LEAN MANUFACTURING vs COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, companies coped and still must deal with uncertainty greater than ever. Due to the unpredictability of consumer demand, the incredible growth in demand for certain products, dramatic fluctuations in supply chains, and general economic instability, the future still looks uncertain. It is up to the manufacturers to determine how things will be sorted out in the new normality, i.e., which changes will be long-lasting or even permanent. Lean production has emerged in recent decades as an excellent solution to increase the economy and quality of production and meet customer needs. In the market conditions affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, producers work in a significantly changed environment, and many wonder whether lean production remains as relevant and valuable as in the past. The paper discusses lean production from different aspects as the essence of the principles of the lean concept, events during the pandemic, and expectations in the post-Covid period. We used some examples to support the analysis of factors that negatively affect the course of lean production as well as some bright examples of companies that took advantage of lean production in the new conditions. The conclusions consider answer whether lean production will survive the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Developing a robust measurement instrument for the influence of national culture on lean production systems

Purpose The purpose of this study is to provide a robust model to bridge the influence of national culture (NC) on lean production (LP), identifying relationships among their elements and investigating the degree of influence. Design/methodology/approach The culturally sensitive lean production model (CSLPM) is used as a framework to develop a survey questionnaire that captures the information to analyze using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). A case study to validate the model is presented from a subsidiary with operations in Mexico (MX) and the USA. Findings The CSLPM provides a robust framework for the measurement of the interaction between LP and NC. Multi-group analysis facilitated the comparison among the different groups (MX and USA), highlighting the differences of culture and the corresponding LP implementation within the same company. Research limitations/implications The instrument was validated only within two countries and one organization. A higher sample of respondents, countries and organizations could validate the relationships established and the replication of the model. Practical implications The CSLPM can be used for assessment of the evolution of organizations, highlighting strengths and weaknesses of a particular culture when implementing LP, providing focal points for research and training efforts. Originality/value The CSLPM is a robust instrument to measure expectations for LP practices according to their company’s geographical context. The incorporation of higher order variables and mixed directionality within the variables presented a novel approach to PLS-SEM.

Lean Production and Its Impact on Worker Health

Lean is currently applied successfully in many industrial sectors. However, its value and impact on human health is not fully understood. To gain a better understanding, this chapter explores how ergonomics force and fatigue evaluation methods can be applied in a manner to enhance lean initiatives. These methods incorporate ergonomic-related variables of force type, force duration, force frequency, and degree of awkward posture, and incorporate the recommended cumulative rest allowance (RCRA) model as a practical fatigue-based metric. These methods and their application are discussed.

Exploring Lean Production System Adoption in the Moroccan Manufacturing and Non-Manufacturing Industries: Awareness, Benefits and Barriers

Although lean manufacturing emerged in the 1990s, and since then, it has become known and recognised worldwide, companies still struggle to implement it successfully, especially in less developed countries. The purpose of this paper is to assess the level of maturity of lean production within small and medium-sized companies, identify what the benefits of lean implementation are, and present an exploration and analysis of the barriers that influence the implementation of lean production in these companies.To achieve this objective, items from previous studies were extracted through a systematic literature review and then validated by interviews with Moroccan experts in the manufacturing and non-manufacturing industry; on the other hand, a questionnaire survey was conducted with 78 small and medium enterprises in Morocco. Subsequently, all collected responses were statistically analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS V21.0). The results show that the lean approach is unfortunately not yet adopted and applied by all Moroccan SMEs (24% of our respondents have not yet tried to apply lean). In addition, the most significant benefits announced by Moroccan small and medium enterprises are ‘the elimination of waste (82.1%)’, ‘the reduction of costs (78.2%)’, and ‘the improvement of efficiency and performance of production units (70.5%)’. Finally, the principal component analysis indicated that the two main difficulties that need to be maintained are poor management (with 63.6 % of the total variance) and lack of financial resources, monitoring, and skilled labours (with 7.7 % of the total variance).

PROBLEMS AND ERRORS IN THE ORGANIZATION OF PRODUCTION, SOLVED WITH THE HELP OF LEAN PRODUCTION METHODOLOGY

The paper examines the practice of applying the methodology of lean production through leveling the problem areas of the organization of traditional production and the subsequent validation process. The main most popular elements of lean manufacturing among domestic manufacturers are given, and the results of verification after the introduction of lean manufacturing elements at all levels of production processes are present.

