**4. Results**

*Mass Production Processes*

processes.

control and trained personnel.

which people are qualified to do certain activities.

duced, along with training and increased lighting.

neck.

• **Method:** The problem at the center of the critical activity was solved by using a human-machine diagram [15] to create a balanced lathe cell. This strategy was

A standardized form was designed and used to register daily production at the work stations and planned and unplanned machine stoppages. The goal was to have

A visual management strategy was used for the continuous display of the OEE

Standardized work at work stations became the norm through the use of docu-

○ **Assessing the 5Ss:** The 5S check-list was put in place for each machine. This document must be filled out by each operator at the start of their shift, evaluating the order and cleanliness found at the work station. The checklist is on one side of the sheet and on the other side the operator registers their findings (non-compliance) as a way to identify root causes. A person responsible for taking action is listed along with the date for compliance.

○ **5S standard card:** There is one for each work station of manufacturing cell, indicating the elements needed for each operation: materials, measure-

○ **SMS sheet** [16] (standard manufacturing sheet) for cyclical operations. And **SMI** sheet (standard manufacturing instructions) for every one of the

○ The above standards include the optimization of process variable which resulted in another time study that showed increased capacity at the bottle

• **Material:** Manipulation of material notably improved by the new arrangement of the plant plus the application of the 5S along with standards for material

• **Man: Standardized training** was carried out using the standards developed by the Kaizen teams. This kind of material should be constantly updated and is useful for planned re-training as well as orienting new personnel to their posts. Five levels of verified training were established in the following order: operator with basic training (20%), operator approved to carry out operations (40%), operator approved to carry out fine tuning (60%), operator approved to train or rework (80%), operator that can apply lean manufacturing (100%).

It was determined that by the end of the first semester (February to July) of working on improvements, the operative staff must have reached a minimum level of 40%. Multifunctionality matrix. [17, 18] The operation that each operator is trained in along with the percentage is entered, thus allowing everyone to see at any momento

• **Management:** Statistical control of the process at the bottle neck was intro-

mentation designed by each of the Kaizen teams. These standards include:

The OEE for each machine and production line became the standardized performance indicator. Pareto and Ishikawa diagrams were also used to analyze root

also applied to second level critical activity sectors at the plant.

data to use in the on-going calculation of the OEE.

and other vital production performance indicators.

causes and support the continuous improvement process.

ments, tools, information and personal safety.

**90**

**Results of applying the 5S:** After the 5S trainings at each of the work stations, their condition was assessed again using the check-list **Table 3**. The following results were attained:

See **Figure 2** for the network diagram showing the results of the 5S standards after the trainings. An increased level of compliance can be observed. However, more improvement is needed in the S with the lowest compliance level: shine.

**Result for production capacity: Figure 3** shows the number of units produced from July 2017 through September 2018.

From the graph, it can be seen that production increased by 121.9% between the second semester of 2017 and April-September of 2018.

The installed capacity at the bottle neck increased to 19 pieces per hour which generated a monthly installed capacity of 10,687 units. Thus, using the new


#### **Table 3.**

*Results of the 5S check-list after the trainings.*

**Figure 2.** *Network diagram of the 5S after trainings.*

#### **Figure 3.** *Increase in production.*

#### **Figure 4.** *Flawed PPM.*

maximum capacity and the actual monthly average for the previous 4 months (7077 units), the new value for the OEE is 66.21%.

**Results for the quality level:** The quantity of non-conforming product since July 2017 until September 2018 can be seen in **Figure 4**. A decrease in number can be seen, and during the last 4 months the internal goal of no more than 15,000 PPM was surpassed.

**Results for labor productivity** [19] (relationship between the value of sales and the cost of labor required to produce the volume mentioned). By rearranging the plant and balancing workloads it was possible to reduce the number of operators from 14 to 11, representing a reduction of 21.42%. This contributed towards improvements in labor productivity from February through September 2018 as demonstrated in **Figure 5**.

**93**

*The Use of Lean Manufacturing Tools to Improve the Production of Automobile Parts*

**Standardized documents:** The OEE became the standardized indicator for measuring the performance of the productive process. The discipline of collecting the necessary date for calculating the OEE was established: machine availability,

As the improvements were implemented, but especially as the standards were being met during phase 6, a plant administration was established that embraced the

Lastly, phase 7 was officially closed with the Kaizen teams presenting the goals that were met by using the data illustrated above, and the new projects designed by

• The **5MQS** methodology was successfully used to identify waste as a reason for

operations it was possible to identify processes that add value and analyze the installed capacity of the critical activity or bottle neck. This facilitated focusing efforts on increasing production at this work station. The result was increased

• Balancing the work load at the roughing lathes and final machining, together with standardizing the operations, allowed for increased capacity at the bottle

production line, especially at the bottle neck. This led to reducing distances covered and the inventory of product in process, while also taking better advantage of labor.

Ishikawa diagram, the root causes of stoppages can be identified and problems

• The human-machine and machine-machine diagrams helped to balance the

• By standardizing the use of the daily and monthly OEE indicator and the

neck and improved the continuous flow in the process.

• Through time studies and use of switch travel diagrams and diagraming

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.88470*

efficiency and quality.

**Figure 5.** *Labor productivity.*

each constituted team.

**5. Conclusions**

lean manufacturing philosophy.

low productivity at the production plant.

controlled, leading to efficient solutions.

labor productivity and OEE.

*The Use of Lean Manufacturing Tools to Improve the Production of Automobile Parts DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.88470*

**Figure 5.** *Labor productivity.*

*Mass Production Processes*

**92**

was surpassed.

**Figure 4.** *Flawed PPM.*

**Figure 3.**

*Increase in production.*

demonstrated in **Figure 5**.

maximum capacity and the actual monthly average for the previous 4 months

**Results for the quality level:** The quantity of non-conforming product since July 2017 until September 2018 can be seen in **Figure 4**. A decrease in number can be seen, and during the last 4 months the internal goal of no more than 15,000 PPM

**Results for labor productivity** [19] (relationship between the value of sales and the cost of labor required to produce the volume mentioned). By rearranging the plant and balancing workloads it was possible to reduce the number of operators from 14 to 11, representing a reduction of 21.42%. This contributed towards improvements in labor productivity from February through September 2018 as

(7077 units), the new value for the OEE is 66.21%.

**Standardized documents:** The OEE became the standardized indicator for measuring the performance of the productive process. The discipline of collecting the necessary date for calculating the OEE was established: machine availability, efficiency and quality.

As the improvements were implemented, but especially as the standards were being met during phase 6, a plant administration was established that embraced the lean manufacturing philosophy.

Lastly, phase 7 was officially closed with the Kaizen teams presenting the goals that were met by using the data illustrated above, and the new projects designed by each constituted team.
