The links between lean manufacturing practices and concurrent engineering method of new product development

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the relationships between lean manufacturing (LM) principles and concurrent engineering approach to new product development (CENPD). Design/methodology/approach -A survey instrument based on a number of critical factors was used to examine if there are relationships between LM and CENPD. In addition to general organization and managerial profile items, the survey contained 44 items (22 paired) regarding similarities between LM and CENPD factors. Also, the survey instrument contained a number of questionnaire items on NPD performances for LM companies using CENPD and conventional companies. Findings -Statistical results show high degree of similarities between LM and CENPD factors. The results also indicate that LM organizations are able to develop new products with 63 per cent better quality, 52 per cent less development time, 45 per cent less development cost, and 36 per cent less manufacturing cost than conventional companies.Research limitations/implications -Research is not industry specific. Future research needs to focus on specific industries. Practical implications -LM companies are able to develop new products better, faster, more often, with less development cost, and less manufacturing cost than conventional companies. Originality/value -The benefits of LM principles go much beyond inventory reduction and frequent deliveries. These principles are also applicable to other areas such as NPD.

Design for Manufacture and Assembly in Off-Site Construction: Advanced Production of Modular Façade Systems

“…Excessive variation in design complicates manufacturing and assembly [12,23,24]. Some initiatives can minimise errors in assembly and installation such as designing paired parts instead of left/right hand parts [25]. Furthermore, pairedpart designs support economy of scale in the supply chain by doubling purchasing volume when compared to mirror image parts [26,27].…”

Concurrent Engineering for Uppers Stream Process of Stamping Dies

“…Many large organizations claimed the benefits of implementing the concurrent engineering in product development cycle. The benefits are products that match precisely customer needs, shorter time to market, earlier breakeven point, fewer late changes in the program that reduce cost of development, simpler and cheaper manufacturing processes, assured quality from product, low service cost through the life of the product and less risk of failure [18].…”

Lean Product Development: Nothing New Under the Sun?

“…The question is then how to extend lean thinking to a job-shop environment. Such a quest should also go beyond oversimplification and incorrect comparisons; Meybodi's (2013) work is a case in point. These two limitations need to be accounted for, which is poorly done in the retrieved papers on lean product development.…”

“…Taking these two limitations into account, further research is necessary on comparing lean product development with other approaches regarding the rationalisation of the product development process. Thus, future research to demonstrate the relationships between lean product development and, for example, product platforms, modular design, capability maturity model for NPD may well provide results that show how much is the degree of similarity between lean product development and these approaches as analysed by Meybodi's (2013) work about the approach of concurrent engineering. Also, the framework in Figure 7 could assist in framing future research in the context of rationalisation and performance.…”