Case Study Quality Parts Company
CASE STUDY: Quality Parts Company . BUS520 OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT 04 January 2008 Introduction: I.
Which of the changes being considered by the manager of Quality Parts Company are counter to the lean philosophy? II. Make recommendations for lean improvements in such areas as scheduling, layout, kanban, task groupings, and inventory. III. Sketch the operation of a pull system for quality for Quality Parts Company’s current system. IV. Outline a plan for introducing lean at Quality Parts Company.
WHICH OF THE CHANGES BEING CONSIDERED BY THE MANAGER OF QUALITY PARTS COMPANY ARE COUNTER TO THE LEAN PHILOSOPHY? The manager is considering installing an automated ordering system to control inventories. This would not fit into the lean philosophy as it would have the skids filled with workers making products two days in the front. Lean philosophy calls for not producing a product until it is needed. MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LEAN IMPROVEMENTS IN SUCH AREAS AS SCHEDULING, LAYOUT, KANBAN, TASK GROUPINGS, AND INVENTORY.Some lean improvements that could be made for the Quality Parts Company are; In the scheduling area to ensure that there are equal shifts and hiring for areas of the line which need more attention and it would fit the need and wait time for that line.
The layout of the Skids are currently counterproductive to the lean philosophy, most of the skids are very far apart and cause wait times for processing. Realignment of the skids is necessary to improve production times and decrease waiting periods on related skids.Task groupings could be correlated by moving skids of the same or similar function to the same area to improve production capacity and time reductions. Inventory could be reduced by keeping only a minimum of parts needed for final products, this would keep in line with the lean production philosophy..
SKETCH THE OPERATION OF A PULL SYSTEM FOR QUALITY FOR QUALITY PARTS COMPANY’S CURRENT SYSTEM. VENDOR PARTS OUTLINE A PLAN FOR INTRODUCING LEAN AT QUALITY PARTS COMPANY.In choosing to introduce lean to Quality Parts Company there would be a shift schedule for workers to ensure that the skids were manned sufficiently when needed. The demand for gizmos is approximately 200 per month so there should be a reduction on ready parts to ensure that the subassembly parts inventory is utilized efficiently. It would benefit obtaining a steady schedule for delivery of outsourced parts, and having a program to reutilize scrap materials, or to set up a recycling program with a vendor to maximize reuse capability.Moving similar skids to appropriate areas would help increase assembly lines as 20 parts are held at stations and could better benefit by being placed in proximity for complete production and storing ready finalized products vice parts requiring final assembly.
It would benefit to monitor the new productions and adjust as needed for maximum efficiency. WORKS CITED Operations Management for Competitive Advantage F. Robert Jacobs, Richard B. Chase, 2005 http://franchisor. Ikea.
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