Lean Manufacturing through Management of Labor and Machine Flexibility : A Comprehensive Review

In today’s highly competitive environment manufacturing industries can’t bear the wastage of resources. Machines and equipments are one of the most important resources of a manufacturing industry. It is necessary to employ efficient processes and practices to hold cost of manufacture and move towards the attainment of lean manufacturing. This paper presents a study carried out in manufacturing industry to assess the status of machine flexibility and its impact on lean manufacturing implementation. A survey was conducted using a specially designed questionnaire carrying multiple choice questions on various aspects of lean manufacturing and machine flexibility. From the analysis of the response, standing of each parameter of lean manufacturing and machine flexibility were found out. The relationships between these parameters were determined from the coefficient of correlation and significant parameters of machine flexibility contributing to lean manufacturing were found out from regression analysis.

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An analysis of the status of resource flexibility and lean manufacturing in a textile machinery manufacturing company

International Journal of Organizational Analysis ◽

10.1108/ijoa-11-2012-0625 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 107-122 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Gulshan Chauhan

Keyword(s):

Lean Manufacturing ◽

Manufacturing Industry ◽

Machine Flexibility ◽

Content Type ◽

Resource Flexibility ◽

Manufacturing Company ◽

The Status ◽

Machinery Manufacturing ◽

Labour Flexibility

Purpose – As the manufacturing industry is under pressure to face the global competition, it is necessary to improve productivity and reduce costs through minimization of wastage of resources for their survival. This paper aims to present an analysis of the status of resource flexibility and lean manufacturing through conducting a case study in an Indian textile machinery manufacturing company and also demonstrate the various areas of future scope for improving lean manufacturing. Design/methodology/approach – The case study has been conducted using the flexible system methodology (FSM) framework (Sushil, 1994). For measuring resource (labour and machine) flexibility and lean manufacturing, various factors contributing towards labour flexibility, machine flexibility and lean manufacturing are identified. To determine their relative weights, an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) has been used. A specially designed questionnaire is used to collect the information during case study on different aspects of resource flexibility and lean manufacturing. SAP-LAP analysis has also been carried out to look in to the ways the company is building up resource flexibility and lean manufacturing. Findings – The status of labour flexibility, machine flexibility and lean manufacturing is merely 49.30, 47.10 and 47.40 per cent, respectively. The most important factors of labour flexibility and machine flexibility attained a value of 59.50 and 61.17 per cent, respectively. Similarly, only 39.09 per cent wastes are eliminated through lean manufacturing. There is a huge scope to achieve a higher degree of lean manufacturing through focusing on continuous improvement, just in time (JIT) and resource flexibility factors. Research limitations/implications – The present study includes only labour and machines to compute the resource flexibility. Other resources may also be included to compute the overall resource flexibility. Practical implications – The present study provides guidelines to analyze the status of resource flexibility and lean manufacturing. According to conclusions, frail areas in the manufacturing system can be identified and a suitable course of action could be planned for the improvement. Hopefully, this study will help the firm’s management to identify the problems to manage resource flexibility and implement an effective lean manufacturing. Originality/value – In this work, the theoretical perspective has been used not only to update the original instrument, but also to study the subject from a perspective beyond that usually associated with resource flexibility and lean manufacturing.

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