Undertaking manufacturing productivity improvement systematically using assistive devices: A case study

Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that U.S. manufacturin g productivity has been steadily declining compared to other industrialized countries. This decline is occuring at a time when the pressure of increas ed global competition is mandating that U.S. manufacturers enhance their pr oductivity. It is also being realized that complete reliance on automation, as a major means to raise productivity, is unrealistic. The "lights-out-fa ctories" and "workerless factories," prompted by developments in advanced a nd completely automated manufacturing technologies, and projected as the sh ape of the future factory in the early 1980s, are far from becoming a reali ty; the human continues to retain a central role in modern manufacturing co mpanies. It is well known, however, that humans are error-prone, and are of ten the source and cause of reduced manufacturing productivity. While some productivity problems are readily apparent in a manufacturing organization, and maybe relatively easy to identify and fix (e.g, worker injuries, frequ ent machine breakdowns, volume of scrap generated, etc.), there are numerou s hidden productivity problems which are difficult to identify and measure. In other words, the opportunity for improvement (e.g., eliminating non-val ue adding activities, providing more efficient tools for performing the act ivity, etc.,) is not always obvious. If such problems can be systematically identified and measured by an analyst, it may be possible to use assistive devices to enhance manufacturing productivity. This paper presents a syste matic procedure to identify situations where the need for improving product ivity may be critical. The procedure is demonstrated with the help of a cas e study. Significance: This paper provides a practical model to improve manufacturin g productivity.