Proposal for the establishment of a manufacturing cell: a case study in a metallurgical company

This study refers to the importance of production management, where knowing the processes in depth is an essential feature for the reduction of waste. The work was motivated by the following problem: How can the establishment of a manufacturing cell with a cellular layout help to increase productivity? The objective of the study was to propose the implantation of a manufacturing cell that meets the needs of productive increase and elimination of waste. The value stream mapping was used to understand the current process and simulation of the future process, while the Yamazumi graphical tool was used in the analysis of the distribution of operations, and the spaghetti diagram was used to compare the current layout with the proposed one. Through the establishment of a manufacturing cell, a reduction in production time of 8 days was projected, with a potential gain in production time of 27.58%, making it possible to produce 3 more pieces a day, in addition to an improvement in the inventory turnover of 37.63% and a reduction of 3 people involved in manufacturing. The present study showed a decrease in waste of 20%, and optimization of the activities that add value throughout the productive chain.