Engineering

Management

MSE507
Lean Manufacturing

Cellular Manufacturing
One Piece Flow for Workteams
Chapter 1
An Introduction to
Cellular Manufacturing

Chapter 1 Overview

What Is Cellular Manufacturing?

One-Piece Flow
High-Variety Production

Understanding Process and Operations

Process
Operations

Benefits of Cellular Manufacturing

How It Helps Companies
How it Helps You

Summary

What Is Cellular Manufacturing?

A lean manufacturing approach that helps companies build a

variety of products with as little waste as possible
Equipment and workstations arranged in a sequence that
supports smooth material flow through the process, with minimal
transport or delay
Derived from the word Cell
A Manufacturing Cell consists of people and machines or
workstations required for performing the process steps
For example - if a process for a product requires cutting, followed
by drilling and finishing, the cell would include the equipment for
performing those steps, arranged in that order
Helps companies achieve two important goals of lean:
One-piece flow
High-variety production

One Piece Flow

One-piece flow is the state that exists when products move
through a manufacturing process one unit at a time, at a rate
determined by the needs of the customer
The opposite of one-piece flow is large-lot production

Goods produced in large lots build delays into the process

No items can move on to the next process until all items in the lot
have been processed
The larger the lot, the longer the items sit and wait between steps

One-piece flow is an ideal state

In daily operation, it is not always possible or desirable to
process items just one at a time
The important thing is to promote continuous flow of
products, with the least amount of delay and waiting

One-Piece Flow Vs. Large-Lot Production

LARGE-LOT PRODUCTION CAN
LOWER A COMPANYS
PROFITABILITY

ONE-PIECE FLOW SOLVES

THESE PROBLEMS

Makes leadtime between

customers order and delivery of
product longer

Allows to deliver a flow of products

to customers with less delay

Requires labor, energy, and space

to store and transport products

Reduces resources required for

storage and transport

Increases chances of product

damage or deterioration

Lowers risk of damage,

deterioration, or obsolescence
Exposes other problems so they
can be addressed

High-Variety Production

In the early days, a company could produce one type of product

Customers would buy it even if it wasnt exactly what they liked

Today customers expect variety and customization

Specific quantities delivered at a specific time

If your company is not flexible enough to serve their needs

customers will go to your competitor
Cellular manufacturing offers flexibility to give customers the
variety they want

By grouping similar products into families that can be processed

on same equipment in the same sequence
Encourages companies to shorten changeover time between
products
Eliminates a major reason for large-lot production

Understanding Processes and Operations

Converting a factory to cellular manufacturing means
eliminating waste from processes as well as from operations
How do Processes and Operations differ and intersect?

PROCESSES
A process is a continuous flow through
which raw materials are converted into
finished products in a series of operations.
The focus is the path of the materials as
they are transformed into something to sell.
Manufacturing processes have four basic
types of steps or phases:

Transformation assembly, machining

Inspection comparison to standard
Transport change of location
Storage waiting period

Only Transformation adds value!

OPERATIONS
In contrast to process, which focuses on
flow, an operation focuses on action.
An operation is any action performed by
workers or machines on the materials.
Operational improvements focus on how
specific actions are carried out, and include
studying the motions required for a specific
action.

Understanding Processes and Operations

To improve production for lean manufacturing, it is not enough

to improve operations
Companies must also improve their processes
Improving a process involves streamlining the flow of materials
to minimize obstacles and wastes such as:
1. Time spent in non-value-adding steps
Such as waiting and transport

2. Downtime caused by changeover and adjustments

3. Distance materials or WIP must travel between transformation
steps
4. The need for inspection or rework

The cellular manufacturing approach works on improving the

process as well as specific operations

Benefits of Cellular Manufacturing

Promoting one-piece flow through cellular manufacturing can
help make your company more competitive
Cut costly transport and delay from the manufacturing process
Shortens the production leadtime

Serves customer needs

Gives an earlier return on the investment in the product

Saves space in the factory

Can be used for other value-adding purposes

Promotes continuous improvement

By forcing solutions to problems that block low-inventory production

How Cellular Manufacturing Helps You?

Cellular manufacturing also helps you as a company employee
By straightening the companys competitiveness, it helps
support job security
Makes daily production work go smoother by:

Removing clutter of excess WIP inventory

Reducing transport and unnecessary handling
Reducing walking required to complete processes
Addressing causes of defects and machine problems that cause
delays

You may have to learn a process sequence you have not done
before.
Raise your skill and flexibility, and may change how you think
about your role in the company

Learning about and participating in a JIT transformation

ultimately will make you more employable!

