Relationship Between Lean Manufacturing, Agile Manufacturing and Sustainability
Authors: ZUHRIAH EBRAHIM, Taufiq Shamsuddin, Richard Burton, Oludare Williams
Abstract
Unpredictable changes in market and customer demands have required existing manufacturing concepts need to be continually updated and enhanced to enable the sustainability of the manufacturing companies. Lean and Agile manufacturing are concepts that have received much attention among industrialists and academics. This paper discusses the connection between lean manufacturing, agile manufacturing and sustainability. The criteria for Lean Manufacturing and Agile Manufacturing will be presented and arranged into four categories referred to as the basic aspects of a manufacturing system, namely: (i)Company organisation, (ii)Manufacturing processes, (iii)Hardware/Software technologies and (iv)Customer/Supplier relationships. The paper shows that there are connection between lean manufacturing, agile manufacturing and sustainability where satisfying the criteria for lean manufacturing, agile manufacturing should lead to sustainability.
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Hi....Richard...
Thanks for asking...
i've reserved that to be questioned.
The function of the energetic system is to ensure that the continuity in capability of the Lean & Agile criteria to achieve and maintain the sustainability concepts.
It doesn't necessary to be counted as number of sales person etc.
The following stage is to identify the criteria of the energetic system which would able to fulfill it function.
What and how?...
We will work out and come out with the criteria for energetic system in the next paper...
;)
Zuhriah
Dear everyone...
Energising the system to me means building up something to meet the next challange and as we all know the manufacturing environment never fails in this context. The system has to take into account factors that are dynamic (as opposing to static), using new ideas as well utilising current methods to keep the company competitive. In part yes generating more sales but this has to bigger than just generating sales, it has to offer the user something they cannot refuse. Time, cost, quantity etc.
Or maybe build the idea from E=mc2????
afternoon thinking,
Taufiq
...it a good starts to initiate 'something' that could relate to the energetic system.
;)
zuhriah
Dear Zuhriah,
Thank you for your paper.
In your paper, you did mentioned about the integration of 3 systems ( Lean, Agile and Energetic) as the foundations of Fit manufacture to achieve sustainability. I do agree with you that the integration between lean and agile would not enough to achieve the sustainability.
My question is, how is your system differ from the system proposed by [53] in your reference. In his paper, he proposed a system with the integration of Lean, Agile and Sustainability to achieve economic sustainability and remain competitive as market change in the future.
Figure 4 attracts to my attention as it highlights the integration of Lean, Agile and Energetic system to achieve the sustainable concepts as the output. Is Fit manufacturing equal to sustanaibility concepts that you want to achieve or more than that? How do you define the level/type of sustainability in your system (economically/manufacturing sustainable?).
I might also suggest that the sustainability concepts that you desire to achieve (Figure 3) are best replace with sustainability criterias. I think the concepts are referring to economics, environment and society.
In manufacturing, you might consider the sustainability concepts that can be extended to other dimensions such as institutional, product etc.
please correct me if i'm wrong.
best regards :-),
-amelia-
Dear Amelia...
Thank you very much for questioning and suggesting on the initial development of the Fit Mfg. model.
Answer for Q1
My reference on [53] was just purposely to point out the idea of an integration system that should consider Lean and Agile. The paper has suggested the sustainability as part of the Fit Mfg. But, there is no any reasons are given why the sustainability has been considered as the input instead of output of the mfg. system.
Answer for Q2 which relates to your suggestion as well...
In my paper, it's clearly shows that the sustainability concepts are the output of the mfg. system.
By achiveving the sustainability criteria (as you suggested instead of concepts)...it become the aims/goals of each manufacturing company by considering its impact to the sustainability in the aspect of Environment, Economy and Society.
Feedback on your final suggestion.
The sustainability concepts itself have already covered in broader aspect ; Environment-Economy-Society.
As your examples...
Institutional would come back to the people in society.
Product would come back to the environment...how it been processed, disposed or recycle...etc.
In summary, the paper presenting only the general idea of the implication of Fit Manufacturing concept on the sustainability aspects.
;)
dZ
Hello Zuriah,... and the fitness fanatics,
Thankyou for this detailed report,
It would seem from the literature review, and also from my personal experience with companies, that agile manufacturing has a great deal more to offer in terms of the value adding criteria?
The combination of LM and AM gives the ideal balance of cost control and value adding, which is improved in effect by the maximum possible energy in the fitness system - how can this be represented in actual terms ? Lots of salespeople working for the company to generate activity?
What does everybody think ?
Richard.