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Lean Manufacturing - TWI Case Study Model Answers PDF

TWI Industries produces steering arms for the automotive industry. The current state map shows long lead times of 48 days and low production efficiency. The future state map outlines improvements to introduce continuous flow, level production, and reduce lead times. Key changes include establishing a pacemaker process in welding cell 1, implementing kanban pull at the pacemaker, reducing changeovers, and requesting weekly material deliveries from suppliers. These changes aim to achieve a lead time of 10 days and improve production flow.

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Bianka Naula
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645 views11 pages

Lean Manufacturing - TWI Case Study Model Answers PDF

TWI Industries produces steering arms for the automotive industry. The current state map shows long lead times of 48 days and low production efficiency. The future state map outlines improvements to introduce continuous flow, level production, and reduce lead times. Key changes include establishing a pacemaker process in welding cell 1, implementing kanban pull at the pacemaker, reducing changeovers, and requesting weekly material deliveries from suppliers. These changes aim to achieve a lead time of 10 days and improve production flow.

Uploaded by

Bianka Naula
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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TWI Industries

Model Answer
TWI Current State Map
Order
60 days
Orders Production OE + after market
Rod + Forging
Control customers
suppliers Size adjust
2 weeks

Daily priorities
Shop order
2x Month
Daily

Daily ship schedule

Weld area
Machining Supervisor

Forgings C/t = 30 sec


20 days C/O = 120 min
5 Days
Uptime = 100%
Outside
Weld 1 Weld 2 Deflash Assembly Shipping
Painter
2 days inv.
C/t = 30 sec 3 Days C/t = 30 sec C/t = 30 sec 5 Days Work = 195 sec
10 sec Op 10 sec Op 3 Days10 sec Op 6 Days C/O = 10 min 4 Days
C/O = 15 min C/O = 15 min C/O = 15 min Uptime = 100%
To 60 min To 60 min To 60 min
Cutting Uptime = 90% Uptime = 80% Uptime = 100%
4 Days

Uncut C/t = 15 sec


Rods C/O = 15 min
20 days To 60 min
Uptime = 100%

3 Days 3 Days 5 Days 2 Days 6 Days Lead time = 48 days


20 Days 5 Days 4 Days

30 secs 30 secs 30 secs 30 secs 195 secs Value Add = 315 sec
The Eight Questions and Answers
1. What is the Takt Time?
We have 15 hours per day, and 20 days per
month.
= 300 hours per month
= 1080000 seconds per month
Demand = 24000 pieces per month
Therefore Takt = 1080000/24000
= 45 seconds per item
2. Should TWI build to a finished goods supermarket or
direct to shipping?
Finished product variety
= 20 lengths x 2 diameters x 3 types of end
fittings x 2 ends
= 20 x 2 x 3 x 2
= 240 product types (plus any colour variations)
This is a lot of variety to keep in a supermarket – we
would need 240 locations
Also, if we can reduce lead time to less than 2 weeks,
then we will be sure of the customer order.
So, we should aim to build direct to shipping.
3. Where can we introduce continuous flow production?
In Assembly, we have 195 seconds of work. This is split
between 6 workers. So, if we can get an even split of the
work elements, we can get a cycle time of 32.5 seconds.
If we are careful, we should be able to split the work
elements to give a cycle time of 39 seconds with 5
workers. This is within the Takt time. This will be cell 2

Weld 1, Weld 2 and Deflash all have 30 second machine


cycle times and 10 second operator cycle times. So we
can combine these and run the cell with 1 operator. This
will be cell 1.

We can not include cutting as it is not dedicated to this


product family. (See Q8 for further development)
4. Where will we need to use supermarket pull
systems?
As cutting is not dedicated to the product family,
we will need a supermarket pull system to buffer
it from cell 1.

We can also do the same for (the faster cycle,


but long set up) Machining of Forgings, and also
for both raw material types.

Between the cells and painting, and also


between cell 2 and shipping, we should use
FIFO lines
5. At what single point (the pacemaker process)
should TWI schedule production?
The pacemaker process should be the point
furthest upstream from the customer where
production can flow to the customer. So, the
pacemaker process should be the Weld 1, Weld
2, Deflash (Cell 1) process.
After Cell 1, product will flow through FIFO
transfers to paint , assembly and shipping.
Production feeding Cell 1 will be controlled via
supermarket pull systems.
6. How will TWI level the production mix at
the pacemaker process?
We should use a Hiejunka (levelling)
box at cell 1.
Steering arms are packed 5 to a box. So a
Kanban should be for 5 arms.
7. What constant increment of work should TWI release
and take away at the pacemaker process?
1 kanban = 5 *45 seconds
= 225 seconds or 3.75 minutes
To release a single kanban would mean somebody
visiting the Heijunka box every 3.75 minutes. This may
not be practical.
The smallest customer order is for 25 pieces. So why not
release 5 kanbans at a time?
This would make the Pitch = 5 x 3.75 minutes
= 18.75 minutes
This appears to be a more practical pitch.
(There are equally good arguments for releasing 8 or 10
kanbans at a time)
8. What process improvements are necessary to
make the value stream flow as the future state
design indicates?
See the Kaizen flashes on the future state map.
In summary:
4 x set up reduction projects (cutting,
machining, assembly, and the 3 operations
in cell 1)
2 x maintenance (to improve welder uptime)
1 x work element balancing (assembly)
Request weekly delivery from suppliers
Production
Rod + Forging Orders OE + after market
Orders Control
suppliers 2 weeks customers

Weekly
Daily

Pitch = 18.75 minutes

Forgings Machined
Machining
forgings

C/t = 30 sec Weld &


6 Days C/O = 30 minChange over Deflash Assembly
Uptime = 100% Outside
Painter Shipping
1 day inv.
C/T = 30 sec 1 day 1 day 1/2 day
Takt = 45
C/O < 5 min Work = 195 sec
Uptime = 100% C/O = 0
Rods Work = 90 sec
Cutting Uptime = 100%
Cut rods
Change over Change over
C/t = 15 sec
C/O = 5 min Welder uptime Work element balance
6 Days Uptime = 100%
Change over

<1 Day 1 Day <1 Day Same day Lead time = 10 days
6 Days 1 Day
30 secs 90 secs 195 secs Value Add = 315 sec

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