Methodology to implement lean manufacturing in cement industry

This project aims to develop a methodology for implementing lean manufacturing principles in a cement industry. Cement manufacturing is a process industry different from discrete manufacturing and the objective here is to apply lean principles to the eliminate waste to the processes and parameters which are common between process and discrete manufacturing. Value stream mapping is used first to identify different waste present in the current state and with the help of simulation model a future state is developed. A simulation model is developed for both the current state and a future state value stream map is developed by using lean principles in the simulation model. The model is validated and verified for the accuracy of the project and the results are compared for before lean and after lean implementation. All the data for the simulation model is taken from the production department of a cement industry and used for applying lean principles. The future state value stream mapping showed an improvement in the throughput, reduction in waiting time, inventory and lead time after lean implementation. For a high volume and low product mix and system having significant machine downtime, it is profitable to run low set ups at the pacemaker process.