Manufacturing Cell Automation

Robotic automation used in manufacturing cell ...

Defense Lean Manufacturing Initiative

General Dynamics weapons manufacturing has accelerated, given world events. The company emphasizes efficiency with lean manufacturing as its foundation. ...

... "And in the last few years, they've begun to use the equipment in smarter ways, through lean manufacturing initiatives. For example, the company has gone to manufacturing cells - where a variety of jobs are performed on parts in a concentrated area, " ...

Via Maine Today: Defense Manufacturer Lean Initiatives

Lean Cell Concepts: Make-to-Order

Stollenwerk shoe manufacturing stays on-shore and uses lean concepts to better manage working capital and remains globally competitive through operational efficiency. ...

... "Thanks to the introduction of lean manufacturing and cell concepts, the company can make a pair in seven hours. Shoes are made to order, with the inventory of finished products kept very low. " ...

Via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Link

Lean Manufacturing: Local Beats Global ...

Local implementation of lean manufacturing at Ariens beats the global competition from China. ...

... "The idea of lean manufacturing is pretty close to a religion at Ariens these days. The tenets: Be quick on the draw. Improve continuously. Be open to change. Get everyone - shop floor to board room - involved. " ...

Via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A way forward for state companies ...

Lean Manufacturing: Automated Processing Applications for Plasma Systems ...

March plans exhibition of it plasma processing applications for lean manufacturers. ...

... "March will be showcasing the versatile FlexTRAK plasma system. The FlexTRAK system is ideally suited for automated plasma processing in lean manufacturing environments while meeting the challenges of the advanced technology clinical applications. March supplies a complete line of award winning and patented systems for both automated and batch processing applications.

Plasma applications include ultra-cleaning, to enhance bonding and/or remove contaminants; surface barrier improvement and/or hardening, to reduce moisture penetration, chemical damage or wear; surface functionalization, to facilitate cell growth and desired surface activation; and surface wettability, to improve fluid flow and bonding. Typical clinical diagnostics products processed include microtitre or well plates, pipette or dispensing tips, filter media, pcbs and sensors. " ...

Lean Manufacturing: Automated Processing Applications for Plasma Systems: Via March Plasma Systems: March Plasma Systems to Exhibit at the Clinical Lab Expo Chicago, IL July 25 - 27, 2006 ...

Lean Manufacturing: FlipChip Initiatives ...

FlipChip promotes lean manufacturing leader to COO position as the company begins capacity expansion. ...

... "Bob Forcier, President and CEO of FlipChip International, stated, Jay's proven track record in continuous improvement of our high quality standards, customer service and lean manufacturing initiatives is a testimonial to his capabilities and leadership skills. We are also very excited to have Jay lead our aggressive expansion in wafer processing capacity of 118% in 2006 and 2007. Customer demand has been strong under Jay's leadership and we will continue to build our capabilities with Jay directing our operations and logistic teams. Under Jay's leadership, our investments in advanced manufacturing technologies such as cell control, capacity planning, CIM, and ERP will pay many dividends to our customer service. " ...

Lean Manufacturing: FlipChip Initiatives: Via FlipChip International: FlipChip International Appoints Jay Grover as Chief Operating Officer

FlipChip growth trends:

FlipChip International Announces Record High Monthly Volumes in Wafer Level Packaging: "FCI's Spheron wafer level package for high frequency wireless applications increased 410% in the last two quarters. In addition, wafer level products utilizing lead free solders have increased to 96% of the total wafers processed as the market has moved dramatically towards lead-free production. FCI increased its capacity from 200K in 2004 to its present capacity of 375K wafers annually due to strong customer demand. "

Lean Manufacturing Material Flow ...

UGS introduces new version of digital manufacturing software that supports more accurate digital representations of their plants, captures the layouts for future re-use, and optimizes the flow of material. ...

... "FactoryFLOW is the tool of choice for companies engaged in lean manufacturing, six-sigma, or other continuous improvement initiatives. With the release of FactoryFLOW Version 11.0, UGS is adding a variety of enhancements and new functionality to help manufacturers more quickly obtain detailed answers to their material flow questions, thus accelerating the optimization of material handling in their plants.

A new operator walk-path utility helps manufacturers design work cells to minimize operator walking time and distance. Enhancements allow the user to model multiple operators working simultaneously or in sequence in a work-cell or on a moving line where the part might be moving on a conveyor. Sophisticated reports and animations add even greater value to these analyses. " ...

