Title: Quantification of agility level using fuzzy logic approach: a case study in a battery manufacturing organisation

Authors: C.V. Pooja; C.G. Sreenivasa

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sri. Taralabalu Jagadguru Institute of Technology, Ranebennur-58115, Karnataka, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, University B.D.T College of Engineering, Davangere-577004, Karnataka, India

Abstract: In globalised market environment, it is inevitable for the manufacturing sectors to face competition. In order to face this competition, the manufacturing sectors need to imbibe agile manufacturing (AM) paradigm. However, these manufacturing sectors may be practicing AM paradigm at slower/higher pace. In order to identify the pace at which AM paradigm is practiced, agility level of these companies has to be assessed. In this background, the scope of this paper is to carryout agility assessment using fuzzy logic approach. This is due to the reason that, fuzzy logic uses linguistic variables for assessment. The agility assessment covers thirty criteria reported by the previous researchers in the literature. The case study has been carried out in a battery manufacturing company. Initially agility index from this company was gathered and analysed. Subsequently, weak criteria prevailing in the case company has been identified. Further, proposals were derived to strengthen these weak AM criteria. Overall, the process of applying fuzzy logic for agility assessment has been explained with a case study in this paper.

Keywords: agile manufacturing; agility assessment; fuzzy logic; battery manufacturing; case study.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2017.082891

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2017 Vol.26 No.4, pp.428 - 442

Received: 27 Apr 2015
Accepted: 05 Sep 2015
Published online: 15 Mar 2017 *

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