Group technology: amalgamation with design of organisational structures

Group technology has been studied extensively from an ‘industrial engineering’ perspective (layout, scheduling, workflow, etc.), but less often from an organisational design viewpoint. To study this implication of group technology, the approach of applied systems theory for the design of organisational structures was used as framework for analysis in three empirical cases. To increase the reliability of findings from the analysis of these three empirical cases, five more cases were drawn from archival search. Cluster analysis and product flow analysis were the methods used for forming groups of machines and employees in manufacturing cells, whereas the coding of parts was not employed to this end. Furthermore, the results indicate that the implementation of group technology generally meets shifts in performance requirements caused by competitive pressures, particularly flexibility and responsiveness, albeit the companies considered group technology only when under pressure of ‘poor’ business performance. However, group technology is not always a solution to challenges that companies experience; one empirical case shows that defunctionalisation and scheduling with virtual groups was more beneficial. Nevertheless, when the introduction of group technology is feasible, it also allows firms to consider delegating responsibility for production planning and scheduling to lower levels in the hierarchy and semi-autonomous groups as an alternative to ‘complex’ software applications (a socio-technical approach). Whereas the current study sheds light on the relationship between group technology and design of organisational structures, further research is necessary into the design of these structures and their relationship to group technology

Simulação computacional: análise de uma célula de manufatura em lotes do setor de auto-peças

Computer Simulation (Discrete Event Simulation) is becoming one of the most popular tools for the modeling and analysis of complex manufacturing systems. In a manufacturing project the simulation can be used in two different phases: the phase of justification of the project and the phase of drawing the production processes. In the implementation phase, the simulation shows its main collaboration by helping to foresee possible problems, consequently generating savings of company’s financial resources. Besides the benefits during the phase of designing the process and subsequent its implementation, simulation has another focus, which is as a support tool for the company’s strategic planning. This strategic focus lies in the possibility of using the model to simulate several scenarios, such as the increase in the demand, impact of a new maintenance policy, the impact of changing the working shifts, the impact in relation to the sequencing programming or the change of the product mix along time without causing ruptures in the production in order to carry out real experiments. This work describes the application of the computacional simulation in a lot-manufacturing cell of a company that belongs to the sector of automotive parts, a manufacturer of rings for engine pistons. The discussion and the application of the simulation in this manufacturing cell generated the development of a necessary approach for the application of the simulation work in an industrial environment. This approach is not described in details in the literature, which usually presents methodologies focused on the execution of the working method of the simulation process. The execution of the work demanded the organization of a team and the careful description of each member’s role. Another point that must be highlighted is that the simulation itself doesn't solve all the problems, it is necessary previously to carry out and analyze the possible solutions that will be considered for modeling.A simulação computacional está se tornando uma das mais populares ferramentas de modelagem e análise de complexos sistemas de manufatura . Em um projeto de manufatura a simulação poderá ser usada em duas fases distintas: a fase de justificativa do projeto e na fase do desenho dos processos de fabricação. Na fase de implantação a simulação também colabora ajudando a prever possíveis problemas em campo e com isto gerando economia dos recursos financeiros da empresa. Além dos benefícios destacados durante a fase de projeto do processo e sua posterior implantação, a simulação tem outro enfoque como uma ferramenta de apoio ao planejamento estratégico da empresa. Este enfoque estratégico está na possibilidade de usar o modelo criado para simular diversos cenários, como o aumento da demanda, impacto de uma nova política de manutenção, o impacto da alteração dos turnos de trabalho, o impacto do seqüenciamento da programação ou a mudança do mix de produtos ao longo do tempo sem provocar rupturas na produção pela necessidade de realizar experimentos reais. Este trabalho descreve a aplicação da simulação computacional em uma célula de manufatura em lotes de uma empresa do setor de auto peças, fabricante de anéis para pistão de motor. A discussão e a aplicação da simulação nesta célula de manufatura gerou o desenvolvimento de uma abordagem necessária a execução do trabalho de simulação em um ambiente fabril. Esta abordagem não é descrita em detalhes na literatura, que normalmente traz metodologias focadas na execução do método de trabalho do processo de simulação. A execução do trabalho exigiu a organização de uma equipe e o detalhamento do papel de cada membro. Outro ponto a destacar é o de que a simulação em si não resolve todos os problemas, é necessária a criação e análise prévia das possíveis soluções que serão modeladas