IMPROVEMENT OF MATERIAL FEEDING SYSTEM FOR AN EXCAVATOR ASSEMBLY LINE THROUGH LEAN PRINCIPLES

Today many industries are categorised by end customer demand for a wide variety of product models and variants. Moreover, large number of product variants has implications on the material flows with in the assembly plants. This requires logistics system that can support production in small lot size for excavator industry. Since, continuous material feeding system resulted in increased inventory value, operator walk and search time, an attempt to increase production throughput is made. In this paper, best practice for material feeding system has been tested to support the assembly line with more variants in end product. Existing continuous supply material feeding system has been studied to find the effects on production hindering volume growth. Part flow, inventory and volume growth plan data have been collected and analysed for effects on production time. Subsequently, operators walk time and distance have been analysed. Consequently, alternate material feeding systems have been explored through literature. Model station analysis has been performed on engine line to find the suitable material feeding system using simulation techniques. Finally, lean kitting supply system has been tested through warehouse zoning and re-profiling activity. Hence, continuous supply system has been replaced by lean kitting supply system. Results showed reduction of line side storage space by 69%, inventory value by 54.3%, operator walk time by 78.3% and line side replenishment by 29.6%. This helped in achieving the takt time of four machines per day. Further, kitting gave flexibility to introduce five new variants in the existing assembly line without any additional investments.