Lean manufacturing in a mass customization plant : inventory correction and shortage measurement
Name
775603495-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
6.52 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
0e3b082311bb8177331dfb52f94f53c6
Author(s)
Raykar, Sumant (Sumant Shreechandra)
Advisor(s)
Stephen C. Graves.
Date Issued
2011
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
This thesis documents the application of the principles of lean manufacturing and supply chain planning at Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates. The company's products are highly customizable, and the production schedules change daily to comply with customer requests. In situations where variability - whether in product features or logistics - is high, lean implementation is difficult. Nonetheless, use of lean manufacturing techniques like Value Stream Mapping helps to highlight problems. Value Stream Maps of Varian's processes were drawn which revealed that the main problem was chronic raw material shortages. Further investigation revealed improper supply chain and inventory management. Moreover, existing metrics for parts shortage measurement were found to be lacking in accuracy. Based on the principles of postponement, it is recommended that the work-in-process inventory be reduced. The demand can be met by holding the inventory in raw material form instead, and by improving stocking policies. Also, a better system for shortage measurement was recommended, and a framework for its data collection and analysis was presented. We project that these recommendations will lead to an efficient and lean system of manufacture.
Description
Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2011.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 78-79).
Subjects
Mechanical Engineering.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
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