Via UGS: UGS' Tecnomatix Improves Accuracy of Factory Designs and Optimizes Material Flow with New Versions of 3D Digital Plant Design Offerings: Latest Factorycad and Factoryflow Software Solutions Help Manufacturers Define State-of-the-Art Digital Factories for Competitive Advantage ...

Lean: Dramatic Improvement in Cycle Time ...

Furnace supports dramatic cycle time improvements ...

... "The VF-20 is ideal for brazing parts of unusual shapes and repairing orphan parts from other heating processes. To facilitate continuous flow manufacturing, the VF-20 utilizes the latest advances in quick, clean solid state induction heating technology. The furnace requires less than eight minutes to reach 1900F; cool down time to 400F is less than 20 minutes. The furnace operates at high vacuum or partial pressure of an inert gas. The chamber has base vacuum of 5x10-6 Torr with a leak-up rate of less than 1 micron per hour. The VF-20 facilitates lean manufacturing by moving the vacuum heating process away from a centralized area, into the manufacturing cell, said IA President Steve Skewes. Our customers report improved manufacturing workflow with dramatic improvements in overall cycle time. " ...

Lean: Dramatic Improvement in Cycle Time: Via Induction Atmospheres: VF-20 Induction Vacuum Furnace ...

Six Sigma Fuel Cell Manufacturing ...

Ballard meets with success in fuel cell manufacturing through Six Sigma methodology ...

... "Implement Six Sigma tools and methodologies in fuel cell manufacturing. Achieved. Ballard realized cost savings in 2005 of $940,000 as a result of implementing Six Sigma tools and methodologies in fuel cell manufacturing." ...

Six Sigma Fuel Cell Manufacturing: Via Ballard: Ballard Reports Reduced Net Loss and Increased Sales to Power Generation Markets ...

Ballard Power Systems is recognized as a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of zero-emission proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Ballard’s mission is to make fuel cells a commercial reality.

Lean Six Sigma Job: Manufacturing Improvement Engineer ...

Manufacturing Improvement Engineer: UK job vacancies, online job search - jobs.telegraph.co.uk

... "You will have experience of hard systems such as six sigma, lean, Kaisan with a stronger leaning towards lean technology in cell manufacture through to continuous flow. " ...

Lean Manufacturing Kitting Initiative ...

DSCC's engine parts kitting initiative expected to cut lead time, cost ...

Mike Ward writes ...

... "the Army implemented a new service-wide initiative called lean manufacturing that is designed to streamline the production processes at its depots and arsenals. Lean manufacturing is the process of identifying and eliminating non-valued processes to reduce cost and increase productivity. As part of the initiative, Anniston Army Depot in Anniston, Ala., (ANAD) the Army's maintenance facility responsible for maintenance on heavy/light tracked combat vehicles, asked the Defense Logistics Agency to consider taking over the management and storage of all the piece parts that are required for reciprocating engine lines located at the depot. ANAD also wanted DLA to develop kits designed around its production lines and deliver such kits directly to the production lines on as needed basis. This concept would include acquisition of both DLA and non-DLA managed material contained in the kit, receiving and storing such material, kitting the material for each individual production cell, and moving the kits to the production lines. " ...

Six Sigma TS16949 Certification ...

Six Sigma TS16949 Certification: Ballard Power Systems Announces 2004 Financial Results, Corporate ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... cell processes in 2005. This resulted in achieving Six Sigma Product Part Approval Process and TS16949 certification. At the same ...

... Ballard Power Systems Inc. (TSX:BLD)(NASDAQ:BLDP) today reported corporate achievements and financial results for the fourth quarter and year ending December 31, 2004. All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted. Ballard's revenue in the fourth quarter and fiscal year ending December 31, 2004 was $20.5 million and $81.4 million respectively, compared to $29.2 million and $119.6 million for the same periods in 2003. Net loss for the quarter and fiscal year ending December 31, 2004 was $55.1 million ($0.46 per share) and $175.4 million ($1.48 per share) compared to a loss of $37.2 million ($0.31 per share) and $125.1 million ($1.07 per share) for the same periods in 2003. ...

Ballard Power Systems is recognized as the world leader in developing, manufacturing and marketing zero-emission proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Ballard's mission is to develop fuel cell power as a practical alternative to internal combustion engines through technology leadership.

