Lean Manufacturing

The purpose of this study is to review the supply chain factors of lean healthcare performance improvement (LHPI). Seven supply chain factors of LHPI (leadership, employee engagement, customer engagement, continuous improvement, just in time, lean production, and workflow processes) had been identified. The researcher chose Malaysia's healthcare industry as a population of this study because the industry will face strong pressures and take initiatives in order to manage the healthcare in a cost and performances effective manner. For practical implications, the LHPI tool process is user friendly, easy to use, systematic and practical thus can assist practitioners to understand the concept of lean healthcare practices in the Malaysian healthcare industry. Thus, the implementation of LHPI is significant to the Malaysian healthcare industry in order to improve the supply chain factors.

The development of manufacturing industries in Malaysia has started more than 50 years ago. Nonetheless, after more than 50 years Malaysian manufacturing has been established, the issues of maintenance, safety, quality, cost, and performance efficiency still receive criticism, complaints, and various suggested approach to improve their product quality, operation management, and customer satisfaction. As a result, in order to improve the quality of manufacturing industries, Malaysian government has supported and encourage for develop total solution especially for quality improvement, increase safety and setup low cost for productive maintenance. Thus, to help the Malaysian manufacturer to achieve national agenda, further Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) tool essential. Recently, manufacturing companies are moving toward maintenance engineering practices, lean dashboard methodology process, statistical engineering solution, audit quality maintenance control and performance efficiency improvement; lower cost of production, cheaper maintenance cost , just in time (JIT) operation deliveries, eliminate of waste in any aspect of its operations and finally produce high quality product and better service to customer compared to competitors. The objectives of this research is to develop propose TPM tool as an important catalyst for continually seek better maintenance performance and in turn against competitive advantage. By implementing prototype of TPM system, modern manufacturing companies will eliminate waste in operation activities such as to reduce maintenance cost, reduce time monitoring and control's, reduce defect, to reduce lead time, and reduce variation process and also improve quality product and good service for customer satisfaction.

The purpose of this study is to review the supply chain factors of lean healthcare performance improvement (LHPI). Seven supply chain factors of LHPI (leadership, employee engagement, customer engagement, continuous improvement, just in time, lean production, and workflow processes) had been identified. The researcher chose Malaysia’s healthcare industry as a population of this study because the industry will face strong pressures and take initiatives in order to manage the healthcare in a cost and performances effective manner. For practical implications, the LHPI tool process is user friendly, easy to use, systematic and practical thus can assist practitioners to understand the concept of lean healthcare practices in the Malaysian healthcare industry. Thus, the implementation of LHPI is significant to the Malaysian healthcare industry in order to improve the supply chain factors.

The development of manufacturing industries in Malaysia has started more than 50 years ago. Nonetheless, after more than 50 years Malaysian manufacturing has been established, the issues of maintenance, safety, quality, cost, and performance efficiency still receive criticism, complaints, and various suggested approach to improve their product quality, operation management, and customer satisfaction. As a result, in order to improve the quality of manufacturing industries, Malaysian government has supported and encourage for develop total solution especially for quality improvement, increase safety and setup low cost for productive maintenance. Thus, to help the Malaysian manufacturer to achieve national agenda, further Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) tool essential. Recently, manufacturing companies are moving toward maintenance engineering practices, lean dashboard methodology process, statistical engineering solution, audit quality maintenance control and performance efficienc...

This study, based on cases studies in the aerospace industry in France and Sweden, explores how work organizational designs and changes may impact on the innovative capacity of firms, with job quality playing as a mediating factor. "Lean" organizational principles were witnessed in all the cases, sometimes introduced by recent organizational changes, but there were significant differences in the way they had been implemented and were impacting on work organizations. A more "technocratic" form of Lean was dominant in the French cases, also coherent with a more hierarchical and bureaucratic form of organization, with top-down planning and control mode of organizational change management, and the domination of the Science-Technology-Innovation (STI) mode of innovation. It contrasted with the more "agile" form of Lean, compatible with the more decentralized "learning" type of organization, the process and learning mode of organizational change management, and the Doing-Using-Interacting mode of innovation, that were better illustrated by the Swedish cases. This resulted in differences in job quality outcomes, in particular in terms of autonomy and involvement and overall job satisfaction, which are important conditions for the making of an innovative workplace. Social dialogue played an important role in accounting for the differences across countries. While in the French cases, unions took on more of a defensive strategy -in line with the more hierarchical "top-down" organization and mode of management ̶ , their Swedish counterparts were playing a more active role -by both formal and informal ways -in promoting a work organization favorable to job quality that enhanced the innovative capacity of the workers and their firms

Latar Belakang: Instalasi farmasi banyak menjadi sorotan terkait dengan waktu tunggu pelayanan obat yang lama. Hal tersebut menunjukkan bahwa masih terdapat waste. Pendekatan lean hospital merupakan suatu metodologi yang dipercaya dapat mengurangi atau mengeleminasi waste sehingga tercipta pelayanan yang berkualitas. Tujuan Penelitian: Untuk mengidentifikasi waste kritis dan akar penyebab waste kritis di Instalasi Farmasi Rawat Jalan RSUD Wates. Metode: Penelitian studi kasus dengan pendekatan kualitatif. Adapun tahapan penelitiannya yaitu observasi proses pelayanan yang dipetakan melalui value stream mapping, penyebaran kuesioner untuk memperoleh waste kritis, melakukan wawancara dengan metode 5why untuk mengetahui akar masalah waste kritis. Hasil dan Pembahasan: Hasil pemetaan value stream mapping didapatkan pelayanan resep obat non racik dengan lead time 1 jam 4 menit dan VAR sebesar 8,6% sedangkan pelayanan resep racik dengan lead time 1 jam 12 menit dan VAR sebesar 7,6%. Waste ...

