Implementation of Assembly and Balancing Line Aiming at Operational Excellence in Pre-Hospital Transport Equipment

Naiara P. V. Sebbe; José C. V. Sá; Maria T. Pereira; Isabel M. Pinto; Andresa Baptista; Ana Júlia Viamonte

doi:10.53941/jmem.2026.100007

Abstract

In contemporary times, a corporation must provide rapid and faultless production to create differentiated, high-quality items that satisfy market need and standards, also taking into account the available industrial capacities. This study concentrates on optimizing the assembly line for pre-hospital transport equipment and instituting Standard Work across many workstations to enhance production efficiency. Consequently, operational excellence and strategies associated with continuous improvement were considered. Improvements in the assembly line and its edge facilitated a reduction in tasks, enabling a balanced workload among operators and optimizing the manufacturing process. A study was conducted on the durations and techniques employed in the different assembly processes and corresponding workstations for each product family. A comparison was conducted between the data reflecting the company’s baseline state and the outcomes achieved in this project. The implemented adjustments and their influence on the entire production process were assessed.

References

1.
Rosa, C.; Silva, F.J.G.; Ferreira, L.P. Improving the quality and productivity of steel wire-rope assembly lines for the automotive industry. Procedia Manuf. 2017, 11, 1035–1042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2017.07.214.
2.
Teixeira, P.; Sá, J.C.; Silva, F.J.G.; et al. Connecting lean and green with sustainability towards a conceptual model. J. Clean. Prod. 2021, 322, 129047. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129047.
3.
Garre, P.; Nikhil Bharadwaj, V.V.S.; Shiva Shashank, P.; et al. Applying lean in aerospace manufacturing. Mater. Today Proc. 2017, 4, 8439–8446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2017.07.189.
4.
Sullivan, W.G.; McDonald, T.N.; Van Aken, E.M. Equipment replacement decisions and lean manufacturing. Robot. Comput.-Integr. Manuf. 2002, 18, 255–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0736-5845(02)00016-9.
5.
Priest, J.; Sanchez, J. Product Development and Design for Manufacturing: A Collaborative Approach to Producibility and Reliability; CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL, USA, 2012.
6.
Cai, H.; Fneg, J.; Zhu, F.; et al. Adaptive virtual metrology method based on Just-in-time reference and particle filter for semiconductor manufacturing. Measurement 2021, 168, 108338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2020.108338.
7.
Agyabeng-Mensah, Y.; Afum, E.; Agnikpe, C.; et al. Exploring the mediating influences of total quality management and just in time between green supply chain practices and performance. J. Manuf. Technol. Manag. 2021, 32, 156–175. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMTM-03-2020-0086.
8.
Rahman, N.A.A.; Sharif, S.M.; Esa, M.M. Lean Manufacturing Case Study with Kanban System Implementation. Procedia Econ. Financ. 2013, 7, 174–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2212-5671(13)00232-3.
9.
Basu, R. Implementing Six Sigma and Lean: A Practical Guide to Tools and Techniques; Butterworth-Heinemann: Oxford, UK, 2009.
10.
Damij, N.; Damij, T. An Approach to Optimizing Kanban Board Workflow and Shortening the Project Management Plan. IEEE Trans. Eng. Manag. 2024, 71, 13266–13273. https://doi.org/10.1109/TEM.2021.3120984.
11.
Weflen, E.; MacKenzie, C.A.; Rivero, I.V. An influence diagram approach to automating lead time estimation in Agile Kanban project management. Expert Syst. Appl. 2022, 187, 15866. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2021.115866.
12.
Mĺkva, M.; Prajová, V.; Yakimovich, B.; et al. Standardization-one of the tools of continuous improvement. Procedia Eng. 2016, 149, 329–332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2016.06.674.
13.
Omogbai, O.; Salonitis, K. The Implementation of 5S Lean Tool Using System Dynamics Approach. Procedia CIRP 2017, 60, 380–385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2017.01.057.
14.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Climate Change 2013—The Physical Science Basis; Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004.
15.
