Title: Design of lean manufacturing-based strategies to improve the production process of a metalworking company

Authors: Vanessa Valle Mercado; Dayana Benitez Acosta; Dionicio Neira Rodado; Juan Cabarcas Reyes; Aurora Piñeres Castillo; Guilherme Luz Tortorella

Addresses: Universidad del Atlántico, Km. 7 Via Puerto Colombia, Puerto Colombia, Colombia ' Universidad del Atlántico, Km. 7 Via Puerto Colombia, Puerto Colombia, Colombia ' Universidad de la Costa, CUC, Calle 58, No. 55-66, Barranquilla, Colombia ' Universidad del Atlántico, Km. 7 Via Puerto Colombia, Puerto Colombia, Colombia ' Universidad de la Costa, CUC, Calle 58, No. 55-66, Barranquilla, Colombia ' Universidade Federal do Santa Catarina, Trindade, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-900, Brazil

Abstract: The objective of this research is to design strategies based on lean manufacturing principles in order to improve the efficiency of the production process of a metalworking company. Lean manufacturing is a continuous improvement philosophy that aims to eliminate or reduce, through different tools, all types of waste found in a production process. During the project, a detailed analysis of the production processes was carried out; with operations diagrams, Pareto charts, Ishikawa diagrams, VSM, among others. With these, it was possible to determine the different problems present in anchor rods and clamps production lines. According to the project's progress, each of the improvement strategies was developed, proving its functionality and utility for productivity and cost reduction. Finally, the waste reductions generated by each strategy were calculated, and then the benefits and the investment required for the implementation of the strategies, justified by the cost-benefit analysis.

Keywords: lean manufacturing; waste; productivity; VSM; SIPOC.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2021.114251

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2021 Vol.38 No.4, pp.566 - 593

Received: 01 Oct 2018
Accepted: 06 Mar 2019
Published online: 15 Apr 2021 *

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