Lean Operations Software Deployment at Johnson Controls ...

Lean Operations Software: Johnson Controls Automotive Group Begins Largest Deployment of ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... 5, 2005--Factory Logic(TM), the leading provider of lean manufacturing and supply chain management solutions, announces that the Automotive Group of Johnson ...

... Factory Logic(TM), the leading provider of lean manufacturing and supply chain management solutions, announces that the Automotive Group of Johnson Controls Inc. (NYSE:JCI) has initiated deployment of the Factory Logic Lean Operations Management System across 30 Johnson Controls manufacturing facilities in North America. Johnson Controls is one of the world's largest automotive suppliers, and this implementation of Factory Logic is the largest deployment of lean operations software ever undertaken. Factory Logic is a comprehensive operations management solution built around key concepts of the Toyota Production System (TPS). It complements existing business systems to help manufacturers accelerate the adoption of lean techniques, sustain their benefits, and ensure their consistent application across the enterprise. ...

Factory Logic is dedicated to helping companies improve customer responsiveness and eliminate waste by delivering manufacturing and supply chain management solutions that support and enhance the use of key techniques pioneered in the Toyota Production System (TPS), and that make lean manufacturing practical for a wider range of manufacturing environments. Factory Logic is the first company to team lean manufacturing specialists with experienced software professionals to develop a standard software product built around the principles of lean production. The result is the Factory Logic(TM) Lean Operations Management System -- a new breed of factory and supply chain management system that truly addresses the operational needs of the lean enterprise while integrating smoothly with enterprise level business systems. The Factory Logic software integrates heijunka scheduling, inventory projection monitoring, flexible cell resource planning, kanban supermarket management, and operational alerts into a comprehensive solution design to work in harmony with visual factory controls and scale to the level of an entire factory, enterprise, or supply chain. For its pioneering work, Factory Logic is the first software company to have been awarded the Shingo Prize.


Additional resources on lean operations software ...

Factory Logic lean manufacturing management software: The Shingo Prize winning Factory Logic™ Lean Operations Management System is a new breed of operational management software built from the ground up to ...

Manufacturing Operations - Software, Hardware, Services: gives you the technology platform you need to make your lean initiative a ... Visiprise Operations Performance Management by Visiprise, Inc. (SOFTWARE PRODUCT). ...

Lean Manufacturing: considering Lean software solutions. With this technique, manufacturers first think through how they want their operations to run after the new software is in ...

Lean Manufacturing Solutions: Enterprise Software Veteran Joins Factory Logic; Robert Johnson ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... Factory Logic, the leading provider of lean manufacturing and supply chain management solutions, today announced that Robert Johnson, former SAP ...

... Factory Logic, the leading provider of lean manufacturing and supply chain management solutions, today announced that Robert Johnson, former SAP America Sales Vice President and Strategic Business Unit Director, has joined Factory Logic as Vice President of Sales. ...

Factory Logic is dedicated to helping companies improve customer responsiveness and eliminate waste by delivering operations management solutions that support and enhance the use of key techniques pioneered in the Toyota Production System (TPS), and that make lean manufacturing practical for a wider range of companies. Factory Logic is the first company to team lean manufacturing specialists with experienced software professionals to develop a standard software product built from the ground up around the principles of lean production. The result is the Factory Logic(TM) Lean Operations Management System - a new breed of factory and supply chain management system that addresses the operational needs of the lean enterprise while integrating smoothly with enterprise level business systems. The Factory Logic software integrates heijunka scheduling, inventory projection monitoring, flexible cell resource planning, kanban/supermarket management, and operational alerts into a comprehensive solution design to work in harmony with visual factory controls and scale to the level of an entire factory, enterprise, or supply chain.

QRM POLCA Method: Let's POLCA!

From University of Wisconsin-Madison, Center for Quick Response Manufacturing (CQRM) ...

... "To find a solution, he turned to the UW-Madison Center for Quick Response Manufacturing (CQRM), which generally works with companies that produce high-variability, high-mix custom products to help cut lead times in all phases of manufacturing. Through the center, a team of manufacturing systems engineering students helped the plant implement POLCA (Paired-cell Overlapping Loops of Cards with Authorization). " ...

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Quick Response Manufacturing, ruthlessly cutting down the time it takes to get products developed and produced is seen as the best way to reduce costs and end up with more — you guessed it — money.

