Efficiency Improvement:

Lean Production

Case Study:  Thara Engineering

Lean Manufacturing

Implementation Strategy

Non-capital changes by using world-class manufacturing (WCM) methods such as single minute exchange of die (SMED), 5S activities (Sort - Straighten - Sweep - Standardize - Self-discipline), variations of the Kamban system and other recognized methods of generating productivity gains.

Most Notable Impact

A number of time and space utilization improvements were achieved. Through the introduction of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and other world-class manufacturing (WCM) methods, the company improved its compliance with production and delivery schedules. A factory-wide clear-out led to a 17% gain in production space.

The steep reduction in production set-up time was the result of applying the single minute exchange of die (SMED) method. Company engineers participated in a special training session that emphasized streamlining internal operations and the preparation of standard changeover operating procedures.

A video recording of the SMED application was shown on the shop floor and discussed with the employees.

The initial overall poor condition of the shop floor made it difficult to pinpoint the causes of shortcomings such as a high machine down time. Through a red-tag campaign around a demonstration workstation, improvements in machinery maintenance practices facilitated the identification of trouble areas, and the final outcome was a significant reduction in machine down time and the implementation of a preventive maintenance program.

Managers and engineers of the company paid high attention to development of their own innovation capabilities. The management came also to realize that sustainable improvement required a continuous direct involvement of the workforce. A reflection of this realization was the introduction of extensive worker training.

Staff Motivation and Awareness

Significant improvements have been achieved through enhanced awareness and corrective measures in the area of production efficiency. A number of contributions came from improvements and the planning and strategy-formulation stage. For example, the company adopted clear strategies for improvements in workshop cleaning practices, inventory policy, and storage and handling. In addition to raising production efficiency, these programs led to gains in product  quality.