production Methods Research Articles

Diagnostics in lean management system of industrial enterprise

The object of research is methods for diagnosing the elements of the value stream of an industrial enterprise in their interaction, taking into account the focus of the result on minimizing waste in the system of lean management. On the organizational and methodological aspects of diagnostics, it is expedient to consider a rational combination of effective methods, in particular the concept of lean production, the use of which is directed, first of all, to overcoming the crisis situation of the industrial enterprise and also continuous assessment of lean changes and effective transformations, minimization of waste and establishment of reserves for possible reduction of unproductive expenses.Based on the results of the application of the cognitive method and the method of scientific information retrieval, it is established that there is no single approach to the treatment of the essence of diagnostics. But the common position remains the search, identification and identification of problem aspects of the activity and possible prospective tendencies with the purpose of developing alternative options for the best development of the enterprise. Based on the results of the use of critical analysis and logical generalization, it is proposed to consider the diagnostic process through a causative relationship with management functions. This is ensured by the integrated use of a set of expedient methods of lean production within the framework of individual functions.Further development of the interpretation of «diagnostics» is received as a process from the position of mutually fulfilling rational specific lean methods, techniques, means and procedures. The purpose of the diagnostics is identification of external and internal factors in a directed action (assistance/obstruction) to provide value to the customer and forecast the development of an industrial enterprise. It is proved that diagnostics in the management system of an industrial enterprise is expedient to realize through the coordination of management functions (accounting, control, analysis, planning, stimulation). Result are focused on eliminating costs non-value-added, reducing to the minimum allowable level of technologically necessary costs non-value-added, searching for hidden reserves of costs to value-added.

Lean production and supply chain innovation in baked foods supplier to improve performance

PurposeService industries are currently facing an excess of overproduction that results in extra inventory and waste levels. With the prospect of methods such as lean production, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of lean production methods towards enhanced performance of service-based industries through the study of a local baked foods supplier.Design/methodology/approachThe paper highlights the first stage of research study through current world literature and a critical review as inputs of research findings. The research applies a descriptive research framework within a semi-structured questionnaire survey method which was implemented within three different companies, the baked goods manufacturer, the cafe purchasing the baked foods products and the end users, hence covering the overall supply chain cycle and its entities.FindingsThe research study identified that one of the major challenges facing the baked food company when adopting the lean practices was the lack of commitment from the top management, continuous training, and hence, employee engagement measures were necessary towards performance improvement of the organisation.Originality/valueThe research novelty is to develop an early understanding of lean production practices within the baked goods manufacturer and its upstream and downstream stakeholders. This paper would be considered by the food manufacturer companies in order to require their key suppliers to adopt the most common lean tools identified as Just in Time, Value Steam Mapping and the 5S methods.

Material flow management of industrial enterprise on lean principles

The material flow is characterized as a component of the value stream, where a material form of production stocks changes to a finished product, while creating value for the consumer. The model of the material flow management of an industrial enterprise on the lean basis is proposed with the use of a process approach (on the basis of a set of agreed interrelated purchase/supply processes, production/processing, sales/consumption), a functional approach and a system approach (using specific lean methods within an individual management function) to ensure lean transformations in the material flow. The relevance of the use of a combination of lean production methods in the implementation of individual management functions (analysis - VSM, 5W, planning and organization - 5S, VSM, SOP, JIT, accounting - VSM, SOP, JIT, Poka-Yoke, control - 5S, VSM, Visual Management, JIT, Jidoka, Andon, SOP, regulation and coordination - VSM, JIT, SOP, Kanban, Heijunka, Kaizen) with the material flow of an industrial enterprise with a focus on continuous improvement of value creation for the consumer. The indicators of the effectiveness of material flow management are proposed, the key ones being: average days-in-inventory (days), level of reliability of suppliers (%), number of permanent suppliers (units), level of attracting new suppliers (%), level of vendor loyalty (%),age of accounts payable (days), average duration of the development of a new product (days), average duration of preparation for the launch of a new product in production (days), average duration of the technological process work hours (hours), average cost and unit cost of production (UAH), material consumption of products (UAH/UAH), material output (UAH/UAH), profit level per UAH of material costs (%), average duration of flow reconfiguration (hours), percentage of rejections for certain types of products (%),cost of rejection repairing (UAH), average duration of one order (hours), average days’ sales uncollected (days), working capital DAYS (day). In order to efficiently manage the material flow, the owners and top management of the manufacturing company need to revise the value stream daily, focusing on the future well-being of key players: suppliers and consumers, ensuring the adoption of joint lean management decisions in the supplier-producer-consumer chain.

