Esta dissertação considera a atuação das empresas responsáveis pelas redes de distribuição de água, energia elétrica e gás natural denominadas Redes de Distribuição de Utilidades (RDUs) como sistemas produtivos, com o propósito de conhecer e avaliar a maneira como os esforços de melhoria da produtividade são conduzidos em busca de metas como maior qualidade, menor custo e menor prazo de entrega ao cliente. Este estudo é desenvolvido tomando-se como referência o modelo da produção enxuta, desenvolvido pela Toyota Motor Company do Japão, fundamentado no princípio de buscar o aumento da produtividade por meio da identificação e eliminação de desperdícios. Embora originalmente disseminada na cadeia da indústria automobilística, a adoção e adaptação da abordagem de melhoria de processos deste modelo têm sido consideradas em diferentes setores. Assim, o presente trabalho tem como motivação explorar as possibilidades de estender a aplicação de conceitos e práticas da produção enxuta em empresas de RDU. Primeiramente, a cadeia de valor das RDUs é analisada, e são escolhidos dois processos construção e manutenção para o desenvolvimento do estudo. Em seguida, é apresentada uma revisão bibliográfica, a partir da qual um conjunto de dezenove práticas enxutas possivelmente aplicáveis aos processos escolhidos é identificado. Por meio de três estudos de caso, analisa-se em que medida as empresas responsáveis pelas RDUs aplicam tais práticas enxutas em seus processos, e em que medida a aplicação atual ou uma possível aplicação futura de cada prática enxuta é motivada pelo pensamento enxuto. Com base nos dados levantados na pesquisa de campo, as práticas consideradas são avaliadas quanto ao potencial de efetiva aplicação em cada processo, levando-se em conta o objetivo de eliminação de desperdício. O estudo possibilitou verificar que todas as dezenove práticas são aplicáveis a pelo menos um dos processos considerados, sendo a maioria aplicável a ambos. / This dissertation considers the performance of the companies that are responsible for water, electricity and natural gas networks named Utility Distribution Networks (UDN) as productive systems, in order to understand and evaluate the way that the efforts for continuous productivity improvement of their processes are conducted in search of goals such as more quality, less cost and less lead time to customer. The model that is used as a reference for this study is the lean production model, which was developed by the Toyota Motor Company in Japan, founded on the principle of search for productivity increase by the elimination on waste. Although it was originally disseminated in the auto industry value chain, the process improvement approach from this model has been considered in different industries. Therefore, the present work is motivated by the chance to explore the possibility of extending the lean production application concepts and practices to UDN companies. Firstly, UDNs value stream is analyzed, and two processes are chosen construction and maintenance for the development of study. Then, a bibliographic review is presented, from which a set of nineteen lean practices that maybe possibly applicable on the chosen processes is identified. By the development of three case studies, an evaluation is performed with the objective to analyze to what extent the companies that are responsible for UDN apply those lean practices on their processes, and to what extent the current application or a possible future application of each lean practice is motivated by lean thinking. Based on the data from the field research, the potential for effective application of the considered practices is evaluated for each process, taking into consideration the objective of elimination of waste. The study made it possible to verify that all the nineteen practices are applicable at least on one of the considered processes, and the majority is applicable on both processes.

This diploma thesis deals with increasing the efficiency of the assembly workplace (production line). Thesis gradually discusses with lean production, their basic methods and the EURO VI emission standard, which is closely related to the produced product. In the main part, an analysis of the current state is performed with the help of the above-mentioned methods and a proposal of solutions to ensure efficiency. On the base of these findings, the automation of the test station is proposed, including a 3D model, drawing documentation, phases of implementation and real cost calculations with a final assessment of efficiency, return of investments and risk analysis. The second elaborated complementary variant deals with the ergonomics of the production line and includes a 3D model of newly designed tables, real calculations and final economic evaluation.

The diploma thesis is focused on proposal of workplace modification according to the lean manufacturing methodology (DMAIC). The target is to minimize the wasting and to increase the production efficiency based on LEAN tools implementation. The theoretical part of the thesis defines the basic terms, such as primarily lean production, DMAIC, wasting. In the practical part there is at problem analysis using the DMAIC method, then the proposal for improvement is solved, that contains reduction of wasting, process of the project, timetable, costs and implantation of the solution, finally there is evaluated the benefit.

This Master thesis deals with the requirements for the quality of ISO standard compliant pneumatic cylinders, which are machined and assembled by a local manufacturer. According to the philosophy of continuous improvement, this thesis describes the project to decrease the number of air leaks detected by automatic testing machines. The main benefits of the thesis are the improvement of the design of pneumatic cylinders and the improvement of their assembly procedure leading to a reduction in the number of air leaks from pneumatic cylinders on automatic test equipment. It also provides an overview and general procedure for selecting, analyzing, implementing measures and taking further opportunities to improve the quality management system of pneumatic cylinders in the company.

This diploma thesis deals with topics related to optimalization and increases quality production in the electronics industry. Project purpose was to analyze process production manufacturing digital receiver in specific situation applied upon multinational company. Main part mine work was build-up FMEA analysis and creation control plan production line. For optimize production flow was application method lean production and for department material supply method KANBAN. This diploma thesis has been written within cooperation of Celestica Ráječko company where I have picked up data and knowledge to above-mentioned topic.

This master’s thesis solves the lean production’s methods implementation in the steps assembly department at the company IFE CR, a. s. The first part of the thesis describes the material and information flows and the most serious problems are identified in this part. On the basis of the analysis the optimized future state is designed and possible proposals of solutions are recommended to do for achieving this state. The solution of implementation of a new steps assembly line is solved in detail in the last part.