Heijunka Scheduling: RWD Technologies and Factory Logic Team to Deliver Lean ...

From MMH.com, United States ... The Factory Logic software integrates heijunka scheduling, inventory projection monitoring, flexible cell resource planning, kanban/supermarket management, and ...

... RWD Technologies, Inc. and Factory Logic today announced a strategic relationship to provide lean manufacturing solutions that combine RWD's transformation and implementation services with the Factory Logic lean operations management software. The jointly delivered solution will help manufacturers accelerate the transformation to a demand-driven enterprise through rapid and effective adoption of lean principles, tools, and techniques. Through its Performance Solutions Division, RWD Technologies is a recognized global leader in lean implementation, with offices and clients around the world. Factory Logic is the leading provider of a new generation of manufacturing and supply chain software built from the ground up to support the key concepts of lean manufacturing and the Toyota Production System (TPS). ...

Factory Logic is dedicated to helping companies improve customer responsiveness and eliminate waste by delivering factory management solutions that support and enhance the use of key concepts pioneered in the Toyota Production System (TPS), and that make lean production practical for a wider range of manufacturing environments. Founded in Austin, Texas in 1998, Factory Logic is the first company to team lean manufacturing specialists with experienced software professionals to develop a standard software product built around the principles of lean production. The result is Streamline™ - a comprehensive off the shelf Lean Factory Management System. Through the deployment of Streamline software and the guidance of experienced consultants, Factory Logic is helping a growing number of leading companies in the automotive, electronics, industrial equipment and aerospace industries move to the next level of performance on the Journey to Lean.

An overview of FactoryLogic's Software follows...

Factory Logic's Streamline™ Lean Factory Management System provides all the key functional capabilities needed to manage the lean, demand-driven factory, while also enabling faster response to change and extending visual factory concepts beyond the production floor. It integrates and automates daily production management activities utilizing a common base of information with up to date customer demand and process characteristics.

Streamline's net-native architecture is built using proven J2EE technology, which provides the security, extensibility and fault tolerance required for developing enterprise class software. The use of J2EE simplifies development of middleware components that are transactional, scalable, and portable. Streamline uses HTTP tunneling to transport XML documents, providing fast and robust transactions to the factory floor. HTTP tunneling in conjunction with SSL provides added reliability and security. In addition, industry standard databases, stable Java services and XML interfaces are utilized for integration with ERP, Supply Chain, and eCommerce systems.

Lean Manufacturing Software: Wright Williams & Kelly, Inc. Delivers Advanced Manufacturing ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... Management program is one of the most comprehensive undergraduate programs of its kind in the west with core courses in Lean Manufacturing Systems, Supply ...

... Wright Williams & Kelly, Inc. (WWK), a cost & productivity management software and consulting services company, announced today that it has shipped twenty-six seats of its latest version of Factory Explorer(R) capacity analysis and discrete-event simulation software to Boise State University. Factory Explorer(R) will be used by students majoring in Operations Management in the College of Business and Economics. ...

Wright Williams & Kelly, Inc. is the largest privately held operational cost management company serving technology-dependent and technology-driven companies. WWK maintains long-term relationships with prominent industry resources including International SEMATECH, SELETE, Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI), and national labs and universities. Its client base includes most of the top 10 semiconductor manufacturers and equipment and materials suppliers as well as leaders in thin film record heads, magnetic media, flat panel displays, and solar panels. WWK's product line also includes TWO COOL(R) for process step cost of ownership (COO) and overall equipment efficiency (OEE), PRO COOL(R) for process flow and test cell costing, and Factory Commander(R) for factory capacity analysis and activity based costing. Additionally, WWK offers a flexible product management software package that helps sales forces eliminate errors in product configuration and quotation processes.

Lean Manufacturing Practices: ReliOn Selects Fuel Cell Product Manufacturer

From Yahoo News (press release) ... of its technical excellence and manufacturing expertise, but also its ability to provide exceptional supply chain leverage and lean manufacturing practices. ...

" ... ReliOn, the leading provider of high reliability fuel cell solutions for backup power applications, announced that Celestica, a world leader in electronics manufacturing services (EMS), will serve as EMS provider for ReliOn's fuel cell products going forward ... "

ReliOn is a leader in the development and marketing of ultrareliable, ultraclean modular Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell products. The company markets a variety of commercially available fuel cell products using its patented Modular Cartridge Technology®. ReliOn products are available domestically and internationally for commercial and industrial backup applications in the 500-watt to 5-kilowatt range. ReliOn fuel cells are certified to multiple safety and performance standards.

