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Someone recently discovered a way to reduce manufacturing
lead time an average of 90 percent, reduce inventory by more
than 80 percent and at the same time increase overall productivity
17 percent. These results were achieved by the Industrial
Engineering Technologies (IET) team at a 100,000 sq. ft. office
furniture manufacturing facility in Grand Rapids, Mich., through
the use of cellular manufacturing design. The project included
a group technology assessment, which organized 400 unique
products into manufacturing cells.
Similar results have been achieved in numerous manufacturing
facilities. IET team professionals directed capacity analysis,
layout preparation, line balance and computer simulation on
each manufacturing cell. These activities helped to identify
potential bottlenecks, cell manning requirements, line balance,
optimal setup scheduling and potential throughput improvements
that resulted in a dramatic lead time reduction, reduced capital
investment requirements and an overall floor space savings
of more than 15,000 square feet.
The just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing philosophy is fast becoming
a way of life for many in automotive and related industries.
In addition, it affects every aspect of the production process
and requires a team effort to institute a system that will
maximize potential benefits. The main purpose is to rid all
obstacles hindering the smooth flow of products through the
facility.
IET professionals help meet escalating customer requirements
by producing results that are cost-effective, technically
sound and adaptable to a variety of manufacturing environments.
An area where IET professionals excel is in the reduction
of costly expenses and claims for workers' compensation. By
redesigning the manufacturing line to eliminate repetitious,
inefficient processes, the teams have discovered ways to protect
the employees' health as well as the company's bottom line.
According to IET's President, Tim Stansfield, P.E., his company's
approach combines the client's product expertise with the
firm's proven knowledge and experience in developing manufacturing
systems to produce immediate and long-term benefits. To remain
competitive in today's manufacturing environment, flexibility,
reliable planning and accurate, prompt decision-making must
be built into the management function to be successful.
"Helping companies develop results-oriented systems is where
the best opportunity for growth exists. It is exciting to
create solutions that produce both immediate and long-term
results that really make a difference," Stansfield says.
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