La presente investigación tiene como objetivo aumentar el nivel de servicio de una empresa envasadora de bidones de agua de mesa, a partir de la disminución de los tiempos de cambio de formato los cuales inciden en el tiempo de producción por unidad de bidón de agua. La metodología SMED fue utilizada para la mejora de los tiempos de cambio de formato en el área de envasado mediante la cual pasó de 83,406 minutos a 44,01 minutos de cambio de formato, disminuyendo el tiempo de producción unitario, el cual es cercano al takt time, y es por ello que el nivel de servicio aumentó de 84,43% a 96,73% haciendo más competitiva a la empresa.

Tanha Design es una empresa dedicada a la elaboración y comercialización de productos a base de parafina. Actualmente, la empresa tiene 2 líneas de productos (velas y fanales) y una amplia variedad de modelos y diseños en ambas categorías. Esta empresa se encuentra en constante crecimiento y comercializa sus productos tanto en venta directa como en venta de sus productos para eventos sociales y corporativos. Actualmente, los eventos corporativos son los que representan mayor parte de sus ventas. Las entregas de productos para los eventos tienen una fecha limite; lo cual conlleva a una problemática para la capacidad de la línea de producción provocando que en ocasiones se rechacen ventas. En el presente proyecto se analiza la línea de producción de fanales de parafina debido a que estos productos representan mayor ingreso para la empresa. Asimismo, la capacidad de esta línea de producción no puede satisfacer la demanda actual y para ello requiere de personal adicional y horas extras. Dentro del análisis preliminar realizado se identificó que las causas de la disminución de la productividad son la falta de estandarización en el proceso, una deficiencia en el flujo productivo y desorden en las áreas de trabajo. Con la finalidad de solucionar esta problemática se implementó las 5”S” y el estudio de métodos, y con ello poder mejorar la productividad de la línea de elaboración de fanales con el objetivo de incrementar la capacidad productiva y disminuir las ventas perdidas. / Tanha Design is a company dedicated to the elaboration and commercialization of paraffin-based products. Currently, the company has 2 product lines (candles and lanterns) and a wide variety of models and designs in both categories. This company is constantly growing and markets its products both in direct sales and sale of its products for social and corporate events. Currently, corporate events are the ones that represent most of their sales. Product deliveries for events have a deadline; This leads to a problem for the capacity of the production line, causing that sales are sometimes rejected. This project analyzes the production line of paraffin lanterns because these products represent higher income for the company. In addition, the capacity of this production line cannot meet the current demand and requires additional staff and overtime. In the preliminary analysis, it was identified that the causes of the decrease in productivity are the lack of standardisation in the process, a deficiency in the productive flow and disorder in the areas of work. In order to solve this problem was implemented the 5 "S" and the study of methods, and thus be able to improve the productivity of the line of elaboration of lanterns with the aim of increasing the productive capacity and decrease the lost sales. / Tesis