Summary

Cellular Manufacturing
Lean manufacturing approach that helps build a variety of products
with minimum waste

Equipment and workstations arranged in a sequence with a

smooth flow of materials and components through the process
Minimal transport or delays

One-piece flow
Products move through a manufacturing process one unit at a
time, at a rate determined by the customers needs

Cellular Manufacturing gives the flexibility to give customers the

variety they want
Converting a factory to cellular manufacturing means
eliminating waste from processes and from operations

Engineering
Management

MSE507
Lean Manufacturing

Cellular Manufacturing
One Piece Flow for Workteams
Chapter 2
Working in a Manufacturing Cell

Chapter 2 Overview

Operating in a U-Shaped Cell

Becoming Multi-skilled, Multi-machine Operators

Cross-Training for Maximum Flexibility
Moving with the Work

Using Small, Flexible Machines

Using Autonomation (Jidoka) to Eliminate Machine Watching

Summary

Operating in a U-Shaped Cell

Changing from an operation-based layout to manufacturing
cells will change how people do their work in the factory
In a manufacturing cell, the equipment and workstations are
arranged close together in sequence of processing steps

Reduce unnecessary walking and transport to promote flow

The equipment in a cell is usually laid out in a curved shape

The operators path is like a U or C

These shapes bring the end point of the process close to the
beginning point
Minimizes distance the operator has to travel to begin the next
cycle

Becoming Multiskilled/Multimachine Operators

Creating a manufacturing cell often changes the relationship
between people and and machines in the workplace
Operators may need to learn how to run different types of
equipment to support the process
In cells where automatic machines are used, most of the operators
time is spent watching the equipment run

Such waste is avoided by teaching people to operate several different

machines in the process
Operators can be setting up a workpiece for step 2 while step 1
machine is processing another workpiece

A cell may be run by one person or by several people working

together
Depending on the size of the cell, cycle times, or production volume

Flexibility to change how people work together in a cell comes from

cross-training

Cross-Training for Maximum Flexibility

Cross-training enables employees to perform different functions

within a process
Lets teams take full responsibility for their processes.

Operator trained on several machines is qualified to respond to

changes in production needs by performing different tasks as
needed
This versatility makes employees more valuable to their teams and
to their companies

Cross-training is a source of employee pride in many

workplaces
Visual display charts are often used to recognize peoples skill
attainment in a public way

Cross-training metrics

Moving with The Work

Running several machines in sequence

An operator needs to work standing up rather than sitting down

To assist one-piece flow manufacturing

People stand and walk so that work moves smoothly through the
process

Working while standing

Enables people to respond more quickly if machine problems
occur

Using Small, Flexible Machines

A cellular manufacturing process may use equipment different from

that used in large-lot production
Works best with machines that are smaller and often slower than
large-lot equipment

Smaller machines save space

Placing them close together reduces walking distance
Leaves no space for excess WIP to accumulate

Slower machines are appropriate

They can produce one piece at a time at a speed determined by
customer requirements

Machines for cellular manufacturing

Flexible and be easy to set up quickly
Used to make a greater variety of products during a single shift

Smaller machines are less expensive

Easier to operate and maintain

Using Autonomation (Jidoka) to

Eliminate Machine Watching
Autonomation - an approach to automation that gives
equipment intelligence so people dont have to monitor
automatic operation
Autonomated machines - semi-automatic machines that
autonomously (independently) support one-piece flow
processing:

Stop and signal when a cycle is complete or when problems occur

Often loaded by operators
Often set up to unload automatically after processing
Do not have to be tended

Many companies invest in automation

People dont have to perform difficult, dangerous, or repetitive
work

Summary
Equipment and workstations arranged close together in
sequence of processing steps (U or C)
Relationship between people and machines changes

Operators may need to learn how to run different types of

equipment to support the process

Machine-watching is avoided
Teaching people to operate several different machines

Flexibility to change how people work together in a cell comes

from cross-training
Cellular manufacturing works best with smaller and often slower
machines
Autonomation (jidoka) is an approach to automation that gives
equipment intelligence so people dont have to monitor
automatic operation

Homework Assignment
What did you learn from chapter 1 that stands out as
particularly useful or interesting?
2. What did you learn from chapter 2 that stands out as
particularly useful or interesting?
1.

Read Cellular Manufacturing

Chapters 3 & 4 (pages 22-61)

Questions? Comments?