
Just In Time (JIT) Case Study

Published on 21/12/2011

Just In Time (JIT) Case Study

Application Of Just In Time (JIT) Principles

Spectacular Improvements in a Low Volume, High Variety Environment.

Lean tools are not just applicable to the high volume automotive environment from which it evolved. At APW Electronics a Just In Time (JIT) workshop was used to create flow lines within a low volume, high variety, batch environment.

Imrak 1400 storage racks for computer hardware for Home and Export markets are made to customer requirements and vary greatly in configuration from a basic “open frame” consisting of a top, base and 4 vertical posts, to highly configured units with any combination of doors, side panels, and a variety of trays and shelves.

To create flow, much of this variation required “smoothing out”. This was achieved by the following steps:-

Step 1 To reduce variation and ensure the main lines flow, each process was analysed and all low volume, high work content items were taken “off-line” to be built as sub-assemblies.

Step 2 The core processes that made up each main flow line were agreed. To aid this decision the team used the “80/20” rule, if a process is common to 80% of the products then it became part of the core flow line.

Step 3 Flexibility of labour was used to move from sub assembly activity onto line to maintain flow on high work content racks, and ensure maximum efficiency.

Step 4 Work content was balanced to the Takt time and a new layout developed.

Step 5 Buffer stock levels of sub assemblies were set.

The challenge of successfully introducing Just In Time (JIT) into a low volume, high variety production process was achieved with impressive results, as the workshop measures show.