The rapid rate of increase in competition among the manufacturing industries has caused many organizations to continuously seek improvement in the quality of the products they manufacture to meet and exceed customer expectations. Organizations are under pressure to minimize the production costs to offer competitive prices for their products. The success story of Toyota Motor Company in implementing Lean Manufacturing (LM) has inspired many organizations around the world to adopt LM in order to improve their operational performance. There are, however, mixed results on the impact of LM on operational performance. Some studies have shown that its implementation increases operational performance while others have shown little to no improvement or even negative results. Institutional and contingency theories may provide insight into some of these contradictions and give a perception of why the implementation of LM has yielded different results on operational performance. The institutional theory states that organizations mimic the actions and practices of other organizations because of the pressure to remain competitive. Organizations in the developing countries also seem to have been imitating the Toyota Motor company that has been successful in implementing LM. On the other hand, the contingency theory states that corporations are organized according to external situations. Related to the contingency theory is the effect of Industry Clockspeed (IC). Some industries are transforming at a high speed while others are transforming at a low speed. The high IC industries are characterized by the quick development and release of new products, shorter development time and frequent changes in organizational structures. Low IC industries, however, manufacture products with a long life cycle, thus the products, processes and organizational structures for these industries change only after a long period. This study opines that the environment under which an organisation operates may affect the results of LM implementation process. The research was conducted in three parts and each of these parts is presented as chapters in this thesis. The first part (Chapter 4) gives a review and classifies the impact measurement models that have been used by various researchers to measure the success of implementing LM. These models can be classified as quantitative, qualitative, simulation-based and graphical measurement models. Pareto analysis is used to select the type of measurement model and Lean practices that are frequently used by researchers to develop Lean measurement models. The qualitative measurement model was preferred for evaluating the effect of implementing LM on operational performance because of its ability to use question structures that allow qualitative data collection for a rich analysis of opinion. With a proper structure, the questionnaire items can also be parsed and analyzed quantitatively with modern statistical techniques like Structural Equation Modelling. The Lean practices selected were Just In Time (JIT), Jidoka, People integration and Stability and standardization for building the model. This part concludes by developing a structural model that can be used to measure the impact of Lean implementation in industry, using Zimbabwean industry data. The second part (Chapter 5) evaluates the effect of implementing LM tools on operational performance across various industries in Zimbabwe. The major goal of this chapter was to develop an operational model (based on the lead from chapter 4) and test it in manufacturing organizations across various industries. A structured survey questionnaire was used for the collection of data in identified companies and 214 useful responses were obtained. The results of the study indicated that operational performance was improved by implementing the selected LM tools. The performance improvement variables that were significantly influenced were speed, flexibility and dependability. The third part (Chapter 6) analyzed the moderation effect of IC on the relationship between LM tools and operational performance. The industries grouped under low IC were pharmaceutical, agrochemicals, steel, automobile, timber production, battery, chemical and plastics. The high IC industries were food, beverage, electronics and garment. A structural equation model was proposed and investigated across the two groups. A structured survey questionnaire was used to collect empirical data from manufacturing companies. The data obtained from the responses was analysed using Smart PLS 3 and SPSS version 25. The results of the study showed that IC had a moderating effect on the relationship between LM practices and operational performance for both low and high IC industries. The last chapter summarises the findings, made recommendations and proposes directions for further research. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) / Industrial and Systems Engineering / PhD / Unrestricted

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Engineering, October 2015 / A single case study of a major third party logistics provider (3PL) in South Africa was completed for this research. A total of four warehouses, including 43 workers partook in the study. The primary objective of this research was to determine how well employees within the warehousing industry understand Lean principles, and to illustrate the gap in Lean knowledge between the employment levels, i.e. Managers, Supervisors and Material Handlers. Group-administered questionnaires were used as the principle means of gathering data. All participants for each respective warehouse were present in a “classroom” format during completion of the questionnaires. The author was also present during all sessions to ensure consistency and to clarify any questions that participants had. The questionnaire tested each participant’s understanding with regards to seven key Lean principles in warehousing. These seven principles were identified from previous research on Lean within warehousing. The results gathered from the questionnaires were then validated using semi-structured follow-up interviews. It was found that a real gap in Lean knowledge exists between Managers and Material Handlers (shop-floor workers). Managers understand the key Lean principles within warehousing, as well as the importance thereof. While the employees actually working on the floor do not. The main reasons for this are due to a lack of suitable training and knowledge sharing. Based on the seven key Lean warehousing principles, the following were identified in the study as the most important ones to focus on: Continuous Improvement and Visual Management. These are believed to be basics in warehousing. However, employees still seem to struggle with the true understanding and significance thereof. It is imperative that the understanding of Lean principles and the involvement of management exist when striving to be successful with Lean. The gaps in Lean knowledge have been identified and laid out in this report. The reasons for each gap have also been investigated and discussed in detail. Finally, pertinent areas have been highlighted to assist with the development of Lean training material. This will ensure that the current gap of Lean understanding among warehousing employees is closed.

