Skip to main content
Log in

Redesigning an assembly line through lean manufacturing tools

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The implementation of a lean manufacturing strategy represents a robust contribution to the phase sequence that leads to operational excellence and the continuous improvement through the elimination of nonvalue-added activities. Therefore, lean practices contribute substantially to plant operational performance. This paper studies the use of value stream mapping (VSM) as a tool in lean manufacturing implementation and a framework of improvement activities, in particular for an efficient introduction of kanban and milkrun techniques. A case study illustrates VSM use, as well as kanban and milkrun systems application on an assembly line. Finally, the results obtained show the path of improvement, measured through the lean rate (LR) and dock-to-dock time (DtD).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Womack JP, Jones DT, Roos D (1990) The machine that changed the world. Macmillan, New York

    Google Scholar 

  2. Cagliano R, Caniato F, Spina G (2004) Lean, agile and traditional supply: how do they impact manufacturing performance? J Purch Supply Manag 10(4–5):151–164 doi:10.1016/j.pursup.2004.11.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Shah R, Ward P (2003) Lean manufacturing: context, practice bundles, and performance. J Oper Manag 21(2):129–149 doi:10.1016/S0272-6963(02)00108-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Pavnaskar SJ, Gershenson JK, Jambekar AB (2003) Classification scheme for lean manufacturing tools. Int J Prod Res 41(13):3075–3090 doi:10.1080/0020754021000049817

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Sullivan WG, McDonald TN, Van Aken EM (2002) Equipment replacement decisions and lean manufacturing. Robot Comput-Integr Manuf 18(3):255–265 doi:10.1016/S0736-5845(02)00016-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Womack JP, Jones DT (1996) Lean thinking: banish waste and create wealth in your corporation. Simon & Schuster, New York

    Google Scholar 

  7. Abdulmalek FA, Rajgopal J (2007) Analyzing the benefits of lean manufacturing and value stream mapping via simulation: a process sector case study. Int J Prod Econ 107(1):223–236 doi:10.1016/j.ijpe.2006.09.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Serrano I, Ochoa C, de Castro R (2008) Evaluation of value stream mapping in manufacturing system redesign. Int J Prod Res 46(16):4409–4430 doi:10.1080/00207540601182302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Sahoo AK, Singh NK, Shankar R, Tiwari MK (2008) Lean philosophy: implementation in a forging company. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 36(5–6):451–462 doi:10.1007/s00170-006-0870-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Lai CL, Lee WB, Ip WH (2003) A study of system dynamics in just-in-time logistics. J Mater Process Technol 138(1):265–269 doi:10.1016/S0924-0136(03)00083-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Chan FTS (2001) Effect of kanban size on just-in-time manufacturing systems. J Mater Process Technol 116(2):146–160 doi:10.1016/S0924-0136(01)01022-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Lee-Mortimer A (2006) A lean route to manufacturing survival. Assem Autom 26(4):265–272 doi:10.1108/01445150610705155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Domingo R, Álvarez R, Peña MM, Calvo R (2007) Materials flow improvement in a lean assembly line: a case study. Assem Autom 27(2):141–147 doi:10.1108/01445150710733379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Álvarez R, Calvo R, Peña MM, Domingo R (2007) Improvement of parts flow of an assembly line applying lean tools. In: Proceedings of the 2nd Manufacturing Engineering Society International Conference (MESIC), Madrid

  15. Browning TR, Heath RD (2008) Reconceptualizing the effects of lean on production costs with evidence from the F-22 program. J Oper Manag. doi:10.1016/j.jom.2008.03.009

  16. Shah R, Ward PT (2007) Defining and developing measures of lean production. J Oper Manag 25(4):785–805 doi:10.1016/j.jom.2007.01.019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Kumar CS, Panneerselvam R (2007) Literature review of JIT-kanban system. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 32(3–4):393–408 doi:10.1007/s00170-005-0340-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Srinivasaraghavan J, Allada V (2006) Application of mahalanobis distance as a lean assessment metric. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 29(11–12):1159–1168 doi:10.1007/s00170-005-0004-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Holweg M (2007) The genealogy of lean production. J Oper Manag 25(2):420–437 doi:10.1016/j.jom.2006.04.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Miltenburg J (2001) One-piece flow manufacturing on U-shaped production lines: a tutorial. IIE Trans 33(4):303–321

    Google Scholar 

  21. Calvo R, Domingo R, Sebastián MA (2007) Operational flexibility quantification in a make-to-order assembly system. Int J Flex Manuf Syst 19(3):247–263 doi:10.1007/s10696-008-9037-9

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  22. ElMaraghy HA (2005) Flexible and reconfigurable manufacturing systems paradigms. Int J Flex Manuf Syst 17(4):261–276 doi:10.1007/s10696-006-9028-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Hopp WJ, Spearman ML (2004) To pull or not to pull: what is the question? Manuf Serv Oper Manag 6(2):133–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Monden Y (1998) Toyota production system: an integrated approach to just-in-time, 3rd edn. Engineering and Management Press, Norcross, GA

    Google Scholar 

  25. Spearman ML, Woodruff DL, Hopp WJ (1990) CONWIP: a pull alternative to kanban. Int J Prod Res 28(5):879–894 doi:10.1080/00207549008942761

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Yang KK (2000) Managing a flow line with single-kanban, dual-kanban or CONWIP. Prod Oper Manag 9(4):349–366

    Google Scholar 

  27. Ghamari YK (2006) Analyzing kanban and CONWIP controlled assembly systems. MSc Thesis, University of Tsukuba, Japan. Available at http://infoshako.sk.tsukuba.ac.jp/∼rsato/pdffiles/Yaghoub2006.pdf

  28. Markham IS, Mathieu RG, Wray BA (1998) A rule induction approach for determining the number of kanbans in a just-in-time production system. Comput Ind Eng 34(4):717–727 doi:10.1016/S0360-8352(98)00099-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Lian Y-H, Van Landeghem H (2007) Analysing the effects of Lean manufacturing using a value stream mapping-based simulation generator. Int J Prod Res 45(13):3037–3058 doi:10.1080/00207540600791590

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Rother M, Shook J (1999) Learning to see: value stream mapping to add value and eliminate MUDA. The Lean Enterprise Institute, Brookline, MA

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rosario Domingo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Álvarez, R., Calvo, R., Peña, M.M. et al. Redesigning an assembly line through lean manufacturing tools. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 43, 949–958 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-008-1772-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-008-1772-2

Keywords

Navigation