Hyponsis for Beginers

Technovation 22 (2002) 405–415 www.elsevier.com/locate/technovation

An investigation into the application of agile manufacturing in an aerospace company

A. Gunasekaran

a

a,*

, E. Tirtiroglu a, V. Wolstencroft

b

Department of Management, University of Massachusetts, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300, USA b Department of Systems Engineering, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PH, UK Received 4 February 2001; received in revised form 17 March 2001; accepted 17 March 2001

Abstract To compete effectively in the global marketplace of the twenty-first century, manufacturing companies are trying to maintain a high level of flexibility and responsiveness to achieve agility and to remain competitive. A limited number of research papers have discussed agility in manufacturing organizations. This paper presents a case study conducted on agile manufacturing in the GECMarconi Aerospace (GECMAe) company. GECMAe manufactures pumping systems, pneumatic systems, electro-mechanical actuators and sub-systems, and fuel handling and metering equipment for ground applications and for bulk fuel distribution. The study provides the reader with an insight into the company and its agility level. An agility audit questionnaire is used for assessing the agility level of the company. GECMAe’s agile manufacturing experience is reported, including a list of recommendations for improving its competitiveness. In addition, a framework has been formulated to highlight some important areas and to offer solution alternatives not only to the current problems but also to the ones that may be encountered in the future.  2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Agile manufacturing; Aerospace; Global market-place; Flexibility

1. Introduction Manufacturing has undergone many evolutionary stages and paradigm shifts — in going from a craft industry to mass production; then to lean manufacturing, and finally, to agile manufacturing (Esmail and...