Vol: 1, Issue: 2 2011

Page: 47-55

A Study of Automobile Efficiency in Quantifying Lean Manufacturing Management

Prakash Divakaran, Dr C T Sunil Kumar

In the present highly competitive global automotive sector, managing and enhancing efficiency requires these businesses to embrace more flexible and lean methods. The domestic car industry has focused on the establishment of new management techniques to fulfil market needs in the last 20 years in North America. The Toyota Manufacturing Process (TPS) or the Lean Production process includes the instruments and procedures designed to ensure the quickest time of delivery at the lowest cost for the most high-quality product. The following article gives an assessment focusing on the improvement of labour efficiency in one of North America's Big Three (Ford, GM, Chrysler LLC). The project aimed to use many lean management technologies at an engineering and assembly plant in order to maximise productivity, and use levels in the pre marriage chassis area. The study was able to enhance efficiency by 51% by 246% using three distinct lean tools (i.e. labour standardisation, 7 waste and 5S) and to decrease the operation by 14%. The investment return assessed on the basis of the changes was 284%.