Physical factory layout redesigns or changes of the supply chain infrastructure involve high costs. Through simulation and value stream mapping, managers can see the impacts before the implementation and transform the organization into a lean one at minimal cost. In this paper, we investigate some relevant lean manufacturing literature where lean principles and tools are presented or utilized. ...

Supply Chain Management (SCM) is focused on developing, optimizing, and operating efficient supply chains. Efficient supply chains are characterized by cost effective decisions, lean flow and structure, high degree of integration, and well-chosen Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Although there exists a large body of literature on optimizing individual supply chain elements (transportation, di...

In today’s global market the main focus of competition is not only between different companies but also between supply chains. Technological changes and organizational improvements are important for effective supply chain management (SCM), however, the main cause of SCM improvements is not the implementation of an information system (IS) itself, but rather a change and an integration of busines...

This paper discusses the simulation study carried out for proposing one-piece lean line layout with features of Lean Manufacturing. The lean initiatives that can be addressed are, introducing Kanban replenishment sys-tem, better work-in-process, changing the layout, visual management techniques, standardized work for the re-duction of cycle time, number of workers, number of setups. To improve ...

Pharmaceuticals and manufacturing companies early on learned the role Lean management philosophies can play in keeping them competitive. Effective Lean initiatives start with an understanding of what value means in the eyes of the customer; Lean then sets out to pinpoint where and how value is added. It focuses organizations on ensuring that resources are applied to deliver that value as effect...

How did Toyota achieve its success? It all started with the first President of Toyota Motor Corporation, Kiichiro Toyoda, who set up the company's objective “to use small lot size with cheaper vehicles to compete with the cost of American motor companies by continuously reducing cost through waste elimination”. The second president, Eiji Toyoda, went further to improve Toyota's manufacturing pr...

The thesis study reveals that the position of bottleneck is a significant importance in supply chain process. The modern supply chain is characterized as having diverse products due to mass customization, dynamic production technology and ever changing customer demand. Usually customized supply chain process consists of an assemble to order (ATO) or make-to-order (MTO) type of operation. By con...