Production systems redesign in a lean context: A matter of sustainability

Abstract

Production systems are often kept unchanged for long periods of time despite changes on both the marketplace and on the management model. Over relevant timeframes, this stagnation causes an accumulation of inefficiencies and wastes that leads to unproductive production systems. This paper presents a number of case studies on the redesign of production systems within the context of Lean Production. The findings revealed that fresh graduates in industrial engineering conducting their Master's project, acquainted with different production paradigms, are able to identify a number of problems and the respective need for the redesign of the production system. A number of benefits were observed among the companies that enabled the required changes, namely an improved productivity and flexibility as well as a reduction on the shop floor Lean' wastes.