The objectives of this study are to adopt the well-known business excellence model (BEM), Baldrige excellence framework 2019-2020 criteria and examine in Malaysian Electrical and Electronics (E&E) manufacturing companies. We have identified those elements in BEM like leadership, customers, measurement, analysis, knowledge management (MAKM), strategy, and operations that influence on business results. This study also aims to assess the Lean practices influence on the operations and results of business excellence (BE). The theoretical framework is guided by BEM and Leadership theory. A stratified random sampling was employed to choose the sample from the four sub-sectors of E&E industry. A total of 500 questionnaires was circulated in Peninsular Malaysia with return usable 156 questionnaire utilized for data analysis. The outcome from the structural analysis suggested that positive relationships between strategy, operations, and Lean practices on achievement of BE. The limitations fro...

Nowadays, lean practices are implemented in many manufacturing and services companies. Lean practices are implemented in order to minimize wastes while maximise the overall performances in an organisation. In service sector, lean practices are importance to ensure value added services can be delivered to customers. However, Malaysia automotive companies cannot compete with Japanese automotive companies in terms of their customer satisfaction. The purpose of this study is to compare the lean practice between Japanese and Malaysia automotive service centres. A total of 80 questionnaires out of 100 distributed questionnaires were responded and this represented as 80% of response rate. The Mann-Whitney test result shows that there were four out of five factors of lean practices have significant differences between Japanese and Malaysia automotive service centres, which are TPM, JIT, Kanban, and 5S. VSM has not significant difference between ownerships. In addition, TPM, JIT, Kanban, VSM and 5S were higher practices in Japanese companies against Malaysia companies. Many Malaysia companies are still in the journey of lean practices and they need recommendation guidance to compete with other long-term established companies. Based on the survey result, the significant differences are identified as weak points of Malaysia companies as an opportunity to improve. Moreover, the significance of this study can help researchers and industry players to improve lean practices in automotive service industry.

It is known that the traditional construction life cycle produces wastes in time, materials and cost as well as producing polluting materials. The main objective of this study is to propose a framework that integrates the traditional construction techniques with green-lean construction techniques to improve the economic and environmental performance of the construction industry. The study was carried out using Analytical Network Process (ANP) and Zero One Goal Programming (ZOGP). The results suggested an optimum arrangement to reach an effective green-lean framework; this involves a wide range of interventions that could be implemented for moving the traditional construction towards green-lean construction. The study concluded that going green- lean is not necessarily expensive if the right approach is applied. Further, going green-lean can save time and money while keeping staff and buildings clean and safe. Further, the study recommended paying more effort in the design phase to i...

Over the last years, there has been growing pressure on businesses to manage their operations responsibly in regards to their environmental and societal impacts. This has motivated companies and researchers to identify ways to implementing sustainable operations. Studying the relationships between lean and sustainability appears to be a tangible way to answer the question of how to integrate and, therefore, jointly deploy these two initiatives. Notwithstanding that the investigation of lean and sustainability interrelationships has been perhaps one of the most recently researched topics, the majority of the research efforts do not adequately frame their analysis on the triplebottom-line aspects of sustainability. The limited perspective of previous studies leaves us with a fragmented understanding of the synergies between lean and sustainability, a prerequisite for developing integration approaches. This work expands previous literature reviews by analyzing lean and sustainability under a systems thinking lens, more specifically by using distinctions, systems, relations, and perspectives theory. To sharpen our understanding, we identify and analyze the interrelationships between lean and sustainability and their impact on performance from the operational, financial, societal, and environmental viewpoints. From our review, we identified a set of building blocks for developing a lean-for-sustainability integration framework with the intention of promoting the discussion on how companies can embed sustainability into their operations.

Historically, profitability and efficiency objectives have been the prevailing interest for organisations. However, the move towards green operations has forced companies to seek alternatives to combine these with green objectives and initiatives. Green lean is the result of this combination. The purpose of this paper is to critically discuss the green lean approach and the potential benefits of integrating Six Sigma to enhance its effectiveness. The paper is based on a literature review that discusses the synergies and differences of lean and green, and its main limitations. Departing from the limitations identified, the paper then proposes Six Sigma, and specially its problem solving methodology DMAIC, as an approach that may help in overcoming the limitations of green lean. Thus, the paper conceptually proposes Green Lean Six Sigma. It intends to offer academics, researchers and practitioners interested in lean and green with some initial conceptual ideas regarding their possible integration with Six Sigma.