This dissertation deals with analysis and follow-up suggestion of efficiency improvement on the production line in DAIKIN DEVICE CZECH REPUBLIC Ltd. Mentioned steps are performed with the help of production philosophy called Lean production or TPS (Toyota Production System) and production procedures like Just in Time, Jidoka and Kaizen. The target of this work is to find out and eliminate inefficiencies of manufacturing process, design an improvement project (saving cost, safeness, reduction of working positions etc.). Perform evaluation of this project and suggest testing procedure for follow-up improvement in the future.

Tendency of this diploma thesis is to find cost of economies through the device of lean production. On the basis of more than fourmonth monitoring and classification was specificated the problem, which is solved by implementation devices of lean production. Thanks these devices would be cut the bussines costs and salary and helps to do One piece flow too.

Strategic improvement programs, which aim for corporate-wide lean transformation, are resource-demanding and challenging to deploy. Industrial manufacturers often develop company-specific production system (XPS) programs to coordinate the lean transformation simultaneously in multiple production sites. However, transferring lean-related knowledge in a multi-site context is complex as it is associated with tacit knowledge embedded in people.  This thesis aims to contribute with knowledge of how multinational corporations (MNCs) can develop their deployment strategies to add more value in the business by investigating i) what constitutes deployment of an XPS program and ii) how an XPS program promotes the transfer of lean-related knowledge. The qualitative research conducted was based on three empirical case studies, which all applied an intra-firm perspective within an MNC.  Regarding the deployment challenges, it was found to be poorly described in the literature. This thesis explores and describes the deployment of XPS programs based on empirical findings and scholarly literature. Applying program management theory and a knowledge transfer perspective contributed to holistically understanding XPS programs' deployment. It was observed that four deployment variables are the most important. These deployment variables constitute the content of an XPS (conceptual models and a toolbox of improvement tools) and implementation support (implementation structure and control practices). XPS programs are often assumed to facilitate the transfer of lean-related knowledge. This thesis expands the discourse to show how an XPS program may promote and hinder knowledge transfer in three different perspectives; when implementing larger improvement projects, rolling out global lean method standards, and incorporating new lean methods bottom-up. This research contributes to theory by describing the deployment of an XPS program in depth. A deployment model was developed that stipulates the deployment variables and their interconnection. Some of the findings may have practical applications for industrial practitioners when developing and evaluating the deployment strategies within their XPS program. / Strategiska förbättringsprogram som strävar efter en bred lean transformation inom företaget är resurskrävande och utmanande att rulla ut. Industriella tillverkare utvecklar ofta program för företagsspecifika produktionssystem (XPS) för att koordinera lean transformationen på flertal produktionsanläggningar parallellt. Lean kunskap förknippas med tyst kunskap, inneboende i människor, vilken är mer komplex att överföra i en kontext med multipla produktionsanläggning sprida över världen. Denna avhandling har som mål att bidra med kunskap om hur multinationella företag (MNC) kan utveckla sina utrullningsstrategier så att de tillför mer värde till verksamheten genom att undersöka i) vad utgör utrullning av ett XPS-program och ii) hur ett XPS-program främjar överföring av leanrelaterad kunskap. Den kvalitativa forskningen som genomfördes baserades på tre empiriska fallstudier, som alla tillämpade ett internt perspektiv inom det multinationella företaget (MNC) som studerades. Utmaningarna med utrullningar visade sig det vara dåligt beskrivet i litteraturen. Av den anledningen har denna avhandling utforskat och beskrivit utrullning av XPS-program baserat på empiriska fallstudierna och vetenskaplig litteratur. I arbetet har programledningsteori och ett kunskapsöverföringsperspektiv tillämpats, vilket bidrog till en holistisk förståelse av XPS-programs utrullning. Studien identifierade fyra viktiga variabler för utrullning som utgör både innehållet i en XPS (konceptuella modeller och en verktygslåda med förbättringsverktyg) och ett implementeringsstöd (implementeringsstruktur och kontroll-handlingar). I tidigare publikationer antas ofta att XPS-program underlättar överföringen av lean-relaterad kunskap. Denna avhandling utökar det resonemanget genom att visa hur ett XPS-program kan dels främja, men även hindra kunskapsöverföring utifrån tre olika perspektiv; när man implementerar större förbättringsprojekt, rullar ut globala standarder för lean-metoder och vid inkorporering av nya lean-metoder där produktionsanläggningen är källan till kunskapen. Denna forskning bidrar till teorin genom att på djupet beskriva utrullningen av ett XPS-program. En utrullningsmodell utvecklades för att beskriva utrullningsvariablerna och deras sammankoppling. Vissa av resultaten kan även ha praktiska tillämpningar för verksamma inom industrin när de utvecklar och utvärderar strategierna inom deras XPS-program.

Keywords: E-commerce, Order process, Return process, Order picking, Waste, Lean production, Process flowchart, Poka Yoka, 5S, Six Sigma, Kaizen, Kata. Introduction: To sell products on the internet, it is important to be at the forefront of internal routines and processes to not be overtaken by a competitor. Small e-commerce companies do not have the same resources to implement autonomous processes to the same extent as large e- commerce companies, therefore this study examines the shortcomings in the order picking and return process for small e-commerce companies and how these shortcomings can be remedied from a Lean perspective to have an opportunity to compete on the market. Purpose: The aim of this study is to develop different opportunities for improvement from a Lean perspective by analyzing different e-commerce companies, focused on its processes within order picking and return management. Method: The study has been done as a qualitative case study with a deductive approach and a critically realistic approach. The primary data has been collected through semi-structured interviews and observations. Conclusion: Shortcomings as motion, defects, waiting and non-utilized potential have been identified in the order pick process and return process. Suggested Lean techniques as 5S, Kaizen & Kata and six sigma have been presented as methods for improving the identified shortcomings that occur in these processes for e-commerce companies.