Manufacturing cells

Himani Kashyap-1504013
Ravichand Nawal-1504020

Manufacturing Cells
Objectives

To understand what a Manufacturing Cell is and how it can be implemented.

To be aware of the different variables that must be considered when

implementing a Cell.

Manufacturing Cells
Concepts
1.

Cell: a small part of something; Cellular: adjective.- Something that is made of

many small groups that work independently.

2.

Manufacturing Cell: A group of equipment (resources), - usually arranged in the

shape of a U -, which is dedicated to produce similar products or a family of parts.
A Manufacture Cell produces parts, one at a time, following the
sequence of the machines and operations in a lean flow.

Basic building blocks of cells

- Workstations
- Machines
- Workers
- Tools, gages, and fixtures
- POU materials storage
- Materials handling between work

Manufacturing Cells

Figure: Product flow from cell to cell

Manufacturing Cells

CLASSIFICATION OF CELL

1. Traditional stand-alone NC machine tools

2. Single NC machine cell or Mini cell

3. Integrated multi machine cell

4. FMS
Single NC machine cell or Mini cell

Traditional stand-alone NC
machine tools

Manufacturing Cells
Cell with One Worker

Reasons for popularity:

Shortest time to implement
Requires least capital investment
Easiest to install and operate
Typically, the lowest unit cost for low production
Most flexible for product or part changeovers

Most common manufacturing

system in industry
Operation is independent of other
stations
Perform either processing or
assembly operations
Can be designed for:
Single model production all
parts/products made by the system
are identical
Batch production different part
styles are made in batches
Mixed model production different
part styles are made
sequentially, not in batches

*Assumption: Single operator can operate all

machines and meet demand

Manufacturing Cells
Cell With Two Workers

Manufacturing Cells
Two Workers - Rabbit Chase

Manufacturing Cells

Work Cells For Multiple Product

Families

Note that all three product families have similar routings.

Some families skip selected operations.

Could deploy a lighting scheme to identify which operations are used

for a given product family now being produced.

Manufacturing Cells
Linked Cell

Linked cell system just described is

a classic pull production system,
but uses the level of inventory in
the containers as the signal for
replenishment.
Each cell produces only enough to
bring its outbound inventory up to
the maximum number of
containers.
The output of the final cell in the
chain depends on the output rate
of the bottleneck cell (cells are
supposed to be balanced, butthey
may not be).

Manufacturing Cells

Work Cell Cycle Time and Capacity

Example 1: Work Cell CT and Capacity
Suppose the cell at the left is operated by one worker
who walks from station to station. The number next to
each station is the time required for the worker to
perform the operation. The number by each arrow is
the time to walk between locations (including the time
to pick and place items at the locations.
Cell CTa = operation times +walk times
= 400 +51 = 451 sec/unit
Assuming an 8-hr workday
Cell Capacity = 8 hours x 60 min x 60 sec/(451 )sec /
unit
= 63.9 units per day

Manufacturing Cells
Two Worker Assembly Cell
Example 2
Two workers now work in the cell shown at the left. The first
worker has operations 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The second worker has
operations 1, 7, 8 and the input and output areas. The sum of
the operation times and walk times are shown for each
worker.
Note the holding units shown by a black square. After
completing a piece at operation 1 the second worker drops a
piece off at holding area A and proceeds to the piece located
at area B. He/she then completes the work on that unit at
operations 7 and 8 and places the unit In the out area .
Sub-cell 2: CT = 5 (10) + 38 = 88 sec / unit
Sub-cell 1: CT = 3 (10) + 31 = 61 sec / unit

Operator #1 picks up the piece at

area A and carries it to operations 2,
3, 4, 5,and 6 and puts it down in
holding area B.

CTm = Max (longest worker CT, longest machine CT)

= Max (88, 80) sec / unit = 88 sec / unit
Capacity =( 8 x 60 x 60) / 88 = 327 units / day

Manufacturing Cells
Work Cell Applications

Work cells are more applicable for products (subassemblies) that are not extremely
complex.
Skills and abilities of the workers must fit the range of tasks required.
Large work cells have a negative impact on teamwork.
A workgroup of between 5 and 7 people is optimal- cells with 10 or more work stations
are less common.
If the products are very complex, a multi-station assembly line is typically used, with
work cells potentially acting as feeder cells

Teamwork Improvement
Communication (workers are closer and can help each other)
Complete understanding of the manufacture process (multitask).
They have the opportunity to know their customer; talk, discuss and propose
improvement.
Operators are more responsible and have more control in their activities.
Responsibility of making high quality products from the beginning.
More satisfaction due to responsibility and variety of the work

Manufacturing Cells

Waste Elimination
1) Overproduction
2) Excessive inventory
3) Over processing
4) Motion

Manufacturing Cells

Implementation Requirements

1. Product Families: parts that share the same manufacturing process and
equipment. They are similar not in shape or size, but because their
process.
2. It is essential that the Cell produces parts or family parts that the
customer constantly requires (20% in pareto chart).
3. Small and Easy to move equipment.
4. Flexible and Multi-task workers.
5. Additional Capacity. (Reserved)
Implementation process
First, the parts to be made must be grouped by similarity (in design or manufacturing requirements) into
families.

Then a systematic analysis of each family must be performed; typically in the form of production flow
analysis (PFA) for manufacturing families, or in the examination of design/product data for design families.

Keeping the account for "total cost of holding, inter-cell material handling, external transportation, fixed
cost for producing each part in each plant, machine and labour salaries.

Manufacturing Cells
Rules for Manufacturing Cells
1. When installing a Manufacturing Cell, the productivity will increase, so
prepare a plan and explain to the personnel that some of them will have
to be Re-located
2. Design a complete Inspection System for each Manufacturing Cell.
3. Each aspect affected by the Manufacturing Cell should be discussed and
communicated to all the workers and the Labor Union through the
Manager.
4. The design for the Cell should consider:
- Work Flow
- Parts and Material Flow
- 5Ss

Manufacturing Cells
Benefits of Manufacturing Cells
Decrease
of

Defects
Delivery Time
WIP Inventory
FG Inventory
Money invested in
parts.
Throughput Time

Increase
of

Inventory Turnover
Productivity
Capacity
Flexibility

Manufacturing Cells
Limitations

High mixes of low volume products can make cells impractical

Equipment utilization rates are generally lower in cells

Cost : The cells may have to be realigned to match the new requirements,
which is a costly operation, and one not typically required in other
manufacturing setups

Time

Upon implementation of cellular manufacturing, management commonly

"encounters strong resistance from production workers