Lean production in a rail vehicle manufacturing industry: critical issues

摘要

Lean production has emerged as an important manufacturing strategy in the automobile industry. Actually a number of other industry sectors are trying to apply the concept. However, the implementation of a new manufacturing system is very complex. The benefits can be obvious, but the initial effort and investment can delay such decision. This paper proposes a strategic approach for the implementation of lean manufacturing in a traditional rail vehicle manufacturing industry. A case study will be presented, reporting the change from a conventional production system to a new manufacturing paradigm. Critical implementation aspects will be presented and discussed.