Lean Manufacturing Software: Reporting System allows data-driven decision making.

From Industrial News Room, NY ... Assembly provides the data and tools necessary to implement and sustain initiatives such as cost reduction, lean manufacturing, six sigma quality and ...

Intelligent Assembly is the only turnkey data reporting system to collect, analyze & report the data necessary to implement and sustain continuous improvement initiatives. IA integrates directly into manual & automated processes providing detailed real-time reporting of all assembly & discrete manufacturing data. Intelligent Assembly is the only comprehensive turnkey assembly information solution on the market today. It was designed by people with years of experience in the manufacturing and assembly business to provide instant access to all of the information necessary to run an efficient assembly cell.

Lean manufacturing efforts strive to minimize any activity that does not contribute to the value of the product. Many efforts such as the organization of work cells, Kaizen, and 5S initiatives play an extremely important part to prepare for efficient manufacturing. After the physical environment is optimized for Lean manufacturing, the actual production operation becomes the greatest opportunity for improvement. Intelligent Assembly supports Lean Manufacturing initiatives by providing process efficiency data that can be used to make informed decisions, rather than guesses, on the best methods to manufacture your product. The data collection module in IA records all of the quality and timing information available in a production process (no more stopwatches necessary). In its most basic use, this data can be used to calculate instantaneous and average cycle times which can then be compared to the defined TAKT time of the process. This data can be displayed on the Cell HMI Terminal and overhead on an i-displays® LED Andon board.

Six Sigma quality: Data-driven decision making has become a key element in the continuous improvement processes of many companies. Intelligent Assembly provides the data on quality necessary to make sound process decisions and provides straightforward analyses to clarify problems and trends. SPC functionality such as real-time X - R and CpK charting can reveal troublesome trends so that corrective action can be taken before parts are rejected. Pareto Charts can identify key contributors to quality problems and rejects. Histograms of collected data provide information on distribution trends. Because all of the material, process, test and inspection data is collected, problem-solving is greatly simplified.

Intelligent Assembly requires minimal customization to fit applications in virtually any industry that employs discrete assembly or production processes. IA integrates smoothly and quickly into both automated and manual assembly cells with virtually no disruption. These systems are easy to install and operate, require minimal training, and truly bridge the information gap between factory floor realities and MRP/ERP/MES systems. Intelligent Manufacturing Solutions is an information software and hardware provider specializing in the collection and organization of data from discrete manufacturing processes. IMS provides full installation, training and support for Intelligent Assembly as well as integration of vision and other inspection systems for rapid data acquisition.

Extended Kanban Control System: Production Coordination of Assembly Manufacturing Systems

From IIE Transactions ... In assembly manufacturing systems there are points in the production process where several component parts are put together in areas called assembly cells so as to form more complex parts called subassemblies. This paper compares two variants of the Extended Kanban Control System (EKCS): a recently developed pull production control mechanism that combines base stock and kanban control for the production coordination of assembly manufacturing systems. In both variants, the production of a new subassembly is authorized only when an assembly kanban is available. Assembly kanbans become available when finished subassemblies are consumed. If an assembly kanban is available, in the first variant, each component part of a subassembly is released into the assembly cell as soon as it is available (independent release). In the second variant, however, it is released only when all other component parts also become available (simultaneous release). In both variants, when a component part is released into the assembly cell, it releases its kanban, thus authorizing the production of a new component part...

Six Sigma Quality: Optical Film Brightens 3M's Picture

From MSN Money ... As 3M uses Six Sigma quality and productivity plan to refine film production, it can cut waste and improve margins,'' Gulley said in a recent research note. ...

3M Company launched its Six Sigma effort in April 2001. W. James McNerney Jr., the former CEO of GE Aircraft Engines who had taken over as chairman and CEO in January, calls the effort company's "number one initiative" for the next decade. "It's the only game in town for both cost and quality," McNerney declares. "If you do Six Sigma right, you get high quality and low cost—that's what it's all about." McNerney is convinced that Six Sigma, which has produced impressive results at GE for years, can help bring more unity and far greater focus to 3M initiatives aimed at boosting quality, lowering cost and improving customer satisfaction. Market demands for fuel cell products are rapidly evolving and expanding in ever-changing directions. 3M will be there with MEAs designed to meet your performance and manufacturing requirements. Using Six-Sigma business implementation practices, 3M is able to call upon the expertise of our technology staff to design an MEA for your specific needs.
Six Sigma creates a common language and measurement tools to reduce variation and deliver consistent results.

