Aplicação de conceitos do Lean Manufacturing para aumento de produtividade em uma linha de montagem de ar-condicionado

Abstract

Process efficiency and cost reduction are concerns of companies seeking competitiveness. Therefore, it is necessary to know how to analyze a production process and identify existing waste. The objective of this research was to explore the concept of the management methodology Lean Manufacturing and verify its impact on the productivity of an air conditioning assembly line of a company in the Industrial Pole of Manaus. The main challenge faced was due to the amount of activities on the assembly line, which still has a lot of manual activities. After an analysis of the process based on the study of the Lean methodology, activities that do not generate value to the customer were identified, such as excessive movements, and excess of idle time, which could indicate an inefficient balancing. Once identified the opportunities, improvements were made through the automation of processes, such as the use of na automated conveyor for movement, automatic sensors, but also low-cost alternatives such as flowracks. The improvements resulted in time saving in the assembly, which made it possible to rebalance the line with fewer workstations, reducing production costs and improving productivity indicators such as UPPH and idleness. In general, the results achieved confirmed the hypotheses raised and demonstrated how the applied methodology can impact the productivity of an assembly line such as the one in this case study.