Lab #4: Pull and Perfection MG/IE 3400 – Production System Design

The New Scenario … Products: Blue sapphire2/minute Black diamond2/minute Grey pearl1/minute Customers want clocks delivered in less than 1 minute

Pull Production Warehouse Material Flow Information Flow OUT Work Center IN A OUT Work Center IN C OUT Work Center IN B

Number of Kanbans k = # kanbans/signals (here, c=1) d = demand per unit time L = lead time  = safety factor k = d L ( 1 +  )

Little’s Law L = W Process ‘law’: WIP = production rate x lead time ‘steady-state’ performance

TimeWise What determines the production rate?

Back/Hand Assembly Blue Sapphire Black Diamond Gray Pearl Blue Sapphire Black Diamond Gray Pearl

Blue Black Gray Blue Black Gray Blue Black Gray Blue Black Gray Blue Black Blue Gray Blue Black Gray Visual Layout

How to Accomplish Lean Concurrently Solve Problems:  Root cause  Solve permanently  Team approach  Line and specialist responsibility  Continual education Measure Performance:  Emphasize Improvement  Track trends 1.Design Flow Process  Link operations  Balance workstations capacity  Redesign layout for flow  Emphasize preventive maintenance  Reduce lot sizes  Reduce setup/changeover time 2. Total Quality Control:  Worker responsibility  Measure: SQC  Enforce compliance  Fail-safe methods  Automatic inspection 3. Stabilize Schedule:  Level schedule  Underutilize capacity  Establish freeze windows 4. Kanban Pull:  Demand pull  Backflush  Reduce lot sizes 5. Work with Vendors:  Reduce lead times  Frequent deliveries  Project usage requirements  Quality expectations 6. Reduce Inventory More:  Look for other areas  Stores  Transit  Carousels  Conveyors 7. Improve Product Design:  Standard product configuration  Standardize and reduce number of parts  Process design with product design  Quality expectations