Lean-Sigma for product improvement using the VoC for enhancing the product competitiveness

Managers are using metrics such as productivity, quality, and low costs, to reach their objectives and keep companies success; however, customer expectations in the twenty-first century are not only including deliveries on time, good quality, and low costs; but they are also looking for values such as long term commitment, strategic integration, and innovation as competitive values. For the mentioned conditions, today’s managers need to learn how to adapt to such challenges by using flexible methodologies that help them to integrate more qualitative requirements to the conventional metrics. For this challenge recently, Lean-Sigma has proven to be a flexible and adaptable methodology that can incorporate such requirements. For proving this concept, this chapter describes a case study in which the initial valuation of the metrics shows that a product has been delivered as expected with the quality and productivity values in the best levels. However, customer perception is different and product competitiveness is at risk, signals that the operations management presented as a priority requiring actions and a later solution. Using the Voice of the Customer (VoC) and Lean-Sigma, this study focuses on an operation framed in the automotive industry. The assembly process is the target in specific in the cutting step of rubber hoses, which have to measure different lengths depending on the product models. At first sight, with a production rate of 1000 pieces per hour, the 7 complains in a year look as expected for the variability in the process. However, the quality perception and confidence of the customer are at risk. Actions were taken and in two weeks the team incorporated the qualitative requirements to the operations’ quantitative targets and responded to the customer concerns and kept the product competitiveness. The adjustments and implementations results are reflected in the measured values at the cutting process, achieving an 80% reduction in the process’ variation, and an increment in the capability index (Ppk) from 0.97 to 1.97

Implementing lean production to promote textile and clothing industry sustainability

Traditionally, Textile and Clothing industry (TCI) is an industry that naturally consumes large amounts of natural resources (e.g. natural fibers, natural dyes, water and energy) and release chemicals into the atmosphere, water and soil. Lean Production (LP) is an organizational methodology which main key idea is "doing more with less". A fundamental difficulty faced by the TCI stakeholders has been in finding out how to implement this methodology efficiently in a sustainable way. Concerned about this problem, a methodology to support the implementation of LP in the TCI, named PESO was developed. This methodology is based on four dimensions: People, Ergonomics, Sustainability and Operational performance (PESO).By including sustainability as a dimension to be taken into account, it is expected to develop and create a natural awareness to consume less. Today in TCI there is a growing concern with sustainability, as shown by the increase in the number of research projects related with this issue. This chapter aims to highlight these developed and developing projects to the light of the Sustainability dimension of the PESO methodology. These were analyzed and discussed to illustrate that though these do not directly address Lean, allied with it could enable sustainability of their production system and processes. This is embedded in the synergy between LP and sustainability, also entitled Lean-Green. By doing this, TCI is on the road to achieve the sustainable development goals, directly, the goal 12, responsible consumption and production.- (undefined

Lean and Digitalization—Contradictions or Complements?

Part 1: Lean ProductionInternational audienceLean has been the dominant production paradigm for the past few decades. With its focus on reducing complexity, lean suggests to limit the use of digital technologies on the shop floor. Recent advancements in digital technologies, however, promise significant improvements through its ability to manage complexity. This apparent conflict raises the question as to whether these two paradigms—lean and digitalization—contradict or complement each other. Furthermore, there is ambiguity about whether or not firms should excel in lean before investing in digitalization. This paper contributes to this discussion through an empirical investigation of this relationship. It draws on survey data from Swiss manufacturers as well as consecutive interviews with selected firms. The analyses indicate a positive correlation between the digital maturity and the lean maturity of firms. This relationship is discussed from two perspectives: first, how digitalization can support lean and, second, how lean can support digitalization. Furthermore, the different characteristics of companies of different maturities in lean and digitalization are examined. It is concluded that a favorable organizational culture and some specific continuous improvement practices help the mature implementers of lean and digitalization to achieve superior operational performance