ENGINEERING JOURNAL CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY

Volume 27, No. 01, Month APRIL, Year 2020, Pages 104 - 117

Production lead time and work in process reduction in trolley production using lean manufacturing techniques

Sasicha Thongampai and Wimalin Laosirithawon

Abstract Download PDF

The purpose of this research is to apply ‘Lean Manufacturing’ concept and related techniques to eliminate waste in the manufacturing process of airplane trolley in order to reduce the product’s lead times and work in process. The parts studied in this research were Top assembly part and Extrusion part. The research methodology started with analyzing the direction and transportation distance of each part through work stations. Then data regarding work station lead-times and work in process quantity were collected and used to construct current stage value stream mapping. This method helps to visualize the problem and waste activities. In order to reduce production waste, Line balancing technique and ‘Group technology’ were applied. The new cellular production line was designed with the aim of reducing transportation waste and work in process. Then the future state value stream mapping was created. The results showed that lead times of Top assembly part was reduced from 1.6 days to be 0.8 days and Extrusion part from 2.7 days to 0.7 days while the average work in process were reduced from 160 trolleys per day to 10 trolleys per day.

Keywords

Lead time, Lean Manufacturing Techniques, Group Technology, Line balancing, Cellular layout

---