This paper is further work from a paper in the 28th SAIIE conference proceedings entitled 'Remote condition monitoring for fault indication in elevators using IoT technology for improved maintenance'.
Batch model lines are quite handy when the demand for each product is moderate. However, they are characterised by high work-in-progress inventories, lost production time when changing over models, and reduced flexibility when it comes to altering production rates as product demand changes. On the other hand, mixed model lines can offer reduced work-in-progress inventory and increased flexibility. The object of this paper is to illustrate that a manual automobile assembling system can be optimised through managing bottlenecks by ensuring high workstation utilisation, reducing queue lengths before stations and reducing station downtime. A case study from the automobile industry is used for data collection. A model is developed through the use of simulation software. The model is then verified and validated before a detailed bottleneck analysis is conducted. An operational strategy is then proposed for optimal bottleneck management. Although the paper focuses on improving automobile assembly systems in batch mode, the methodology can also be applied in single model manual and automated production lines.
Continuous process improvement is critical for organisations to stay in business. An automotive component manufacturer faced productivity challenges after the launch of a new hybrid C-SUV automobile in South Africa. This paper aims to improve the seat cover sewing process line through a line balancing technique. The use of process standard times to balance the production process initially led to bottlenecks, and the cycle time was above the takt time of the assembly line. Through the use of work-study analysis and time studies, the bottleneck processes were identified. Elements were then categorized, and kaizen implementation occurred at the processes. The processes were then rebalanced to meet the calculated cycle time. A root cause analysis was also conducted to investigate the sources of muda and the factors affecting the rate of working. The assembly line was then rebalanced, and the balance delay decreased by 33%. Keywords Bottlenecks; Kaizen principle; Muda
he current environment of changing market trends drives the manufacturing industry to strive for efficient manufacturing technologies. A mould manufacturer was using traditional manufacturing approaches to fabricate injection moulds. The traditional approach compromised the competitiveness of the organisation, resulting in a lower production rate and high operational costs owing to lengthy changeover times. Given several alternatives, the aim of this study was to determine the best suitable additive manufacturing technology for the manufacture of moulds. The analytic hierarchical process was deployed as the method to compare and select the best 3D printing technology from among recent additive manufacturing (AM) technologies that would meet surface finish, dimensional accuracy, cost, and manufacturing lead time requirements. Four AM options were multilevel concurrent printing, MELD technology, a Metal Jet 3D printer, and VELO3D. The final results indicated that the VELO3D was better than the other additive manufacturing technologies for the manufacture of moulds. Keywords Analytic hierarchical process; Additive manufacturing; Injection moulding
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