Integration on effective management of industrial enterprises on lean principles

The article deals with the methods of managing an industrial enterprise in their interaction, taking into account the focus of the result within the introduction of the concept of lean production.Based on the analysis and generalization of scientific developments, the set of the most recognized and actively introduced methods of lean production is established by the frequency of mentions by foreign and domestic specialists: SOP, Kanban, JIT, 5 S, VSM, Visual Management, TPM, SMED, Kaizen, Poka-Yoke, Jidoka (another name is autonomation), Heijuka, Andon, 5 W, Team work. The relevance of their separate introduction through the achievement of the result of practical use aimed at reducing costs/losses in the value flow; increase in the effectiveness of the use of limited resources, identification of the causes of inefficient work; justification and adoption of managerial decisions with a focus on satisfying the customer's needs for finished products are disclosed.For long-term success it is advisable to consider the use of integration of methods of the lean production concept, which provides a targeted integrated approach to justification and the adoption of well-balanced management decisions aimed at obtaining a synergistic effect on a continuous basis. The combination of methods in various combinations for efficient control of production capacities is justified (5 S + TPM + SMED, 5 S + TPM + SMED + Jidoka, 5 S + TPM + SMED + SOP + JIT + Poka-Yoke), material flow (5 S + SOP + JIT + VSM + Poka-Yoke, 5 S + JIT + Andon + Heijunka), document management and internal regulations (5 S + SOP + VSM + Poka-Yoke, 5 S + SOP + Kaizen). The types of synergies (social, market, financial, economic, innovative, personnel, organizational) are justified as a result of strengthening the effect of individual methods in a different combination.It is advisable to apply the results of research practically to solve the problems of managing an industrial enterprise for technological development, organizational effectiveness, and social responsibility.

Technológiai és munkaszervezési újítások hatása az autóipar térbeli szerveződésére – iparági példa a Volkswagen mintáján

Az autóipar több mint egy évszázad alatt manufakturális kisipari tevékenységből nemzetközi termelési és értékesítési hálózattal rendelkező, globálisan szervezett iparággá fejlődött. A négyütemű robbanómotor szabadalmaztatása óta eltelt 140 év fejlődését végigkísérve nyilvánvalóvá vált, hogy a technológiai és munkaszervezési újítások az átalakulásban kiemelt szerepet töltöttek be. Az újítást támogató döntések hosszú időre meghatározták a vertikum működését, átalakítva ezzel az ágazat szerkezetét és elősegítve az autóipari tevékenység világméretűvé válását.A tanulmány az említett szerkezeti átalakulást mutatja be, részletesen ismertetve annak legfontosabb állomásait. Az elemzés rávilágít arra, hogy a bevezetett újítások megváltoztatják az értékláncban részt vevők kompetenciáit, ami hatással van nemcsak az erőforrások vertikális allokációjára, de azok horizontális eloszlására is.A szerző részletesen tárgyalja a fordista tömeggyártás és a nemzetközi termelés kialakulásának kapcsolatát, amely bizonyos tekintetben az autóipari globalizáció korai szakaszának tekinthető. Az autóipar világméretű szerveződésére a legnagyobb hatást azonban nem a fordista tömegtermelés jelentette, hanem az azt felváltó, a második világháború előtt Japánból elindult szervezeti változások, amelyek világméretű adaptációjára egészen a nyolcvanas évekig kellett várni. A tanulmány részletesen elemzi a bevezetett újítások közül a kiszervezés és a modularizáció folyamatát, taglalva az említett megoldásoknak a termelés szerkezetére és földrajzi mintázatára ható következményeit.A történeti áttekintés mellett a szerző a Volkswagen 1960 és 2010 közötti fejlődésének bemutatásával is szemlélteti az értéklánc konfigurációjának átalakulását, ami jelentős hatással volt az autóipar térbeli szerveződésére.

АНАЛИЗ ПРОЦЕССНОЙ МЕТОДОЛОГИИ УПРАВЛЕНИЯ «БЕРЕЖЛИВОЕ ПРОИЗВОДСТВО»

Lean production is one of the most popular methodologies of process-based management, its methods and best practice largely determine competitiveness of the world´s leading companies. “Lean Production” methodology focuses a company on maximizing customer satisfaction by eliminating all types of waste and focusing on key business processes. Principles of the methodology are of particular interest as they are used as guides when making management decisions. The article describes principles and main methods of lean production, shows advantages and disadvantages of the methodology, as well as peculiarities of its implementation.

