What is Cellular Manufacturing?
Cellular Manufacturing is a production activity that involves rearranging the locations of machinery and workstations in an orderly and convenient manner, to facilitate smooth transportation of Work-in-progress (WIP) materials, reduce manufacturing waste, and improve efficiency.
Cellular Manufacturing is especially popular among the discrete manufacturing businesses where individual finished products are manufactured. It benefits in various ways from automating core processes to facilitating quicker order fulfillment.
What are the Steps in the Cellular Manufacturing Process?
1. Assess Product-related Processes
The first step in the Cellular Manufacturing process involves assessing the scope of various work-related and product-related processes and finding opportunities for reducing the time gap in the transportation of Work-in-progress (WIP) material.
2. Movement of Machines
The next step in the Cellular Manufacturing process is to rearrange the locations of various machines and keep them close to each other. Keeping machines close to each other lowers the time required for transportation of Work-in-progress (WIP) materials.
3. Mitigating Technical Defects
The final step in the Cellular Manufacturing process is to take the appropriate measures to reduce inefficiencies across various organizational processes, identifying and mitigating technical defects. This is normally accomplished through implementing TPM and Six Sigma methods.
Traditional Manufacturing Layout vs Cellular Manufacturing Layout
Here are the core differences between the Traditional Manufacturing Layout and Cellular Manufacturing Layout:
| Traditional Manufacturing Layout | Cellular Manufacturing Layout | |
| Layout Design | Machines and workstations are arranged based on their process-based classification | Machines and workstations are arranged based on their technical similarity |
| Implementation Time | The implementation is usually complex and can take longer | The implementation is usually short, simple, and straightforward |
| Business Agility | The business becomes less agile due to the longer movement across different departmental regions | The business becomes more agile due to the shorter movement across different departmental regions |
| Employee Participation | Lower employee participation and innovation as employees are assigned to only specific department | Higher employee participation and innovation as employees are assigned to cross-functional teams |
| Inter-departmental Communication | Communication gaps are observed | Effective communication within each cell |
What are the Different Layouts in Cellular Manufacturing System?
1. Hybrid Manufacturing Layout
The Hybrid Manufacturing Layout is most commonly used across large manufacturing facilities. It helps them reduce manufacturing costs, maximize production capacity, and enhance efficiency. It combines the processes across both manufacturing and automation.
2. U-Shaped Manufacturing Layout
As the name describes, the U-shaped cellular manufacturing layout arranges the locations of machines in a U-shaped manner. The company arranges machines in proximity to each other, which allows it to get complete control over the production process and thoroughly track the process.
3. O-Shaped Manufacturing Layout
The O-shaped cellular manufacturing layout emphasizes separating cells within a manufacturing unit and arranging the locations of machines in an O-shaped manner. This manufacturing layout is best suited for manufacturing products with repetitive steps. It is also useful where a single operator operates multiple machines at a time.
4. T-Shaped Manufacturing Layout
The T-shaped cellular manufacturing layout arranges the machines in a T-shaped manner with the vertical and horizontal lines indicating the main production line and secondary production line respectively. The primary aim of this layout is to facilitate the faster movement of Work-in-progress and labor.
5. S-Shaped Manufacturing Layout
The S-shaped cellular manufacturing layout organizes the machines in an S-shaped manner and prepares them for a long loop. The benefit of this layout is to reduce the delay in the transportation of Work-in-progress items from one workstation to another, improve productivity, and bring optimum results.
6. Fixed Position Layout
The fixed position layout enables businesses to ensure better quality compliance, retain existing, and enhance customer satisfaction. It is largely used by manufacturers of highly-specialized products such as medical devices, and highly complex products such as aircraft, and ships. In this type of layout, a fixed product location is used.
Key Components of Cellular Manufacturing Process
1. Standardized Work Procedures
Standardized Work Procedures are an integral part of the Cellular Manufacturing concept. They help your business build products that are of higher quality, safe, and durable. Adopting these procedures in your business can help you predict and maintain the acceptable quality level of the final products, and win customer trust.
2. Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS)
The Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) uses automated manufacturing systems to adapt to the changes in the nature and the quantity of the products being produced. While this system has benefits such as lower manufacturing costs and lower dependence on labor work, it is expensive and requires a dedicated team of technicians to set it up.
3. Quality Control
Modern-day customers are highly conscious of the quality, sustainability, and durability of the products. As such, businesses are putting Quality Control and Inspection measures at every stage to ensure the final products meet the desired quality standards. Not just that, total quality management helps businesses produce safe products, and mitigate legal & regulatory risks.
4. Work-in-progress Management
Another key component of the Cellular Manufacturing concept is Work-in-process Management. Effectively managing the WIP materials helps reduce the lead time and effectively improve the liquidity levels. Moreover, the business can reduce inventory costs and storage space.
