The customer
The company is a leading designer and manufacturer of construction machinery, with a range that includes excavators, loaders and specialised solutions for the construction and materials handling sectors. The core business is focused on providing innovative, high-performance and sustainable solutions, ideal for construction sites, quarries, warehouses and other professional applications.
The customer’s need
The company expressed the need to integrate several workstations to create a mixed-model production line. The required objective was to respond more quickly to market demands while guaranteeing greater production flexibility.
Working in a mixed-model line also reduces the need to stockpile unwanted models, helping to minimise waste and costs. The aim was to optimise production processes and implement a line that combines operational agility and efficiency to fully meet customer expectations.
Solution provided
The mixed model production line was structured to optimise the entire production process, applying the principles of the Lean philosophy. The main activities performed include:
- Workflow analysis:
A detailed Time & Methods analysis of the production workflows was carried out to understand the variety of models to be produced and the critical points in the production process, such as possible bottlenecks and areas of low efficiency. - Adapting the line to different product variants:
The line is designed to be flexible, so that various machine models can be assembled without the need for complex reconfigurations or long setup times. A modular system was created for the workstations, allowing rapid adaptability to the different configurations to be produced. - Balancing the workstations:
An optimal balancing between workstations has been achieved, evenly distributing the workload between the workstations, respecting the market imposed Takt Time. - Introduction of the pull production system:
The pull system was adoptedin which the production phase is started when needed, based on actual demand. This methodology has made it possible to avoid accumulations of unwanted stock, reducing waste and optimising the flow of materials along the line. - Implementation of monitoring and feedback systems:
A continuous line performance monitoring system was introduced, using key performance indicators (KPIs) such as daily productivity. This made it possible to intervene promptly in case of inefficiencies and to optimise the production process in real time.
Benefits obtained
- More flexibility in production, able to respond quickly and precisely to market demands.
- Reduction of waste due to excess production and unsold stocks.
- Optimisation of production processes, with a significant reduction in production time and greater overall efficiency.
- Increased customer satisfaction due to the ability to dynamically adapt to different customisation needs.
Results
| Results | First | Post intervention | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tak time | 10 hours | 2 hours | - 80% |
| Cycle time | 10 hours | 7,2 hours | + 37,5% |
| Annual production capacity | 176 orders per year per operator | 242 orders per year per operator | +66 dispatchable orders/year |