Employee Qualification by Digital Learning Games

Global competition and individual customer requirements generate challenges for manufacturing companies. To cope with these challenges, companies require an increased level of flexibility. In the first place, this flexibility has to be provided by the employees, as they are one of the key success factors for mastering change. An essential prerequisite for this is a high level of employee qualification across all areas of the company.The learning factories approach has garnered particular attention in recent years as a playful and efficient way of learning the principles and methods of processes improvement. The drawbacks of this method include the limited, non-holistic perspective of each trainee as well as the non-recurring knowledge transfer. Moreover, this kind of qualification requires the trainees to be in the same place at the same time.These downsides can be successfully countered by supplementing learning factories with a digital learning component depicting the learning environment, as digital learning will enable individual learning routes for all trainees and is accessible at all times and all places.This paper serves to outline the idea of serious learning by using digital learning games along with the attendant benefits. Over and beyond this, it also presents a digital learning game for teaching specific lean production methods.

СИНЕРГЕТИЧНИЙ ЕФЕКТ ВІД ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ КОНЦЕПЦІЙ «ОЩАДЛИВОГО ВИРОБНИЦТВА» ТА «ІНДУСТРІЇ 4.0» ДЛЯ ПІДПРИЄМСТВ ТРАНСПОРТНОЇ ГАЛУЗІ

Abstract the philosophy of lean production, which consists of optimizing production processes, eliminating losses, improving the quality of goods and services, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement, is extremely relevant today. Also, this concept is very consonant with the latest industrial revolution - Industry 4.0 (or the Fourth Industrial Revolution), which aims to make the transition from conventional automation of production, the use of information technology in production (which were the essence of the third industrial revolution) to the network of resources, information flows, objects and people. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between lean production paradigms and Industry 4.0. Both concepts with their tools were analyzed, their influence on each other was discovered and the possibility of integrating lean production methods with technologies of Industry 4.0 was considered on the basis of enterprises of the transport industry. This article proposes to consider the concepts of "Lean Production" and "Industry 4.0" as separate areas of enterprise development, describing its advantages and disadvantages, and the search for empirical evidence of the relationship between them. The tools and methods of the concepts of Lean Production and Industry 4.0 are investigated and compared to find the main similar and different technological characteristics. The compatibility of concepts due to the similarity of goals and principles of paradigms is considered, in particular, efficient use of resources and minimization of losses, continuous improvement, and use of technologies to automate processes. The possibility of combining the advantages of each concept to create a common flexible system to increase the efficiency of transport enterprises and the transport industry as a whole was assessed.

Value stream mapping 4.0: Holistic examination of value stream and information logistics in production

Value stream mapping is a widely used and proven method that enables the mapping and analysis of process chains and helps to derive potentials for improvement. The digitalisation of production according to Industrie 4.0 promises new opportunities to develop more efficient production lines. Particularly companies which digitally upgrade existing operations need to be introduced to a new approach. This holistic approach extends proven methods of Lean-Production while systematically mapping opportunities for digitalisation to derive measures for improvement. A comprehensive view at information-logistic waste is shown while regarding recording, handling, processing, analysing and optimising (information-) processes.

APPLICATION OF LEAN PRODUCTION METHODS TO CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Current challenge is information exchange between stakeholders in construction in BIM (building information modeling) environment. BIM provides platform for all aspects of construction products and process, that allows simulate and optimize not only a design, but also processes in lifetime cycle of building. BIM platform create appropriate environment for application of principles of lean construction in construction industry environment. For lean construction are not characteristic only a principles and methods, but in first place mentality, but not only a managers, but all who participate on the construction process. Lean production and lean construction represents two view on optimize construction production. In this article are presented selected methods of lean production, which appropriate application into BIMenvironment creates conditions for lean construction.

Implantação da produção enxuta e de métodos da qualidade na fábrica: estudos de caso na indústria de eletrodomésticos

O objetivo deste texto é analisar a implantação de diferentes métodos da produção enxuta e outros métodos para a qualidade no chão da fábrica de três empresas de eletrodomésticos no Brasil. A pesquisa envolveu entrevistas com gerentes e supervisores das áreas de produção, qualidade e de recursos humanos, assim como trabalhadores de diferentes setores da produção, para verificar que métodos de gestão foram implantados e se há o envolvimento dos trabalhadores em sua utilização. Muitos dos métodos ligados à produção enxuta preveem o envolvimento dos trabalhadores ou mesmo que este sejam os principais responsáveis por seu uso. Entretanto, métodos adotados mais recentemente, como o Seis Sigma, não dão a mesma ênfase a este envolvimento quando comparados a métodos adotados em décadas anteriores. Este texto examina como esse aspecto evoluiu na literatura e nas empresas pesquisadas, explorando algumas explicações possíveis para as limitações observadas.