This paper discusses the advances of axiomatic design, both as a design approach in industry and as a research field. It is demonstrated that the growth is based on industrial practice and a vision of design theory. The information presented in this paper is based on experience from implementation of axiomatic design in industry in Asia, the USA, and Europe. Specifically, this paper presents strategic implications of implementing a new design method within a company, two generic implementation approaches, risks and benefits of each approach based on actual implementation cases, and some examples of products developed by industry by using axiomatic design. The paper also points out the importance of continued teaching and research in the area of axiomatic design. It outlines a typical course for industry given at MIT and presents issues for future research.

El presente trabajo da a conocer la implementación de la metodología de mejora continua Kaizen en la empresa Bimbo El Salvador, en las áreas de Producción de pan y bollería, desarrollando cuatro eventos diferentes, implementando una cultura de calidad enfocada a la mejora continua y al cambio de actitud en los miembros de la organización La reducción de costos, mejora de la productividad y eficiencia de los procesos e incremento de la satisfacción del cliente, son algunos de los beneficios que se pretenden obtener al implementar esta metodología, utilizando las herramientas Kaizen, ya que esta se enfoca en la identificación, corrección y eliminación de desperdicios dentro de los procesos y áreas de producción.

W issenschaftszentrum Berlin fü r Sozialforschung WZB-Open Access Digitalisate WZB-Open Access digital copies Das nachfolgende Dokum ent w urde zum Zweck der ko sten freien O nlinebereitstellung digitalisiert am W issenschaftszentrum Berlin fü r Sozialforschung gGmbH (WZB). Das WZB verfügt ü ber die e n tsprechenden N utzungsrechte. Sollten Sie sich durch die O nlineveröffentlichung des Dokum ents w ider E rw arten dennoch in Ihren Rechten verletzt sehen, k o n tak tieren Sie bitte das WZB postalisch oder per E-Mail: W issenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung gGmbH Bibliothek und w issenschaftliche Inform ation Reichpietschufer 50

Las interacciones informales constituyen uno de los aspectos clave en la operación técnica confiable en un contexto incierto donde la falla asume eventuales consecuencias de envergadura. El presente trabajo analiza la atención de escapes en vía pública por parte de cuadrillas de operarios en una empresa de distribución de gas natural. ¿Por qué no hay más accidentes en relación con los que podrían suceder tomando en cuenta las condiciones de la operación? Se abordará este análisis desde la perspectiva de comunidades de práctica y su relación con la conciencia atenta que está en la base de la confiabilidad de la operación. Los resultados muestran que existen componentes en la práctica que están en la base del comportamiento seguro, entre ellos, representaciones operacionales sobre el accidente y el riesgo, así como sobre la misión del propio rol y de los objetivos que persigue la operación. Estas representaciones se dan en un contexto incierto, si bien no complejo tecnológicamente, con un encuadre normativo cercano a las práctica cotidianas. Además, los resultados arrojan una fuerte incidencia -desde la percepción de los individuos-de los aspectos vinculares entre pares, así como de la génesis del conocer práctico del nuevo operario hasta que adquiere el dominio del oficio. Se discuten las contribuciones teóricas de esta investigación y posibles implicancias prácticas.

Enterprise software development is evolving against a backdrop of rapid technological advancements and dynamic business needs. This article explores the growth trajectories, challenges, and opportunities across various sectors, including education technology (EdTech), finance, healthcare, human resources (HR), supply chain management, and cleantech. Real-world case studies illustrate practical applications and frameworks for future trends. The landscape of enterprise software development is rapidly evolving, driven by technological innovations and changing business needs. This article examines key trends and advancements in the field, including artificial intelligence, low-code development, cloud computing, and the emergence of microservices architecture. Through case studies, we illustrate how these trends transform enterprise software solutions, enhance efficiency, and drive innovation.

This special degree project was developed at the Daimler Chrysler de Venezuela vehicle assembly plant and is structured in six chapters, followed by a section containing conclusions, recommendations, bibliography, and appendices. The core focus of the work is the formulation and evaluation of a redesign plan for the spot welding area of the Cherokee (KJ) vehicle subassembly line. This stage represents the initial phase of the production process and was selected due to its critical role and the presence of performance issues requiring urgent intervention.
The methodology is grounded in the principles of Method Engineering, ergonomic assessment, and industrial process redesign. The study begins with the definition of general and specific objectives intended to support continuous improvement, product quality enhancement, and waste reduction. A detailed diagnostic of the current operational context follows, including a description of the output, process steps, tools, equipment, workspace layout, and environmental conditions.
A critical analysis of the current state is then conducted using Cause-Effect (Ishikawa) diagrams, identifying key inefficiencies such as workflow imbalances, excessive consumption and waste of structural and expandable sealants, and significant ergonomic risks for operators. Based on this analysis, a comprehensive redesign plan is proposed. The plan includes: the establishment of standardized reference times, ergonomic improvements to workstations, production output enhancements, and material waste reduction strategies.
The final chapter presents an economic evaluation and justification of the redesign plan, quantifying the costs and projected savings associated with each proposed improvement, and determining the expected return on investment period.
Although focused on the automotive industry, this work provides applicable insights for supply chain and production system optimization. By integrating systematic diagnostics, lean principles, and ergonomics, the thesis offers a replicable framework for enhancing operational efficiency—an approach that can be adapted to modernize U.S. supply chains in the motorbike helmet and safety equipment sector through data analysis and process automation.