Sundar, R.; Balaji, A.N.; Satheesh Kumar, R.M. A review on lean manufacturing implementation techniques. Procedia Eng. 2014, 97, 1875–1885. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2014.12.341.
16.
Berhe, H.H.; Gebremichael, H.S.; Beyene, K.T. Development, validation and verification of innovative integrated Kaizen philosophy (CI) framework and its implementation procedure for enhancing manufacturing industries sustainable competitiveness. Int. J. Qual. Reliab. Manag. 2023, 40, 2463–2518. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-08-2022-0258.
17.
Stadnicka, D.; Litwin, P. Value Stream and System Dynamics Analysis—An Automotive Case Study. Procedia CIRP 2017, 62, 363–368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2016.06.038.
18.
Noor, N.A.; Kasolang, S.; Jaffar, A. Simulation of Integrated Total Quality Management (TQM) with Lean Manufacturing (LM) practices in forming process using Delmia Quest. Procedia Eng. 2012, 41, 1702–1707. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2012.07.371.
19.
Ramani, P.V.; KSD, L.K.L. Application of lean in construction using value stream mapping. Eng. Constr. Archit. Manag. 2021, 28, 216–228. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-12-2018-0572.
20.
Ferreira, W.P.; Armellini, F.; Santa-Eulalia, L.A.; et al. Extending the lean value stream mapping to the context of Industry 4.0: An agent-based technology approach. J. Manuf. Syst. 2022, 63, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmsy.2022.02.002.
21.
Hu, S.J.; Ko, J.; Weyand, L.; et al. Assembly system design and operations for product variety. CIRP Ann. —Manuf. Technol. 2011, 60, 715–733. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cirp.2011.05.004.
22.
Roriz, C.; Nunes, E.; Sousa, S. Application of Lean Production Principles and Tools for Quality Improvement of Production Processes in a Carton Company. Procedia Manuf. 2017, 11, 1069–1076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2017.07.218.
23.
Pereira, J.; Silva, F.J.G.; Bastos, J.A.; et al. Application of the A3 Methodology for the Improvement of an Assembly Line. Procedia Manuf. 2019, 38, 745–754. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2020.01.101.
24.
Dias, P.; Silva, F.J.G.; Campilho, R.D.S.G.; et al. Analysis and Improvement of an Assembly Line in the Automotive Industry. Procedia Manuf. 2019, 38, 1444–1452. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2020.01.143.
25.
Arturo Garza-Reyes, J.; Eldridge, S.; Barber, K.D.; et al. Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and process capability (PC) measures: A relationship analysis. Int. J. Qual. Reliab. Manag. 2010, 27, 48–62. https://doi.org/10.1108/02656711011009308.
26.
Haddad, T.; Shaheen, B.W.; Németh, I. Improving Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) of Extrusion Machine Using Lean Manufacturing Approach. Manuf. Technol. 2021, 21, 56–64. https://doi.org/10.21062/mft.2021.006.
27.
Basak, S.; Baumers, M.; Holweg, M.; et al. Reducing production losses in additive manufacturing using overall equipment effectiveness. Addit. Manuf. 2022, 56, 102904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2022.102904.
28.
Sunadi, S.; Purba, H.H.; Paulina, E. Overall Equipment Effectiveness to Increase Productivity of Injection Molding Machine: A Case Study in Plastic Manufacturing Industry. ComTech: Computer. Math. Eng. Appl. 2021, 12, 53–64. https://doi.org/10.21512/comtech.v12i1.6706.
29.
Vieira, A.M.; Silva, F.J.G.; Campilho, R.D.S.G.; et al. SMED methodology applied to the deep drawing process in the automotive industry. Procedia Manuf. 2020, 51, 1416–1422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2020.10.197.
30.
Martins, R.; Pereira, M.T.; Ferreira, L.P.; et al. Warehouse operations logistics improvement in a cork stopper factory. Procedia Manuf. 2020, 51, 1723–1729. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2020.10.240.
31.
Rosa, C.; Silva, F.J.G.; Ferreira, L.P.; et al. Establishing standard methodologies to improve the production rate of assembly-lines used for low added-value products, Procedia Manuf. 2018, 17, 555–562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2018.10.096.
32.
Antoniolli, I.; Guariente, P.; Pereira, T.; et al. Standardization and optimization of an automotive components production line. Procedia Manuf. 2017, 13 1120–1127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2017.09.173.

Scilight Press

Author Information

Abstract

Keywords

References

About Scilight

Journals

Publishing Policies

Contact Us