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Cellular manufacturing is an important process for enhancing the operational
efficiency of different manufacturing and servicing units. A number of leading
organizations engaged in the manufacturing and servicing activities reported rich benefits
through the implementation of cellular manufacturing techniques. This paper discusses
the methodology of best possible cell formation through ROC method for the
attainment of lean manufacturing concepts. A critical analysis is made regarding the
manufacturing process of the rotary blower production line. To assist in hassle-free
implementation of minimum possible material movement in the plant at different points of
production line, the formed cells are analyzed with an existing production plan.
The entire layout is redrawn for the proposed modification. A detailed database
is prepared in order to investigate the performance criteria of the minimum
possible material movement through weighted travel of materials throughout the plant. In
this case, the rotary blower manufacturing unit has a process layout with two bays,
which requires additional material handling facilities like fork lift for transferring
material from one bay to the other, apart from the overhead cranes in each bay. The travel
time is found to very high and leads to waiting time at the production facilities,
thus increasing the manufacturing cycle time.
Literature review of research papers from 1960 onwards reveals that basically
six approaches—similarity coefficient methods, graph theory, mathematical
programing, metaheuristics, fuzzy set theory and neural networks—are used to solve cell
formation problems. McAuley (1972) used similarity coefficient methods to form machine
cells. Rajagopalan et al. (1975) developed a method for cell formation which is based
on graph theory. Purcheck (1975) initiated analyzing various mathematical
programing methods in coding and classification of parts to generate part families.
Gunasekaran et al. (2001) developed a framework for the design and implementation of
cellular manufacturing system in a small-scale industry but did not apply it to any
particular industry. Jody et al. (2004), in their paper, discussed application of group
technology for productivity improvement in a shipbuilding unit, but here again, the cell
formation is not touched upon. Therefore, there is an urgent requirement for the formation
of cells for a manufacturing unit like rotary blower production plant and assessment
of efficiency of the formed cells in terms of production management parameters
like total travel and weighted travel of the materials inside the manufacturing plant. |