Application of lean management tools in industry 4.0: a systematic review

The concept of Industry 4.0 is very recent and has not been fully consolidated, and, for this reason, comprehensive implementations by the industrial sector may not be prudent. Studies show that only fundamentals of Industry 4.0 do not guarantee characteristics such as quality, for example, in production processes. Thus, lean production concepts are probably being used together to cover deficiencies in Industry 4.0. In this work, a literature review is proposed that points out where lean production tools are being used in the production processes of Industry 4.0. Using the results of this search, an analysis of the most important lean production tools, which appear in the works, has been made. The analysis has shown what is being used, in terms of the lean tools, in the production processes of Industry 4.0, and what improvements are provided from these tools.

Developing the production and economic system of an industrial enterprise as a way to increase its market value

Subject. The article investigates the basic principles of business valuation and ways to increase it within the development of the production and economic system of an industrial enterprise. Objectives. We focus on examining the possibilities of business valuation and the parties interested in its implementation, consider modern approaches and corresponding methods used in valuation activities, propose directions for increasing the market value of an industrial enterprise, and assess their economic feasibility. Methods. The study rests on the content analysis of available domestic and foreign sources. We employ general scientific methods, i.e. analysis, synthesis, deduction, induction, analogy, and special methods, like empirical, quantitative and qualitative analysis, situational and systems analysis, comparative, financial, and economic analysis. Results. We reveal the need to improve the efficiency of enterprise management in the context of economic instability in the country, resulting in an increase in its market value. We considered an industrial enterprise operating in the construction sector that was seriously affected by the pandemic. Using this case, we demonstrate the implementation of the lean production concept, which has proven to be successful. Conclusions. In the current economic conditions, Russian enterprises are forced to look for new ways of development and to improve the efficiency of business management. The optimal solution for an industrial enterprise can be the ‘lean production’ cost-saving concept. If implemented, the concept shows decent results, strengthens the enterprise’s position in the market, and increases its fair value.

EVOLUTIONS OF GROUP MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT OF MOBILE ROBOTIC PLATFORMS IN WAREHOUSING 4.0.

The subject of this research is the technology of management of mobile robot groups in the concept of Industry 4.0 and its composition. The purpose of this article is to find ways to implement an effective strategy for building and managing mobile robotic platforms in Warehousing, as a key tool of Lean Production. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following tasks: to analyze the management of supply chains in Smart Manufacturing, within Industry 4.0 and its impact on achieving the goals of Lean Production; to study the evolution of technologies used in Warehousing in the dynamics of the Industrial Revolution; to analyze the evolution of Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) as one of the most important components on the basis of which the requirements for automation of Warehousing automation in Smart Manufacturing with group management of mobile robotic platforms are implemented and achieved; to compare the impact of the technologies used by Warehousing 4.0 and Warehouse Management Systems on the key indicators of Lean Production. Results: One of the promising ways to achieve the effectiveness of the implementation of Lean Production tools in WMS systems is the use of Collaborative Robot System technology, which makes it possible to ensure a high density of product storage in Warehousing. However, modern mobile robotic platforms have their limitations both in the methods of loading and unloading products, and in the design. Therefore, the authors see the task in improving the design of mobile robotic platforms, which will develop a new intelligent group method of loading and unloading products, increasing the storage density for a variety of goods. Conclusions: The paper compares the impact of Warehousing 4.0 and Warehouse Management Systems on key Lean Production tools, which shows how the introduction of new group management technologies for robotic platforms in Warehousing 4.0 and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) affects the effectiveness of Lean Production tools such as Heijunka, Just-in-time, 5S. This suggests that the introduction of new models and methods of managing complex warehouses with high density and chaotic storage of products, through the use of mobile robotic autonomous systems, will significantly optimize the process of supply chain management in Smart Manufacturing.

Lean-Production-Methoden und Industrie-4.0-Technologien in der Produktion

Um dem zunehmend dynamischen und kompetitiven Umfeld zu begegnen, stellen Lean Production und Industrie 4.0 zwei zentrale Ansätze produzierender Unternehmen dar. Im Rahmen der vorgestellten Studie wurden Unternehmen nach der Implementierungsdauer sowie der Relevanz einzelner Lean-Production- und Industrie-4.0-Elemente für die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit befragt. Dabei wurden typologische Unternehmens- und Produktionsmerkmale berücksichtigt, um produzierende Unternehmen bei der Implementierung von Lean Production und Industrie 4.0 zielgerichtet zu unterstützen.