Lean Manufacturing: Friedrich Air Conditioning Partners With DemandStream to Provide ...

From PR Newswire (press release) ... unit of SoftBrands, Inc., announced today that Friedrich Air Conditioning has selected DemandStream to further facilitate their transition to lean manufacturing ...

DemandStream is a "Lean conversion kit" for ERP systems where Cell/Kanban
management is deployed within the factory in conjunction with vendor/customer
supply chain communication in a "real time" environment. DemandStream provides
factory floor management of Dynamic Kanbans, Lean Material Flow management and
supply chain material/demand signals with visibility to both vendors and
customers.

Lean Manufacturing Software: DemandStream Partners With Angus-Palm to Provide Lean Enterprise ...

From PR Newswire (press release) ... About DemandStream DemandStream is a Lean conversion kit for ERP systems where Cell/Kanban management is deployed within the factory in conjunction with ...

DemandStream optimizes your entire supply chain for greater visibility, reduced lead times and increased profitability. Changes in demand are communicated instantaneously. Requirements for shipping, manufacturing and purchasing move in step with the market. It's an intricate balancing act, but the benefits are huge. Acting as an "Automated Lean Conversion Kit” for ERP systems where Cell or Kanban management is used, DemandStream creates essential visibility in the vendor/customer supply chain in a "real time" environment. It provides factory floor management of Dynamic Kanbans, Lean Material Flow management and supply chain material/demand signals and visibility to vendors and customers. DemandStream is based on Demand Pull scheduling and material flow. DemandStream's innovative approach includes the Dynamic Kanban that enables manufacturers to utilize Demand Pull in high mix, uneven customer demand environments.

Lean Manufacturing Software: Valcom Experiences Dramatic Results After Rapid Implementation of ...

From Internet Telephony Magazine, CT ... From award-winning software to strategies in Lean Manufacturing and TOC, Lilly Software offers companies the tools they need for higher productivity and ...

VISUAL Easy Lean is a fast-implementing solution that supports the principles of Lean Manufacturing. It is a scheduling method that works with VISUAL Enterprise™ and delivers significant results within 30-90 days. By making a few simple changes to traditional business practices and by incorporating pull-oriented scheduling techniques, gains in visibility are created that allows for better decisions, release of inventory at optimal times, and smooth production flow. VISUAL Easy Lean helps avoid chaotic situations on the production floor, and enables and enterprise to take on increased business and drive more money to the bottom line.

VISUAL Enterprise for Repetitive Manufacturers enable quick and easy view and management of material supply and demand across your organization. Designed using the Just In Time philosophy that strives to eliminate sources of manufacturing waste by producing the right part in the right place at the right time. VISUAL Enterprise for Repetitive Manufacturers achieves this functionality through a combination of system tools and shop floor procedures: Kanban cards. Kanban and cell manufacturing cards allows for accurately tracking production floor events and helps make better-informed business decisions.

Achieve the Sixth Sigma: Cellular Manufacturing and One-Piece Flow Systems...

Cellular Manufacturing/One-Piece Flow Systems are work units arranged in a sequence that supports a smooth flow of materials and components through the production process with minimal transport or delay. Rather than processing multiple parts before sending them on to the next machine or process step (as is the case in batch-and-queue, or large-lot production), cellular manufacturing aims to move products through the manufacturing process one-piece at a time, at a rate determined by customers' needs.

Cellular manufacturing can also provide companies with the flexibility to vary product type or features on the production line in response to specific customer demands. To make the cellular design work, an organization must often replace large, high volume production machines with small, flexible, "right-sized" machines to fit well in the process "cell.".

Equipment often must be modified to stop and signal when a cycle is complete or when problems occur, using a technique called autonomation (or jidoka). This transformation often shifts worker responsibilities from watching a single machine, to managing multiple machines in production cell. While plant-floor workers may need to feed or unload pieces at the beginning or end of the process sequence, they are generally freed to focus on implementing TPM and process improvements...