The design and construction industry is hungry for metrics and proof of concept for Lean in the public sector. San Diego (California) Community College District has completed two-thirds of a US$1.6 Billion capital improvement program (2002-2019) during which – at the one quarter complete stage in 2008 – Lean design and construction principles and practices were introduced, thus offering a preand postLean comparative opportunity. Contemporaneously, the Facilities Management department also launched a Lean initiative. This paper identifies some key owner metrics to measure the value of identified Lean principles and tools, examines the comparison of various preand post-Lean metrics, analyzes these in relation to valuecreation and waste-reduction, and analyzes how these metrics are associated with core Lean principles as identified in prior literature. These design, construction, and operations/maintenance functions influenced each other during the study period (2008-2013) and this pap...

O principal objetivo deste artigo foi propor oportunidades para melhorias no processo de producao de uma empresa de panificacao de medio porte por meio de ferramentas do lean manufacturing , como o mapeamento do fluxo de valor, o diagrama AV/NAV e o relatorio A3. Com base em um estudo de caso exploratorio e qualitativo, a pesquisa foi realizada em tres etapas: definicao do produto, mapeamento do processo de producao atual e proposta de melhorias do processo. A pesquisa identificou sete oportunidades de melhorias, resultando em uma reducao total de 27% no tempo de producao e 33% no tempo de estoque. Por fim, propoe-se o relatorio A3 e apresentam-se as consideracoes finais da pesquisa, bem como as limitacoes e sugestoes para trabalhos futuros

Resumo: A indústria alimentícia representa um importante papel tanto na promoção de empregos para a melhoria da economia quanto no fornecimento de alimentos confiáveis e seguros à sociedade. Contudo, o setor enfrenta diversos desafios em busca pela eficiência e produtividade. Portanto, o presente trabalho visa aumentar a eficiência de uma linha de produção de chocolates em uma empresa de grande porte a partir da implementação do método DMAIC. A pesquisa foi realizada por meio de uma revisão sistemática da literatura investigando a implementação do DMAIC na indústria alimentícia. Além disso, o trabalho foi desenvolvido por uma pesquisaação durante seis meses em uma fábrica de chocolates de produção em larga escala localizada na região metropolitana do Espírito Santo. A partir da utilização de diversas técnicas e ferramentas da qualidade para investigação dos problemas como, Project charter, diagrama de Pareto, brainstorming e diagrama de causa e efeito, aumentou-se a eficiência do processo de 56% para 79%. Por fim, são realizadas as considerações finais, contendo as contribuições acadêmicas e práticas bem como as limitações de pesquisa e oportunidades para trabalhos futuros.

By means of a case study, discusses the most important elements of lean manufacturing (LM), the strategies used by the company for implementing LM, and the significant benefits that were accrued in manufacturing operations. Explains the critical factors involved in the implementation of LM utilizing a business process change framework. The data for this study were obtained through interviews, questionnaire survey and archival sources.

The processes of packaging and distribution of meat products require measures of accident prevention, protection and controlled conservation of inputs and products required by the NTP CODEX CXC 58:2012; and this depends on the resources of trained labor, water quality, adequate facilities, equipment, tools and an adequate work environment. It is for these requirements that it is necessary to apply a technique that not only improves the efficiency of its processes, but also positively changes the habits of workers and allows compliance with current regulations, since this will optimize the sale of products. quality and entry into new markets. This research aimed to implement the Japanese 5S methodology in a food industry company that packages and distributes meat products to increase the efficiency of its processes considering that 90% is done manually. That is why at the beginning of the implementation several unnecessary elements and disorder in the areas were observed. The results showed that 5S are a useful tool to increase organizational performance, improve work culture, process efficiency, etc. After 19 weeks of implementation of the 5S, maximum scores of Seiri (classification) 84%, Seiton (Order) 84%, Seiso (Cleaning) 89%, Seiketsu (Standardization) 87%, and Shitsuke (Discipline) 84% were obtained. The study concluded that the implementation of the 5S allowed a greater commitment of the employees and, in turn, improved the packaging and distribution processes of meat products.

After the difficult period during the year 2020, the metal-mechanic sector has been characterized by its high participation in the Peruvian GDP. However, by not having established working methods, productivity in the production process is affected and in comparison, at national level, companies in other sectors have an efficiency greater than 80% in their processes, which generates an increase in competition. This article intends to incorporate to the literature through the combination of Lean Manufacturing tools: The SMED tool will be used for the reduction of Set Up times; Poka Yoke, to avoid human errors through a mold that will prevent defects in the bending machine and through the standardization of work, to establish best practices in the various manufacturing processes of metal racks. The main result of this proposal is the reduction of man-hours lost in nonvalue generating activities to increase efficiency in the analyzed processes of the organization.

