Implementing material and information flow improvements and setup time reduction in automotive gear machining

Abstract

This thesis is based on the author's seven-month internship based in the gears machining module of the Saturn Powertrain, Transmission Manufacturing plant. This module has four primary functional areas with buffers between each. Variable setup times, complex part flow paths, and unpredictable equipment downtime have complicated gear production since its inception in 1990. Scheduling and material flow related issues were a large source of the relativity poor performance in gears machining as it was a leading cause of downtime in the Powertrain plant, which often translated to downtime to the powertrain customer, general assembly. This project aimed to eliminate scheduling deficiencies by implementing material and information flow improvements and beginning setup time reduction. The material and information flow improvements involved a CONWIP-like (CONstant WIP) approach to inventory control. As part of the plant's kaizen process, the setup time reduction activities were intended to begin run size reductions as an enabler for future material and information flow simplification and better achievement of the manufacturing system's objectives. As outlined herein, once run size reductions are achieved, the next step for this facility should be toward a simpler system using kanban with standard-work-in-process. The work of this project resulted in significant improvements, as measured by the facility. In addition, the project provided invaluable lessons for the author which were both technical and people/leadership related.