Towards a lean automation interface for workstations

Methods and principles of Lean Production have become the major concepts to create highly efficient processes since the early 1990s. Due to its high effectiveness by reducing complexity and focusing on value-adding tasks, the Lean concept is still successful. Nevertheless, its changeability to produce highly customised products is limited. Industry 4.0 describes the vision of a smart production which can meet these future market requirements. Enablers are innovative information and communication technologies and the integration of all production entities into a common digital network. Lean Automation is the application of Industry 4.0 technologies to Lean Production methods in order to combine benefits from both domains. First proprietary Lean Automation solutions exist, but to enhance changeability in production, a common, unified communication interface is required. This paper presents the ongoing work towards an interface for digitising Lean Production methods using Cyber Physical Systems.

Incentive methods of traditional and lean production

Incentive methods of traditional and lean production

Problems of Inter-organizational Interaction of Participants in Motor Transport Cargo Shipments

Background/Objectives: The study considers currently important problems of inter-organizational interaction of participants involved in automotive cargo shipments and implementation of such concepts as Just-in-Time and Justin- Sequence in scheduling practices. Methods: The applied Sigma methodology is focused on the client's wishes and requirements for cargo delivery, according to which the slow processes are expensive. The applied lean production method is based on the fact that shipping losses occur during transportation and waiting time. Thus, a refined methodology has been developed synthesizing Lean production and Six Sigma, one of the tools which is the concept of just in time delivery. Findings: It has been concluded that one of the reasons for low efficiency of the day-to-day scheduling efforts is represented by the problems of organizational interrelations between the stakeholders of the highway cargo transportation business. Generalizations of the road haulage practices together with the outcomes of the investigations carried out by Siberian Automobile and Highway Academy made it possible to identify the groups of interaction problems and the causes in this area. A conceptual approach has been suggested to solve these issues based on such logistical principles as Just-in-Time and Just-in-Sequence. In line with the developed approach, the article justifies the need to introduce the above mentioned principles to scheduling practices to improve the processes of control and management in haulage sector. Developing and implementing Just-in-Time and Just-in-Sequence philosophy in transport logistics is of crucial importance, as it is only within such system that the cargo delivery process could be comprehensively controlled. This system improves customer relationships, establishes the company at the market, stabilizes its financial standing, and enhances its competitive advantages. Applications/Improvements: The study identifies preconditions and constrains to be taken into account in the course of developing scheduling model for material and information flows in the area of automotive cargo shipments.

Overall Commissioning Effectiveness: Systematic Identification of Value-added Shares in Material Supply

The increase of customized products and the associated decrease in batch size as well as a rising variance of required parts lead to more complex material supply processes. Additionally, the customer places an increasing emphasis on meeting delivery dates as well as on shorter delivery times which both require especially reliable and efficient logistics processes. One approach to increase the efficiency is the transfer of lean thinking to logistics processes, which implies a reduction of waste. Currently, only basic approaches to apply lean production methods to logistics exist. Literature review shows that they are insufficient as they don’t detect reasons for waste systematically and give advices to reduce it.The focus of this article is therefore the development of a tool for quantifying value-added shares in material supply as a main task of logistics. First, it is examined to what extent logistics activities can generally be classified as value-adding. Subsequently, the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) analysis, which is so far used to evaluate the efficiency of production systems, is transferred to commissioning as one part of the material supply process. The value-added shares of commissioning are identified and reasons for losses are discussed. Finally, a case study in the Process Learning Factory CiP validates the approach. Through the application of this tool, it is possible to identify losses and thus increase the efficiency of logistics processes.

The Use of SMED in Engineering Manufacturing

To survive in such an increasingly competitive world, there is a need of continuous improvement in every type of industry. An answer to these challenges for manufacturing companies is the implementation of lean concepts. The importance of short changeover times, SMED, has always been critical for manufacturing companies. It is one of the many lean production methods for reducing waste in the manufacturing process. It's a quick and effective way adjustment process of the actual product to another product. The practical part is focused on usage of SMED in manufacturing. Project was realized in engineering company oriented on machining heavy products. Separating time to external and internal we saved about 10% of total production time. The result is proposal timetable of standard changeover process. Also timetable of two pieces in batch, because insertion two pieces in the batch reduced the total time of production. Total time was reduced of two changeovers.

