Substantial benefits can be achieved through the adoption of lean type thinking earlier
at the design stage to create more viable products. A complex design cannot be easily
leaned out in production; therefore, the production of affordable and sustainable
products requires effective lean design considerations at the conceptual level. The
research presented in this thesis investigates and demonstrates the application of lean
design for product enhancement.
The aim of the research was to develop a novel lean design framework that would
support the generation of product design with attributes such as maximise value,
manufacturable, and operable with minimum waste and resources ensuring avoidable
harm is eliminated. The framework consists of a systemised process which is
organised in to phases and activities that provides a unique practical manner to lean
out a design.
The construction of the framework initiated with an extensive literature review and
proceeded with an industrial field study which consisted of 34 interviews with 11
manufacturing companies in Europe. The findings were amalgamated to generate a
lean design definition and principles which would form the foundations of the
framework. A real-life industrial case study of an offshore oil/water separator was used
to validate the framework.
In conclusion, the lean design framework provides the necessary means by which a
lean design can be achieved. As a result a functionally viable and enhanced design
that is cheaper to manufacture through controlling waste and eliminating avoidable
harm occurrence can be realised with minimal effort.
The research makes the following contributions: (1) identification of essential elements
in lean design, (2) generation of a lean design definition and principles, (3) Lean
Design Framework development and (4) illustrative guidelines based on the framework
to be used by designers in realising a lean product design