The warehouse environment in the MSME clothing manufacturing business, specifically in this case study located in the Gamarra Commercial Emporium, is a small space in the early stage of most micro enterprises. Hence, in theory it is believed that the space is used properly by the warehouse worker to ensure a good localization of raw materials, fabrics, on shelves. However, in reality after interviewing the warehouse worker, he conveyed that actually there are cases of overwhelming working hours and more in depth it was displayed a lack of planification without a clear schedule, which leads to stress and loss of productivity. In addition, without coding the items space or shelf locations, leave the employee uncertain of the correct procedure without the guidelines of the MSME manager, especially when it is a youth company. In this scenario, there will be a delay in the dispatch of raw materials to the production line and it implies a significant amount of unused capacity. For this reason, this study, which has not novel contribution to the field, aims to formulate a proposal to improve the warehouse management capacity to reduce the service time, responding promptly and in good coordination with the production department and other key areas such as the procurement department.

Paper analyzes manufacturing capability in job shop environments by evaluating the pattern of decisions using a case study approach. Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP), a multi criteria decision making (MCDM) method, has been employed which consists of three levels. The overall goal, i.e. manufacturing capability index is placed at level 1 followed by six decision areas at level 2 and thirty three decision criteria at level 3. Structured interview process has been used to collect information about thirty three decision criteria. The data was collected and analyzed for five companies operated in a job shop manufacturing environment. Pattern of decisions that are ideally essential for competitiveness of job shop manufacturing are then compared with the pattern of decisions from the five cases. This approach facilitates the practitioners to indentify the weak decision areas in order to improve the competitiveness in job shop manufacturing.

Artiklen analyserer, hvorledes lean-begrebet er operationaliseret i tidsskriftsartikler, og hvorvidt der er evidens for dets effekt. Få bidrag diskuterer forudsaetninger for lean og medtager konkrete defi nitioner af lean. Samlet set konkluderer artiklen, at der er en lav grad af evidens i de artikler, der er reviewet. Gennem det sidste halve århundrede har der vaeret lanceret en raekke forskellige ledelsesbegreber med det formål at gøre virksomheder mere konkurrencedygtige. Imidlertid er det vanskeligt at afgøre, hvilke nye ledelsesbegreber der har reel substans ex ante. Resultaterne af anvendelsen af bestemte ledelsesbegreber lader sig i reglen kun fastlaegge ex post. Ledelsen har dermed et reelt problem. Ved at hoppe for tidligt med på vognen risikerer virksomheden at miste ressourcer på de ledelsesbegreber, som ikke virker. Omvendt risikerer virksomheder, som er for langsomme til at tilegne sig nye ledelsesbegreber, at komme bagud i konkurrencen. Nye ledelsesbegreber, som ikke virker, kaldes for »management fads« . Sådanne fads er relativt kortvarige faelles trosretninger, der udbredes af »fashion-setters« som f.eks. konsulenter. Fads kan også have en symbolsk funktion som f.eks. at signalere innovationskraft, men gør reelt kun lidt for at løfte virksomhedens økonomiske performance . Ledelsesbegreber eller fads kommer og går. De har en livscyklus. Ettore (1997) inddeler en sådan livscyklus i fem faser: 1) opdagelse, 2) uhaemmet accept, 3) fordøjelse, 4) frustration og 5) hardcore. Virksomheders arbejde med ledelsesbegreber kan som naevnt opnå både positive og negative effekter. Ifølge Gibson & Tesone (2001) førte Total Quality Management (TQM) bølgen til, at mange virksomheder stod tilbage med dyre konsulentregninger set i forhold til små reelle forbedringer. En empirisk undersøgelse har dokumenteret, at de virksomheder som tog populaere ledelsesbegreber til sig og var »med på beatet«, var mere beundret af offentligheden, blev opfattet som mere innovative og som havende bedre ledere . Den samme undersøgelse dokumenterede også, at implementering af ledelsesbegreberne ikke viste synlig effekt. De største effekter var stigende direktørlønninger som følge af projekter relateret til ledelsesbegreberne.

The aim of this study was to investigate the manufacturing performance at sewing section through lean manufacturing principle in garment industry. The fundamental idea behind the concept of lean manufacturing consists to eliminate waste, which does not add value to the end product. Lean manufacturing is considered as one of the most influential activities that focus on cost reduction by eliminating non-value added activities. This paper addresses the relevance of lean manufacturing philosophy for the higher productivity in sewing section of the garments industry and pull out the frequent scenario of garments sector of Bangladesh by mentioning the existing pictures of sewing section. In this work, the existing layouts were studied and then lean manufacturing ideas are proposed to enhance the production system and some cellular manufacturing philosophies to find out the improved level of performance and productivity particularly in the garments section of that factory. All the operati...

