Improving Lead Time through Lean Manufacturing: A Case Study

Abstract

Lean manufacturing is a well-established methodology aimed at optimizing production by eliminating waste, enabling industries to thrive in a globally competitive environment. This paper presents a case study of a well-known automotive manufacturing industry on the axle process. This article aims the Value Stream Mapping (VSM) methodology was used in the axle process to reduce lead time by producing quality products with a reduction in non-value-added activities. The current state of the axle process was created using industry data from the past six months. Significant improvements were realized following the successful implementation of VSM, including a reduction in the lead time from 89.50 hours to 50.55 hours. The new state map was also created after implementing the improvements. The results illustrated that the VSM increased the effectiveness by 56.48% in the axle process.