Tool for mapping manufacturing critical-path time in job shop environment

How, Whee Ching (2014) Tool for mapping manufacturing critical-path time in job shop environment. Project Report. UTeM. (Submitted)

Text Tools for mapping manufacturing critical-path time in Job Shop.pdf Download (460kB)

Abstract

Many companies are adopting a new production paradigm of mass customization to meet their customers’ future demands and survive in an intensely competitive market. However, mass customization manufacturing requires a high degree of flexibility to deliver customers’ orders on time. Lean Manufacturing as exemplified by the Toyota Production System is appropriate when production is characterized by a low mix and high volume environment. As the degree of product customization increases, the application of lean principles to ensure smooth production flow while keeping inventory level low becomes a major challenge. This study presents Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) as an alternative strategy for a high mix and low volume production environment. QRM is a company-wide strategy with the key aspect of reduction in lead time. The case company, where the study is conducted is a components manufacturing company with a job shop production system. The company, making highly engineered products with variable demands, is confronted with the main challenge of consistently long lead times leading to poor-on time delivery performance to their customers. To mitigate this problem, a tool for mapping the manufacturing critical-path time (MCT) will be developed according to the current situation of the case company. The output of this tool is a lead time and visual indicator for the manufacturing critical-path time of a selected major product family. An appropriate methods based on QRM principles and virtual cell concept will be proposed to improve the MCT for the selected product.

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