IT as a Success Factor for a Lean Construction System in a Precast ConcreteConstruction Industry

摘要

On the process of producing structures factories of pre-fabricated concreterncomponents face the challenging task of integrating the supply chain and the variousrndepartments within the company and, at the same time, to handle the uncertaintiesrnrelated to the assembling process on site. The increasing long distances to thernconstruction site, the topography, the occurrence of rain, the often low level of skillsrnamong construction workers and a number of other factors affect the level of thisrnuncertainty in Brazil. The challenge here is to produce with reduced waste, highrnquality and on a synchronized fashion where every resource gets on the exact timernand quantity required by the production process. In order to achieve that situation thernflow of information plays a key role in order to enable a lean flow of materials. Thernpresent research has investigated this issue on the largest factory of pre-fabricatedrncomponents (precast/prestressed concrete structural elements) in Brazil. It hasrninvestigated the required information and, also, the information technology that couldrnenable a lean material flow, with emphasis on the increase of process transparency.rnThe analysis focuses on the information flow among design office, factory of pre-fabricatedrncomponents and the construction site. The authors present the use of arnweb-based collaborative environment as a key strategy to promote higher level ofrntransparency on the communication process within the case study.