Development and application of management tools within a high-mix, low-volume lean aerospace manufacturing environment

Abstract

The design and implementation of a lean production system is a complex task requiring an intimate understanding of the fundamental lean principles. Much of the published lean literature is written at a high level of abstraction and contains very basic examples. When lean tools are applied blindly to complex, highly constrained systems, lean implementation becomes challenging and often ineffective. This thesis develops a set of management tools that emphasize the fundamental lean principles and the importance of an overarching value stream level management perspective in an effort to drive appropriate system design decisions and management behavior in such an environment. This thesis proposes the design of a high-mix, low-volume (HMLV) lean production system for implementation at Hamilton Sundstrand, a global supplier of technologically advanced aerospace and industrial products. The system establishes a series of mixed model flow lines based upon the principles of cellular manufacturing. The flow lines operate in a true pull fashion with an optimally sized finished goods supermarket and a strategic, continuous review incoming material ordering policy. In addition, a capacity planning tool, a long term resource cross-training planning tool, and a series of leading metrics and management levers are developed in order to help steer management decisions.