Cellular Manufacturing
Tiffany Dundon
Boise State University
What will be Covered
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Definition
Brainstorming
Nuts and Bolts
Reported Benefits of Cellular Manufacturing
How It Works
Examples of Cellular Manufacturing
An Exercise
Conclusion
Cellular Manufacturing (CM)
Defined
“Cellular Manufacturing organizes the
entire process for similar products into
a group of team members, includes all
the necessary equipment and is known
as a "Cell".
Merryman, Wes. Cellular Manufacturing.Online. Internet.
Available at
http://www.ciras.iastate.edu/CIRASnews/cellular.html
Cellular Manufacturing
Defined
“…The cells are arranged to easily
facilitate all operations. Parts are
handed off from operation to operation
eliminating setups and unnecessary
costs between operations.”
Merryman, Wes. Cellular Manufacturing.Online. Internet.
Available at
http://www.ciras.iastate.edu/CIRASnews/cellular.html
Brainstorming
• Brainstorm some ideas about cellular
manufacturing
• How can this tool be used in your
organization?
Nuts and Bolts
• Elimination of wastes by linking steps
– Waste is any resource not adding value to
the product being manufactured
• In a cell, most work stations are close
together so that little or no time is
required to move parts
Nuts and Bolts
• Cell teams are cross trained in cell
operations
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Continuous improvement
Reduce lead times
Remove waste
Improve quality
• Product flow is more visible
– Easier control
Nuts and Bolts
• Primary purpose:
– Reduce cycle time
– Reduce inventories
• Other benefits include:
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Space reduction
Quality improvement
Labor cost reduction
Improved machine utilization
Nuts and Bolts
• Human resource issues:
– Proper training for operators
– Cross functional training
– Team building training for operators
Nuts and Bolts
• Human Resource issues:
– Supervisors become coaches
– Compensation (incentives)
– Initial resistance of CM
– Cells need support
Reported Benefits of CM
• Production and Quality Control Cost
80%
• Setup Time
69%
• Throughput time
• Overdue orders
70%
82%
Reported Benefits of CM
• Raw Materials Inventory
• Finished Goods Inventory
42%
60%
• Employees Output per unit time
33%
Kok, Alvin Lim Hui. Time Based Manufacturing. Journal of
Operations Management. 7 July 1999
How it Works
• Members of the plant team need to be
involved in the changes
• Other functions need to be changed:
– Production planning and control
– Purchasing
– Cost accounting
How it works
• Where do you begin?
• First, define the “cells” by the following
criteria:
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Processes required
Part numbers and attributes
Market segments / customers
Degree of automation
How it Works
• Team selection is crucial
– Identify important skills needed such as
teamwork and leadership skills
– Create a process map
– Develop a checklist for selecting members
How it Works
• Match skills to tasks
– Create a matrix to define who is best
qualified for each task
• Develop team trust and motivation
– Manage team morale
– Encourage teamwork
Real World Example
John Deere
• Integrated welding work cells
• Utilizes robotic welding processes
– Faster weld times
– Consistent welds
– Endurance
Real World Example
John Deere
• Major benefits of CM:
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Switching of welds is simple
Factory has maximum flexibility
Delivers higher quality
Faster delivery
Real World Example
Inscape
• Production divided into highly
specialized “cells”
– Each cell contains equipment, technology
and people
– Each cell can make a wide variety of family
products
Real World Example
Inscape
• Major benefits of CM:
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Consistently high quality
Flexibility for customers
Quick changes in size and style
Mass customization
A Short Exercise
• How is implementing CM useful in
your organization?
• How will you define cells? Form teams?
Motivate and develop trust? Change
functions? Change the plant layout?
Summary
• CM: based on a group of different
processes located in close proximity to
manufacture similar products
• You must first define the “cells” and
then develop a team
Summary
• Training and support are key elements
• Many reported benefits to switching
your organization to cellular
manufacturing
– Reduce inventories, and more
References
John Deere. State-of-the-art Robotic Welding. Online. Internet. 3 May 2002.
Available at
http://customer.com/en_za/ag/service/roboticwelding.html
Inscape Solutions. Cellular Manufacturing. Online. Internet. 29 April 2002.
Available at http://www.inscapesolutions.com/products/cellular.html
Kok, Alvin Lim Hui. Time Based Manufacturing. Journal of Operations
Management. 7 July 1999
Merryman, Wes. Cellular Manufacturing.Online. Internet.
15 April 2002. Available at
http://www.ciras.iastate.edu/CIRASnews/cellular.html
Patel, Jay. Cellular Manufacturing. Online. Internet. 10 April 2002. Available at
http://qpsconsulting.com?cellularmanufacturing.htm