Development and application of a worker assignment model to evaluate a lean manufacturing cell

Abstract

In lean manufacturing environments, cross-training is often used to achieve multi-skilling in order to increase flexibility in meeting fluctuating demand, to create a shared sense of responsibility, and to balance workload between cross-trained workers. This paper presents a model that assigns workers to tasks within a lean manufacturing cell while minimizing net present cost. In determining how to assign workers to tasks, the model addresses production requirements to meet customer demand, skill depth requirements for tasks, varying quality levels based on skill depth, and job rotation to retain skills for a cross-trained workforce. The model generates an assignment of workers to tasks and determines the training necessary for workers to meet skill requirements for tasks and customer demand. While the model can be used in a number of ways, in this paper it is used to generate a worker assignment schedule for cross-trained workers in a dedicated lean manufacturing cell in an electronics assembly plant and to evaluate the effect of increased cross-training on the cell. The resulting worker assignment schedules for the current state and several alternative scenarios for the cell are evaluated using cost results from the optimization model and from a simulation model to assess additional performance metrics. These results demonstrate the usefulness of the worker assignment model and indicate that moderate increases from current cross-training levels are not beneficial for this cell.

Parâmetros para avaliação de células de manufatura que utilizam a filosofia lean: uma revisão da literatura

“…Colaboradores da célula são totalmente capacitados em técnicas para a solução de problemas (CULLINANE et al, 2014;DETTY;YINGLING, 2000;BLACK, 2007;KACH et al, 2014;OHNO, 1997;RIBEIRO, 2011) Colaboradores possuem polivalência e podem trabalhar em diferentes funções na célula (ALONY;JONES, 2008;CULLINANE et al, 2014;HASLE, 2014;HASLE et al, 2012;BLACK, 2007;KACH et al, 2014;TORTORELLA;SAURIN, 2014;MCDONALD et al, 2009;MCWILLIAMS;TETTEH, 2009;RIBEIRO, 2011) Existem incentivos para o desenvolvimento da polivalência dos colaboradores (ALONY;JONES, 2008;CORIAT, 1994;HELOANI, 2012) Fonte: Autores…”

Review evolution of cellular manufacturing system’s approaches: Human resource planning method

“…In their model they clustered the workers according to their work skill levels. McDonald et al (2009) focused on worker assigning into cells in order to minimize the net present cost while cross-trained workers are taken into consideration. Yu et al (2013) offered a solution to reduce number of workers without affecting on system performance.…”

Heterogeneous workers with learning ability assignment in a cellular manufacturing system

“…McDonald et al (2009) developed a model that assigns workers to tasks within a lean manufacturing cell, thus minimizing the net present cost. In determining how to assign workers to tasks, the model matches production requirements with customer demand, skill level required by tasks, quality levels based on skill levels and job rotation to retain skills for a cross-trained workforce.…”