ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a project to introduce Job Shop Lean in a custom forge shop by implementing a Modular Layout that was designed using Production Flow Analysis. The Machine-Product Matrix Clustering result for the Working Sample of products showed that there would still be considerable machine sharing and overlap if it was desired to design stand-alone manufacturing cells. To design a Modular Layout for the forge shop, the Modified Multi-Product Process Chart was generated for the final Working Sample of products. To evaluate the proposed Modular Layout, it was compared to the existing facility layout of the forge shop. Recommendations were made to the forge shop to make significant layout changes and to invest capital to acquire additional equipment. Their implementation team evaluated and ranked each of the recommendations based on cost and time savings, feasibility, affordability, and ease of implementation.
