There is a real challenge that occurs between the prototype phase of research and development and then moving into the manufacturing stage. Often you learn things between the two stages, but you’ve already committed yourself to a specific assembly line process, and worked out all of your Six Sigma best management practices.
How do I know this? Well, because before I retired I was a franchisor and we built our own equipment and often changed the specifications in the early going of new prototypes as we learned of new advantages, and challenges. Industrial Engineering And Management Scope Okay so, let’s talk about this for second shall we? Maybe it’s time to turn the manufacturing assembly line on its head, rebuilding from the ground up. What model should we use, or could we use for this?
Well, what if we used a similar format that is found in high rise robotic parking structures? Why not have 4 or 5 units being built along the assembly line with their own schedule, along with the main assembly line with the new added features, which come with feature creep, as you learn new things, and figure out more applications for whatever it is you are producing? Are you able to picture this in your mind?
Okay so, why not imagine the first floor of your robotic parking structure with all the new prototypes, and each subsequently moves up the line, each floor is the next phase of the assembly line. You can still run a finite capacity scheduling model this way, on each floor the unit you are producing simply goes around in a counterclockwise position, and any prototype that needs to be refitted, is moved down to a prior level where those modifications can be made while everything else runs through the assembly line.
Eventually you’ve got all the bugs worked out, and you simply move everything into a more constant pattern without deviation. If you’ve noted some assembly lines now have loops for extra add-on features which may have been ordered by the customer which are up in beyond the base model. This scheme I am discussing and envisioning is similar in nature, but it would better take into consideration prototypes which are between production phases, without wasting the prototypes, which are already partially built.
A company which prides itself on being efficient, and running with zero waste would be wise to consider such a technique strategy. Perhaps this is Importance Of Service Marketing Slideshare a concept you might consider if you are designing your production processes. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.…
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