The main steps adopted in the application of kaizen in an industrial serial components manufacturer

Abstract

The competition faced by the metal-mechanical sector in Brazil impels companies to pursue competitiveness. This condition induces continuous improvements, among them the development of productive systems. Thus, a new operational strategic orientation is necessary to achieve the goals of maximizing profits, and to stand out from the competition, through greater productivity. The objective of this article is to report on the main steps to be taken in the pursuit of improvement of the productive process, and to measure quantitative gains by the application of kaizen in the sectors that manufacture metallic components for the large equipment and machinery industry. In this sense, this work investigates the production process of a manufacturer of industrial components operating in the region of Piracicaba / SP. The research method used was based on a literature review in the field of Production Engineering, about Lean Production and the elimination of waste by kaizen. Subsequently, a case study of an exploratory nature was carried out in the company investigated. The results show that it was possible to eliminate waste and promote improvements in the manufacturing process, reduce overproduction, waiting time, excessive movement and transportation of parts and components, and gains in factory space and labor shortages directly employed in the production process.