There are many contributing factors that influence the development, deployment, and use of lean manufacturing techniques. This study will focus on an automotive factory production system but will gather data across many areas. The concepts presented in the available research will then be related to lean manufacturing techniques at a union-based automotive factory. Several factors to focus on during this study are the Industry 4.0 movement, production systems, deployment and implementation strategies, lean manufacturing, persuasive technology, and manufacturing culture. These factors play a significant role in developing and implementing core techniques, which would lead to best in class metrics. The study will also experiment with different technologies and apply these finding to an assembly line. Two contributions that this research will add to the body of knowledge: 1. An action research deployment of instant feedback stations at operators’ workstations with results and analysis of quality outputs. 2. An action research deployment of instant feedback production check sheets from operators to management with results and analysis of quality outputs.

Dagens arbetsklimat kännetecknas av konstanta förändringar, vilket sätter en stor press på företag att anpassa sig för att inte hamna efter. För att bibehålla konkurrenskraft tvingas därför företag att hitta nya sätt att utvecklas inom organisation och produktion, för att bemöta de kontinuerliga förändringar som sker. Tillverkning under tjugohundratalet kännetecknas av specialanpassade produkter där många tillverkande företag har komplexa produktionsplaneringar och affärssystem. Detta har lett till att företag söker sig alltmer mot koncept och metoder av ständiga förbättringar, något som gjort att tillämpningen av lean bland mindre tillverkande företag blivit alltmer framträdande.  Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur ett mindre tillverkande företag kan implementera koncept, verktyg, värderingar och principer inom lean för att bemöta sina nuvarande problem, och att långsiktigt kunna fortsätta arbeta vidare med det som en del i det dagliga arbetet. Målet är att ta fram ett ramverk för implementering av lean hos ett mindre tillverkande företag. Ramverket syftar till att visualisera de olika steg ett företag behöver gå igenom för att lyckas inkorporera förbättringskoncept/verktyg i sin verksamhet och därmed standardisera arbetet och minimera slöserier.  Studien är av kvalitativ karaktär där intervjuer, observationer och en litteraturstudie stod för insamlingen av data. Totalt genomfördes åtta intervjuer där en blandning av ledningen och anställda i produktionen var intervjuade. Observationerna utfördes genom att vandra omkring i produktionen för att skapa sig en bild för hur arbetet faktiskt går till idag. Litteraturstudien behandlar relevanta artiklar inom lean, SME:S och ständiga förbättringar. Genom att analysera den insamlade data mot den befintliga litteraturen kunde slutsatser om vilka verktyg/koncept som krävs för att bemöta respektive slöserier inom ett producerande SME göras. Även vilka faktorer som är viktiga för företag att ta i beaktning vid införandet av förbättringskoncept. Detta visualiseras genom ett ramverk som är framtaget genom denna studie. Fumex rekommenderas använda detta ramverk som ett stöd till implementering av lean i sin verksamhet. Detta syftar till att lösa de identifierade problemen med dokumentation, otydliga manualer/instruktioner och kommunikation mellan ledning och produktion.

This thesis evaluates the existence and viability of lean ERP systems in today’s manufacturing industry. Results from the research show that current practitioners of lean – who also utilize ERP systems – do not have a strong enough link between the two to consider their ERP systems, and overall organizations, as being truly lean. Few articles and research papers in today’s body of knowledge contain information on the concept of lean ERP. A survey, sent to numerous industry professionals and posted on lean manufacturing websites, provided the results necessary for statistical analysis. The conclusions obtained from this survey analysis provided a strong foundation for additional, more focused, research of lean ERP systems.

No description available.