Metallurgical Silicon is becoming increasingly a critical raw material and industry wide efforts are being made to develop high performance, customized Silicon materials for the production of lower cost derivatives for the solar and chemical sectors. These industries continue to grow at a rapid pace and increasingly demand higher quality feedstock with a focus on lower costs over the entire value chain. Over the past decades, one initiative that many TCS and MCS producers have used is the addition of selected catalyst to the metallurgical Silicon feedstock as a way to increase downstream performance. In parallel, development in silicon smelting electrode technology has undergone changes in the past years with a trend away from prebaked solid electrodes towards graphite core electrodes with Søderberg paste. More recently, volatility in the supply and price of graphite core composite electrodes has shocked the industry and has furthered the trend of developing 100% Soderberg paste ele...

The objective of the study was to determine the influence of investment management on the financial performance of agricultural firms listed on Nairobi Securities Exchange. A descriptive survey research design was applied. A Census of all the 6 companies listed at Nairobi Securities Exchange as at July 2014 to July 2019 constituted the study population. The study employed secondary data extracted from audited financial statements and individual companies annual report for the five year period covering July 2014 to July 2019. Record survey sheet was used when collecting data for independent and dependent variables. Data collected was analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Under descriptive statistics the study considered; Mean, Minimum, Maximum and Standard deviation. For inferential statistics the study considered correlation and multiple regression. Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) software program was applied in the analysis of the study with respect...

Background: The present work is related to a project developed in a company dealing with the security and communication systems, fire alarms, and electronic displays sector, located in the district of Aveiro. This work aims to improve the logistics flow of material reception in the warehouse of a company by using case study research methodology. Methods: Initially, there were too many queues at reception and high throughput times. The approach used to solve these problems was balancing the workstations, with the help of industrial simulation software (Arena®) and changing the existing layout, making the queues residual in order to reduce the throughput times. Results: Considerable savings were achieved with this approach in terms of operational costs. A reduction of the throughput time by 28% is reached and a reduced number of workstations is achieved, as well as a greater capacity to receive more material without the need for further investment. Conclusions: The changes in the layo...

This study examined the influence of ICT infrastructure on implementation of a centralized offsite datacenter for backup within the national government specifically, the state departments and their respective agencies and parastatals. Findings from various sources indicated that most administrative units within the national government were slowly embracing the need for a data backup system that is secure, efficient and reliable. However, due to the failures of well-formulated strategies at various phases of the implementation process, the establishment of these datacenters remained a difficulty. The study was guided by the resource dependency. It adopted a descriptive survey design and targeted the population of 142 datacenter staff in the 24 selected government ministries, agencies and parastatals. Proportionate stratified random sampling method was used to select a sample of 85 datacenter staff from the 24 selected datacenter projects in the national government. Data was collected from the sample using structured questionnaires and analyzed using percentages, frequencies, means, standard deviation, and the multiple linear regression techniques. The findings revealed that ICT infrastructure had a statistically significant and favorable impact on COD implementation in the national government. The study recommended that to improve implementation of COD, there is a need to improve infrastructure.

Current fast development requires continuous improvement of employees' skills and knowledge. Therefore, companies are looking for the best way for improving the employees' qualifications and understanding of new concepts and tools which have to be implemented in manufacturing areas. One method employs gamification for this purpose. The aim of this paper is to present how gamification can increase the acquisition of knowledge concerning lean manufacturing concept implementation. Gamification is an active learning approach for people who will understand the subject easier by 'feeling' and 'touching' personally the analysed problems. The research utilized a questionnaire which assessed the game participants' engagement level. The assessment focused specifically on the participants' motivation, cognitive processing and social aspects. The participants were also examined before and after the game in order to assess the increase of their understanding of different lean manufacturing topics and tools. Five different games with different groups of participants were played. The results confirmed the hypothesis that gamification has a positive impact on the knowledge acquisition as well as on motivation, cognitive processing and social aspects. Finally, various insights on how to better design, conduct and utilize gamification in the similar technical context are presented.

Centralized supply chains (SCs) are prone to disruption, which makes them a risky choice for medical equipment production. Additive manufacturing (AM) allows for production localization and improvements in SC resilience. However, the comparative competitiveness of a localized SC from the time and cost perspective is still unclear. In this study, we investigate the competitiveness of localized medical part AM SCs against centralized ones by analyzing the responsiveness and cost of each SC. We utilize a real-world case study in which an AM service provider supplies medical parts to university medical centers in the Netherlands to construct six scenarios. We also develop a thorough empirical cost formulation for both central and local AM of patient-specific medical parts. The results of scenario analysis show that when utilizing the currently available AM technology, localized SC configurations significantly reduce the delivery time from about 54 to 27h, but at a 4.3-fold higher cost. Hence, we illustrate that the cost difference between the localized and centralized scenarios can be reduced when state-of-the-art AM machines are utilized, demand volumes increase, and the distances between the SC network nodes expand. Moreover, our scenario analysis confirms that the cost of the measures taken to prevent dust dispersion associated with powderbed fusion AM has a major impact on the total cost of localized AM SCs for medical parts. The results of this study contribute to the understanding of the relevant factors in deciding whether central or localized SC configurations can be used in the AM production of medical parts. Furthermore, this study provides managerial insights for decision-makers at governments and hospitals as well as AM service providers and AM equipment manufacturers.

