Web site looks at lean manufacturing techniques

Superfactory has announced a collaboration to improve the understanding and implementation of lean manufacturing in job shop (high mix, low volume) environments

Superfactory is pleased to announce a collaboration to improve the understanding and implementation of lean manufacturing in job shop (high mix, low volume) environments.

You can view the issues, resources, research questions, results, and tools at the following link, where you can also join the associated discussion group.

http://www.superfactory.com/jobshop/jobshop.htm.

This collaboration with three universities will delve into the unique requirements of job shop lean.

Some of the questions to be investigated are: * How does a jobshop segment its product mix into categories such as "Runners", "Repeaters" and "Strangers"? Do viablecomputer-oriented methods exist, such as Product-Quantity-Routing Analysis, Group Technology and Product-Process Matrix Clustering, capable of analyzing a large database of anywhere between 500 to 5000+ routings? * How does a jobshop identify and implement, not just a single "pilot cell", but all potential cells for different families of parts that may exist in its large product mix? What does it do about the "cats and dogs" in its product portfolio? * How does a jobshop develop a self-motivated workforce knowledgeable in Industrial Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering skills to seek out and eliminate muda in administrative and production processes? * How does a jobshop adopt, or adapt, the essentials of Lean Thinking, Theory Of Constraints, Quick Response Manufacturing, Demand Flow Technology, etc.

when: * demand forecasts are unreliable or non-existent? * suppliers may not be prepared to delivery JIT? * equipment must be multi-function, and not right-sized, to compensate for a small multi-skilled workforce? * customers could be here today but gone tomorrow? * drawings, route sheets, inspections plans, gauges, tools, etc.

for past (or new) orders need to be retrieved or made from scratch on a routine basis? * How does a jobshop define and distill it's "core manufacturing competencies" into a guidebook that its sales staff could use to accept, evaluate, or reject new orders based on past cost/benefit performance measures? * How does a jobshop implement Finite Capacity Scheduling without purchasing expensive software, since Theory of Constraints and Drum-Buffer-Rope scheduling have been known to succeed in such facilities? We invite you to join in our discussion and help us understand this unique application of lean manufacturing!.

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