Agile Manufacturing

Agile manufacturing is a
manufacturing methodology that
places an extremely strong focus
on rapid response to the customer.

The ability to produce a broad range of low cost, high-quality

products with short lead times in varying lot sizes and built to
individual customer specifications
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Example of Agile Manufacturing

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Objectives of Agile Manufacturing

The Agile manufacturers should respond to:

 Rapidly changing markets

 Increasing inter-enterprise co-operation
 Interactive value-chain relationships
 Global sourcing
 Increasing value of information

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 Aim of Agile Manufacturing

Agile manufacturing aims at helping companies to become more

competitive and prosperous in challenging environment where
change is unanticipated and continuous.

The challenge of agile manufacturing is to create a system

supportive to the timely delivery of innovative products
ahead of competitors.

Agile manufacturing also helps to achieving greater

responsiveness to rapidly changing customer requirements.

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Traditional Practice versus Current Focus
Traditional Practice Current Focus

Standardized Customized

Self-contained Open-ended platform for upgrades

Produce to forecast Produce to order

Low on information content High information content

Priced by manufacturing unit cost + Priced by customer perceived value

margin
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Competencies of Agile Manufacturing
This paper focuses on identifying the right mix of enabling
competencies for competitive advantage under intensely
competitive and unstable markets faced by agile
manufactures.

We have identified five enable competencies as:

 Mass customization
 Supply chain networking
 Manufacturing automation
 Employee empowerment
 Technology utilization
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