Organizational change has many influences and consequences but existing literature has left many gaps regarding change-supportive intentions as what those people intents about their work that face organizational change. This study is aimed at filling the gap and enhances the existing research of organizational change. A framework comprising of the social cognitive theory is developed and empirically tested using a time-lag research design. Data have been collected from 330 employees using convenient sampling (from public hospitals in Pakistan). The results indicate that change-supportive intentions does not occur because of the hypothesized precursor (organizational change) and that the underlying mechanisms (sense-making) delineated in this research positively and significantly affect intentions of employees. The added significance of the study is its relevance for practitioners with opportunities to manage the factors affecting organizational change and its relationship with employees' outcomes through appropriate interventions to improve the outcomes. The current study have multiple implications including managerial, academic, economical and social implications. The present study would not only foster change supportive-intentions of an individual employee but it will also impact on increasing the satisfaction level in changing routines post COVID-19 that will ultimately lead towards a better society. When an organization will provide adaptability culture to its employees, it would ultimately lead them towards managing the organizational change occurring due to COVID-19. The study opens new roads of research for further research with regard to the study of organizational change and outcomes additionally with exploring moderator to strengthen the relationship between organizational change and employee related outcome.

The innovative, productive and humane Volvo Kalmar and Uddevalla plants, with various concepts of group work, were closed in 1994 and 1993 respectively. Times were changing. Unemployment was rising; unions were focussing more on job creation and employment than on quality of work. Globalization put pressure on homogenization of production processes. Volvo got a new top management, after Pehr G. Gyllenhammar who had conceived the new factories in cooperation with unions. The bestselling book 'Lean production' (Womack et al) articulated and reinforced the ideology that there is just one best way and that no viable alternatives exist. Today the Kalmar plant is rented as a warehouse, and for ICT production. In the Uddevalla plant Pininfarina with 800-900 employees produces a Volvo convertible using a product flow assembly system. In the other half of the plant Volvo Bus is welding space frames. But ideas of competitive and human-centred forms of industrial production are still alive and they are practiced in various sectors. The Volvo Kalmar and Uddevalla production concepts are still used, by academics and practitioners alike, as reference points and as reminders of the possibility of alternatives with quality in both work and products. The print editions of Enriching Production were quickly sold out. In January 2007, as a result of the centre-right government's decision to close Arbetslivsinstitutet/ Swedish National Institute for Working Life, we are organizing our archives and we found discs with the book. As there is still a demand we decided to prepare a digital edition, with no changes in the text, except this preface. Many thanks to Lena Karlsson for digital editing. Enriching Production was followed by a workshop and a special issue on 'Good work and productivity', in

Nowadays, companies in global markets have to achieve high levels of performance and competitiveness to stay “alive”.Within this assumption, the building maintenance cannot be done in a casual and improvised way due to the costs related. Starting with some discussion about lean management and building maintenance, this paper introduces a model to support the Lean Building Maintenance (LBM) approach. Finally based on a real case study from a Portuguese company, the benefits, challenges and difficulties are presented and discussed.

Nowadays, companies in global markets have to achieve high levels of performance and competitiveness to stay “alive”.Within this assumption, the building maintenance cannot be done in a casual and improvised way due to the costs related. Starting with some discussion about lean management and building maintenance, this paper introduces a model to support the Lean Building Maintenance (LBM) approach. Finally based on a real case study from a Portuguese company, the benefits, challenges and difficulties are presented and discussed.

Automotive component manufacturers are some of the organizations that are faced with a lot of complexities in their manufacturing streams. These complexities require a number of changeovers on the lines according to the sequences and derivatives that are required by customers. One of the challenges that component manufacturers face is the outflow of defective parts post their changeovers which hinders the ability to deliver and reduces capacities. An automotive component manufacturer which manufactures various bedliners was concerned about the outflow of defective parts after every changeover on their Thermoforming line. This pointed directly to a lack of built-in-quality in their changeover processes. This was primarily reflected in their approach of frequently adjusting the moulding machine and relentless reworking of the work being done in the moulds after changeover completion. This resulted in multiple destructive tests, high defect rates, and major delays in their ability to run the line and deliver to their customers. Given the magnitude of the problem in the organization, the aim of this study was to utilize the Lean Six Sigma Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) methodology to bring about significant improvement in driving built-in-quality in the changeover process execution for the line. The results of the study were a streamlined approach to this problem, reduced defect occurrences after changeovers, and an overall changeover process that encompasses a built-in-quality approach in its execution.

Today, business intelligence system (BIS) is universally considered as an essential tool to aid business decision making process. There is consensus that BIS has significant effects on predicting current and prospective views of business operations. These effects will only be realized if, and when, BIS are widely spread and used. An imperative study of BIS adoption theories is crucial in order to understand the determinants of BIS adoption. Previous studies on the BIS adoption theories in the global Small Medium Enterprise (SME) are limited. To fill the gap, this study is aimed to study the BIS adoption theories as reported by prior researchers and propose the BIS adoption model for SME in Malaysia. Through systematic literature review (SLR), this paper discusses two prominent models being adopted in SMEs. These two prominent models; diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory, and the technology, organization, and environment (TOE) framework are discussed in details in this paper. This pa...