Holistic Approach of Lean Thinking in Learning Factories

Simulation games that employ the “learning by doing” approach are used to transfer complex knowledge from the most diverse fields of economy. Their popularity steadily continues to grow in the framework of seminars and workshops. The Institute of Production Systems and Logistics (IFA) applies this style of haptic learning in order to teach Lean Management contents to students as well as industry specialists and executives. During the interactive training sessions participants are involved in realistic operating situations including actual assembly processes and learn practically relevant research contents. This paper presents a training concept offered within the “IFA Lernfabrik” that incorporates the philosophy and application of Lean Thinking. Particular attention is given to the simultaneous consideration of production and administration. This synchronized approach is based on the fact that presently the administration side offers very high productivity potentials, while the vast majority of improvement activities is performed in production.To provide a better understanding for this approach, an interactive two-stage training environment was designed to highlight the advantages of Lean Production and Lean Administration methods. The first stage challenges the participants with a situation that is characterized by aninefficient production environment and limited administrative features. The aim is to improve the current situation through the utilization of the lean methods learned during the first stage training session. Within the second stage, the administrative features are being extended, which initially still exhibit wasteful characteristics. It becomes obvious that the advantages of an optimized production are not fully realized due to inefficient administrative processes. This clarifies the principle that productivity improvement activities should always entail an integral optimization of business processes. Therefore, the participants subsequently learn how to transfer and apply the methods of Lean Production in administration as tools to not only optimize their production but the entire organizational structure.

Leadership in the Innovative Organization

Abstract In the context of the increasing globalisation of value chains the management of both manufacturing and service firms find themselves faced by contradictory pressures to reduce costs whilst at the same time engaging with customers and suppliers in product improvement and innovation. For advocates of lean production methods the answer is often to be found in a check-list approach to rationalising the present modes of value creation within any organization. Much can be gained by combining such approaches with modes of continuous improvement or kaizen. As Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) have brilliantly illustrated, the most successful of Japanese firms have achieved their ability to adapt and to innovate through the uses of internal and external appropriation of tacit knowledge. For these authors this implied not only a 'bottom-up' structure of formal organization but also a means of listening and translating experiential knowledge into codifiable product and process designs. In the Japanese context this was seen as being brought about by the day-to-day integration of group decision making into operational management as well as the use of special project teams. The application of the methods has proved much more problematic for Western managers, although Japanese transplants have been relatively successful in the same Western context. In this paper I suggest that leadership styles and the formal organization of knowledge creation have to be seen as being congruent both in their aims and in the manner in which they are operationalised. Managers have also to begin by recognising the basis for the psychological contract held with outside customers, suppliers and other organizational members. Quality, especially in service fields, is often in the eye of the beholder!

The conditioning effect of institutional legitimacy on stakeholder influence strategy: evidence from labour unions' reaction to corporate downsizing in Taiwan

Two important managerial practices in quality movement influence the quality of firms' strategies and their business excellence. One is ‘downsizing’, which often accompanies the lean production method, and the other is ‘stakeholder satisfaction’, which has been proven to increase the probability of a firm's long-term success. Stakeholder satisfaction also mitigates the negative impacts from downsizing. This research examines how institutional legitimacy influences the union stakeholders in their strategy selection during corporate downsizing. A quantitative survey was deployed, followed by a qualitative exploration of the phenomenon uncovered in the survey. The research findings showed an overwhelming conditioning effect of institutions which led a majority of labour unions to select a direct negotiation strategy as their reaction to business downsizing decisions. Institutional factors such as legal requirement, social expectation, well-publicised best practices, etc., dominated union leaders' decision on the best initial influence strategy. The findings carry practical implications for firms in managing the quality of labour relations during business downsizing and also contribute to the affirmation of institutional factors as an important dimension of stakeholder influence strategy theory.

Seeing and hearing: examining production workers' literacy and numeracy practices in a context of crisis

A policy consensus has emerged in Australia that there is a workforce literacy and numeracy crisis, similar to many other Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. The study informing this paper examined this framing of crisis by interviewing and observing production workers in three manufacturing companies. Each company was implementing new lean production methods, known as ‘competitive systems and practices', based on a visual workplace management system. In this paper, we look at what is visible and invisible in production workers' literacy and numeracy practices at Hearing Solutions, one of the companies in the study. We begin by considering the overarching policy discourse around workers' literacy and numeracy before exploring the underpinning rationale of the new expression of lean manufacturing, in particular, its implementation through the Visual Workplace Management System. Detailing an example of the literacies used in producing hearing aid shells, we discuss the under-valuing by workers and managers of the skills being used; and the hidden process of industrial relations, reward and remuneration. Using an ethnographic and social practices approach, what emerges is a better understanding of the complex range of vocational knowledge and social skills being used that go unrecognised by policy makers, lobbyists and managers, and even by the workers themselves.