Introduction of Manufacturing

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CELLULAR MANUFACTURING

Steve Krar Cellular manufacturing, one of the main tools of Lean Manufacturing, helps to create a concept known as single or one-piece flow. Equipment and the workstations are arranged in sequences to allow for a smooth flow of materials and components through the process. The cell is made up of workers and the equipment required to perform the steps in creating the product. The layout of the equipment and the workstations is determined by the logical sequence of production. By grouping similar products into families that can then be processed on the same equipment in the same sequence, cellular manufacturing offers companies the flexibility to give customers the variety they require. Factories converted to cellular manufacturing benefit by the reduction of overproduction and waste, shorter lead time, improved quality and productivity, improved teamwork and communication. Cell Requirements The main requirement of Cellular Manufacturing is to ensure that all equipment required for production is operating at 100% efficiency at all times. Through short daily inspections, cleaning, lubricating, and making minor adjustments, minor problems can be detected and corrected before they become a major problem that can shut down a production line. New Terms Many new terms have emerged in the last few decades in virtually all fields of human endeavor. The field of manufacturing has also been affected by this trend - in fact, many buzzwords of the past have become just plain words of the present, used in daily conversations as well as various media. One such word - or rather a phrase, or a term - is Lean Manufacturing. Even for those not familiar with management of modern manufacturing, the term Lean manufacturing can have different meanings to some people, some correct and some incorrect. The word lean, as an adjective, is mostly used as means to describe something as non-fat, for example, lean meat. It can also mean to describe a non-productive or...