The purpose of the present study was to apply Quality Function Deployment (QFD) to develop awareness of the concerned customer's needs for small scale industry with special reference to a fastener industry. In a developing Nation like India, Small and Medium scale industries (SMEs) play a vital role in providing employment and boosting the economy of the country. The objective of the present study was to identify the critical success factors that contribute to the performance of quality management practices in fasteners manufacturing units in India .A number of studies have been carried out in various parts of world showing factors affecting QFD Application practices and their impact on the firms performance, but very few such studies have been in Indian SMEs in general and fastener manufacturing industry in particular. The quality dimensions in manufacturing products show the fundamental requirement. In the present work, the needs of the stakeholders were determine through QFD ...

Em um mundo em constante evolução industrial, com automações e autômatos, pessoas tem se tornado cada vez mais um ponto de atenção. Não estão se tornando obsoletas, mas sim imprescindíveis, porém tem demandado uma atenção que por muito ficou efetivamente fora do radar, mesmo com legislações e fiscalizações, os cuidados básicos com saúde e segurança do trabalhador ainda não se encontram em níveis seguros e isso é anualmente visto em relatórios da Organização Internacional do Trabalho (OIT). Visando alterar tal status que muitas soluções são buscadas em diferentes estudos ou métodos e muitos resultados positivos são encontrados, porém ainda são poucos os adeptos de uma metodologia de sucesso na área industrial e/ou produtiva: o Lean, principalmente aplicado a Saúde e Segurança do Trabalho, ou seja, o Lean Safety. Uma metodologia de melhoria contínua que visa engajar os colaboradores, tornando o ambiente saudável e produtivo, gerando benefícios aos colaboradores e a empresa, respeitando as particularidades do negócio, mas principalmente tornando-o seguro e eficiente, através da metodologia Lean, gerando impactos positivos com a redução de acidentes e do absenteísmo por doenças ocupacionais.

This paper seeks to present the Design and Manufacture of a Maize Grading machine coupled with a pre-cleaner using Inventor and AutoCAD, for small scale farmers in Zimbabwe. The lack of post-harvest, agro-processing machinery which can clean, grade and pack the grain for market has prompted this design. The aim of the project is to
design and manufacture a low cost machine with a capacity of 1500 kg/h which can clean, grade and pack maize grains continuously for small scale farmers to guarantee the small scale farmers (SSF) of good quality grains before taking them to the buyers in Zimbabwe. The design will help the SSF realize their full profits after harvesting. The design consists of a
winnowing fan, three grading trays and three packaging outlets. The grains will be graded in accordance to international sizes. The designers applied a special matrix grid to choose the best grading concept (best possible solution) from the three solutions available and applied the knowledge of machine design and strength of materials to optimise individual
components. The machine managed to grade the maize into three categories, thus large (13), medium (9) and small (8).
Autodesk Inventor 2019 Professional was used to make all the design analyses, and AutoCAD 2018 was used to generate 2D working drawings for conceptualisation as well as to simulate functionality of the design. It was noted that farmers were being short changed when they are selling their produce thereby losing on profits. This design will go a long way in
improving the livelihoods of the farmers and reducing time spent with buyers pre-cleaning and sorting maize into different grades.

Keywords: maize, grades, machine, farmers, design

Title: A Framework for Designing a Lean Production System, which eases the certification of ISO 9001 & 14001; A Case Study: CombiQ AB Authors: Raul Padilla and Talat Pekmezci Tutor: Christer Johansson School: School of Engineering, Jönköping University Date: ...

The Intricacy in present day supply chain is numerous and constantly evolving due to globalization, customization, innovation, flexibility, sustainability and uncertainties. The growing supply chain intricacy results in negative consequences on cost, customer service and reputation. Supply chain Intricacy management is significant to gain competitive advantage. Managing the supply chain Intricacy involves identifying, prioritizing, measuring, analysing, controlling/eliminating the drivers of Intricacy. A supply chain Intricacy driver includes number and variety of suppliers, customers, products, processes and uncertainties. The Intricacy drivers are highly interdependent and the interdependence of the drivers needs to be studied before prioritizing the drivers. In this research, an Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) and Impact matrix cross-reference multiplication (MICMAC) are used to establish the interdependence of supply chain Intricacy drivers. A case study of a typical min...

Objective: To study and implement the lean tools and to reduce lead time without much affecting the current working systems in a small scale automotive component manufacturing industry. Method/Analysis: An attempt was made in increasing the capacity of a machining cell with appropriate lean techniques. The enhancement of capacity was to be completed with zero capital investment. Findings: A lean approach by using value stream mapping and line balancing was adopted to improve the performance of the manufacturing cell. By collecting the past production data and deciphering the information, gaps were identified for enhancement. Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED) was used to regulate the production and Kaizen was also introduced in all work stations. Leveled operator loading for output consistency was suggested. Finally capacity intensification was achieved without any major capital investment. Application/Improvements: Implementation of lean tools reduced the setup time and idle time. The overall lead time got reduced from 6.9 days to 3.6 days and total cycle time got reduced from 170 to 140 minutes and the customer demand was also met on time by the execution of lean tools.