After signing ECFA (Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement), all of the fundamental industries of Taiwan are going to face the serious impact. As a result, Refractory Industry can¡¦t skip out the pool. Although refractory industry still undercover by government policy, Chinese products are going to sweep across Taiwan market with price advantage after Taiwan and China government signed the significant economic agreement. Some companies consider reducing cost and improve quality via automatic manufacturing procedures. However, the further question is that can automation really improve the producing efficiency and reduce manpower demand? That will be the main discussion subject of this research. The research concentrates on the planning, construction and actual benefit contrasting of press machine in six months and take 6 Sigma and TPS (Toyota Production System) as the research method. We estimate that reasonable investment can create producing efficiency. We are going to compare the benefits of same press machine with and without automatic manufacturing procedure and also different types of press machine to produce same product in same condition at the same period. This research demonstrated that partial equipment automation or single old equipment automation doesn¡¦t really increase the production efficiency. The result of decreasing the cost of production, such as the cost of manpower, is not notable. In order to achieve the objective goal, we still need to inspect the whole manufacturing procedure, equipment assembling in detail, and arrange the perfect combination of people and machines, then the most synergy could be happened. As for the manufacture management concept and practice, we should abandon fixed frame, thought, and keep manufacture procedure improving. All in all, the improvement of concept and practice, the effect could be far over the benefit of auto equipment, the cost could be much lower than the investments of the equipments. Replacing the manpower by mechanical arms, it indeed reaches the goal of few staff trend and lowers the accident ratio. Few staff environment will cause the operator¡¦s working stability, improve the phenomenon of losing labor.

The nature of range ¡§ automobile ¡§ has high technology and traditional science both together. It expands living habit and areas for the human beings but also lead hazard and risky on environment and safety. What is the value of competition about the automobile? What are the cons and pros on traditional manufactures with United States, Japan and Germany? Any structure change from then until now? The subject essay is based upon the automobile research report, which was issued on 1990 by MIT, analysis of GM with The United States, Toyota with Japan and Volkswagen with the Germany 1991-2005 financial statements and volume production strategy to continue the analysis. The automobile manufactures were following the model of productions TPS after MIT research report was announced. The above companies were not being able to follow and copy the model very successfully. Because that past successful enterprise cultural was difficult to abandon and among different countries cultural background and basis were total different and individual. They could only practice the fur of Japanese Toyota. For example, GM was combined with Toyota to build up factory as issue; looks like GM have had good flow and function on inventory turn over percentage and cost of sales volume. After operation factors were getting worse even turn their inefficiency out to the fact. The traditional craftsman¡¦s art with Germany were become the sign of obstacle to the TPS.

This thesis deals with the current state of assembly workplace for prefabrication in selected company. Using lean manufacturing principles it describes and subsequently eliminating all forms of waste that occur in the workplace. Part of the project is to design a new layout of the manufacturing cell, operation balancing and standardize the work of operators in the process. The project aims to achieve the planned production volumes at the same or lower operating costs.