The implementation of lean manufacturing concepts has shown significant impacts on various industries. Numerous tools and techniques have been developed to tackle specific problems in order to eliminate wastes and carry out lean concepts. With the focus on "how to make a system leaner," little effort has been made on determining "how lean the system is." Lean assessment surveys evaluate the current status of a system qualitatively against predefined lean indicators. Lean metrics are developed to quantify performance of improvement initiatives, but each metric only focuses on one specific area. Value Stream Maps demonstrate the current and future states graphically with the emphasis on time-based performance only. A truly quantitative and synthesized measure for overall leanness has not been established. In some circumstances, being lean may not be the only goal for manufacturers. In order to compete in the rapidly changing marketplace, manufacturing systems should also be agile to respond quickly to uncertain demands. Nevertheless, being extremely agile may increase the cost of regular operations and reduce the leanness of the system. Similarly, being extremely lean may reduce flexibility and lower the agility level. Therefore, a manufacturing system should be agile enough to handle the uncertainty of demands and meanwhile be lean enough to deliver goods with competitive prices and lead time. In order to achieve the appropriate leanness level, a leanness measure is needed to address not only "how lean the system is" but also "how lean it should be." In this research, a methodology is proposed to quantitatively measure leanness level of manufacturing systems using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique. The production process of each work piece is defined as a Decision Making Unit (DMU) that transforms inputs of Cost and Time into output Value. Using a Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model, the DEA-Leanness Measure is developed to quantify the leanness level of each DMU by comparing the DMU against the frontier of leanness. A Cost-Time-Value analysis is developed to create virtual DMUs to push the frontier towards ideal leanness so that an effective benchmark can be established. The DEA-Leanness Measure provides a unit-invariant leanness score valued between 0 and 1, which is an indication of "how lean the system is" and also "how much leaner the system can be." With the help of Cost-Time Profiling technique, directions of potential improvement can be identified by comparing the profiles of DMUs with different leanness scores. The leanness measure can also be weighted between Cost, Time and Value variables. The weighted DEA-Leanness Measure provides a way to evaluate the impacts of improvement initiatives with an emphasis on the company's strategic focus. Performing the DEA-Leanness measurement requires detailed cost and time data. A Web-Based Kanban is developed to facilitate automated data collection and real-time performance analysis. In some circumstances where detailed data is not readily available but a Value Stream Maps (VSM) has been constructed, the applications of DEA-Leanness Measure based on existing VSM are explored. Besides pursuing leanness, satisfying a customer's demand pattern requires certain level of agility. Based on the DEA-Leanness Measure, appropriate leanness targets can be identified for manufacturing systems considering sufficient agility level. The Online-Delay and Offline-Delay Targets are determined to represent the minimum acceptable delays considering inevitable waste within and beyond a manufacturing system. Combining the two targets, a Lean-Agile Performance Index can then be derived to evaluate if the system has achieved an appropriate level of leanness with sufficient agility for meeting the customers' demand. Hypothetical cases mimicking real manufacturing systems are developed to verify the proposed methodologies. An Excel-based DEA-Leanness Solver and a Web-Kanban System have been developed to solve the mathematical models and to substantiate potential applications of the leanness measure in real world. Finally, future research directions are suggested to further enhance the results of this research. / Ph. D.

As energy prices and demand are projected to increase globally and markets become more competitive nationally and internationally; the wood products industry must find ways to remain relevant. By: 1) analyzing energy-saving recommendations contained in the IAC database; 2) comparing those recommendations by criteria such as cost, savings, and payback period; 3) identifying recommendations that incorporate lean manufacturing principles; and 4) investigating the practices and perceptions of manufacturers at the facility level, this project provides information for identifying the greatest opportunities for energy management among U.S. wood product manufacturers. Results from the analysis of the IAC database show that wood product manufacturers had a low implementation rate of energy recommendations ranked purely by cost, savings, and payback period among wood product manufacturers suggesting they were not focused on implementing energy recommendations specifically based on those criteria. While some recommendations were found to be statistically different in at least one criteria: cost, savings, or payback period between wood and non-wood manufactures as well as primary and secondary wood manufacturers, only two recommendations had practical differences, large payback periods, between primary and secondary wood manufacturers. Twenty-four of 192 energy recommendations were classified as lean-based energy recommendations using the Kirby and Green (2003) methodology, however, there was no clear evidence to suggest the lean-based energy recommendations were superior in terms of cost, savings, or payback period when compared to simple energy recommendations. Interviews with primary and secondary manufacturers revealed a lack of commitment to energy performance improvement and the reported barriers of implementation among a small sample of wood products manufacturers suggests that the dissemination of energy management knowledge and benefits is a problem. / Master of Science