5. Batch Size Optimization
Batch Size Optimization involves producing smaller batches. It helps reduce the threshold of inventory to its minimal required level. This helps in several ways. It reduces the manufacturing waste. It also allows businesses to identify errors on a timely basis and take corrective actions to reduce inventory waste.
What are the Cellular Manufacturing Advantages?
There are numerous Cellular manufacturing advantages. Let us discuss them one by one.
1. Improved Manufacturing Quality
Adopting the Cellular Manufacturing concept enables businesses to build better-quality products that meet consumer expectations. Giving more emphasis on quality and durability can help attract new customers and expand markets.
2. Optimum Inventory Levels
Implementing Cellular Manufacturing alongside a new-age inventory management system helps maintain optimum inventory levels through small-sized production cells. It serves in various ways from improving inventory efficiency, lowering waste, and bringing down the inventory holding costs to maximizing customer satisfaction.
3. Lowers Manufacturing Waste
In today’s business landscape, consumers are conscious of the environmental and health effects of the toxic waste released into the environment during manufacturing. Cellular Manufacturing ensures minimal manufacturing waste and compliance with regulatory standards.
4. Reduced Lead Times
The process of Cellular Manufacturing transforms the traditional process of storing and moving materials throughout the organization. By reducing complexities in the material handling and storage processes, the company benefits from lower costs and lower lead times.
5. Promotes Open Communication
Other benefits of cellular manufacturing include improved communication and coordination. Cellular Manufacturing typically relies on U-shaped cell layouts, where workers can closely interact with each other, share ideas, and find resolutions to problems.
What are the Cellular Manufacturing Disadvantages?
As we’ve discussed the cellular manufacturing benefits, let us discuss some of its disadvantages and the challenges faced during its implementation.
1. Higher Upfront Costs
Small and medium-sized companies may find it difficult to implement the Cellular Manufacturing process because of the higher setup costs. Adopting the latest technology, buying new equipment, and training employees may require significant capital.
2. Adapting to Market Trends
The Cellular Manufacturing process requires businesses to become responsive to changing consumer preferences. It involves staying innovative and adapting to the latest market trends. It can be a troublesome process as businesses may lack sufficient resources, money, and access to the latest market data.
3. Coordination with External Stakeholders
Cellular manufacturing disadvantages also include challenges while dealing with external stakeholders such as suppliers, logistical partners, and consumers. The company may face several disruptions while aligning with the shared objectives of its partners, combating disruptions, and building relations that are based on mutual
4. Downtime Risks
There is another added risk of equipment failure which can result in downtimes in the business operations. The business will have to develop a backup plan to mitigate potential impacts. In the absence of such a backup plan, the business risks negative goodwill and financial losses.
5. Employee Resistance to Change
While implementing the Cellular Manufacturing process, the Management has to communicate its benefits to the employees, take them into confidence, and train them. However, in the absence of open communication and training, the employees may resist change. It may hamper the true objective of cellular manufacturing systems.
Future of Cellular Manufacturing System
1. New Manufacturing Standard
These days, manufacturing businesses are adopting new transformative ways to build better-quality products at lower costs. Cellular Manufacturing and Quality Assurance and Control program are two of them. It helps them comply with various international quality standards such as ISO and meet customer’s evolving expectations.
2. Green Manufacturing
Green Manufacturing is gaining momentum among businesses across the world. Thanks to the growing environment-conscious among customers and the wider public, businesses are finding new ways to reduce environmental harm and build products that are environment-friendly. Cellular Manufacturing System helps businesses achieve the same.
3. Technological Advancements
Businesses around the world are adopting automation and robotics to minimize production costs, increase efficiency, and build better-quality products. The cellular manufacturing process helps businesses stay competitive, reduce delays and damage to goods, and lower downtimes.
FAQs
1. What is the Cellular Manufacturing Definition?
Cellular manufacturing meaning is a system of production in which a large manufacturing system is divided into smaller subsystems called “Cells” to reduce the material handling time and cost and improve productivity.
2. What are Cellular Production Examples?
Apple and Toyota are the most popular and successful cellular manufacturing examples. Apple produces different gadgets such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod, with a shared set of circuits and functionalities. Similarly, Toyota manufactures different models of vehicles with common components.
3. Which Industries Benefit from Cellular Manufacturing System?
Various industries from automotive, aerospace, and electronics manufacturing, to medical device manufacturing benefit from the Cellular Manufacturing System. Modern-day manufacturing businesses have increasingly adopted the cellular manufacturing process to optimize their production process.
4. How Does Cellular Manufacturing System Bring Down Manufacturing Costs?
A Cellular Manufacturing System reduces the amount of manufacturing waste, and the time being spent on each manufacturing process. It also eliminates the need for additional labor and machinery. All of these collectively result in significant cost savings.
5. How is Cellular Manufacturing Different than Traditional Layouts?
While the Traditional Layout focuses on building standardized products, the Cellular Manufacturing System emphasizes building products with variations. It does so by dedicating every cell to building a single subassembly that will be used in the final product.