Oswaldo Luiz Agostinho

Integrando a promoção das metodologias Lean Manufacturing e Six Sigma na busca de produtividade e qualidade numa empresa fabricante de autopeças

Among the diverse critical success factors that the firms must consider, the pursuit of increasingly higher standards of productivity and quality stands out. In this context, the purpose of this article is to present an initiative to integrate the promotion of the Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies in seeking enhanced operational performance. This integration combines the application of Lean Manufacturing elements that aim at the streamlining of value streams by the elimination of wastes with Six Sigma elements which aim at the systematization of the analysis and control of process variation for accomplishing superior quality. This work is based on a case study on the changes undertaken for the implementation of this approach in an auto parts manufacturer. The organizational structure which was established for the promotion of this approach as well as the mode how projects for the improvement of operational performance are tackled by means of it are examined. The results accomplished reveal that the initiative of conciliating the application of these two methodologies may bring about a more wide-ranging and effective continuous improvement process.

An adaptability index system for product development

This study proposes an adaptability index system for product development to enhance engineering system management. The index system takes into account the need to reduce the time required to market new products. The adaptability index is defined by the relationship between the time to develop a current product and the time to develop a subsequent (next) one, so that the recommended index will be useful when a new product with shorter execution times than those of the previous one is introduced into the product design and manufacturing process. Implementing an adaptability system’s parameters are derived from responsiveness, competitiveness, engineering, and marketing activities as reflected in adaptability indices. The study’s methodology is case study through questionnaires, interviews, and records. The authors recommend increasing adaptability by reducing complexity through computer-integrated manufacturing, standardization, and others methodologies. The significant outcome based on the case study is the assessment that is enabled by the proposed adaptability index. This index will guide engineering companies in the selection of the most relevant development processes, protocols, production tools, and procedures aimed at reducing the time-to-market required to generate new products, thus allowing it to meet market demand, increase product diversification, and reduce product lifetimes.

Methodology to prioritize business and technology strategies to provide enterprise competitiveness

The Technology Management attends the majority of product and manufacturing needs and updates technology directions of the enterprises. One can say that the approach is essentially technological driven, with proper parameters and drivers. Looking for the business side, the current and future drivers are outlined from the determination of the business strategies, driven by market trends, product needs, competiveness, among other factors[13]. This approach is essentially business driven, with proper parameters and drivers. It is fact that the technology management influences the enterprise management, generating new products and opening new markets. Also, it is necessary to the organizations that the strategies defined by the business need to be aligned with the technology strategies and vice versa. Due to the technology and business strategies are generate by different approaches and needs, it becomes necessary to connect them, through adequate methodology. This paper proposes a methodology to approach and align technology and business strategies, using tacit and structured knowledge available in the organizations, through the average knowledge of the various groups on the businesses and technology activities. The proposed methodology is based in a set of premises, criteria and knowledge extracted from the groups, applied to balance and correlate the technological and business strategies to the competiveness attributes, assumed as the necessary solid core. These correlations will establish the connection between the technological and business strategies. This connection will define the hierarchical degree of application of technologies to attend business needs, in environments, characterized by intensive competition and resources limitation.

FATORES QUE LEVAM AS ORGANIZAÇÕES A OPTAREM OU NÃO PELA TERCEIRIZAÇÃO DOS SERVIÇOS DE TI

A terceirizacao e uma pratica que permite que as organizacoes mantenham-se focadas no negocio e em suas competencias centrais, alem de ser parte integrante da estrategia de alinhamento de TI ao negocio. Este trabalho tem como objetivo identificar os fatores que conduzem os responsaveis pela Gestao de TI a optarem ou nao pela terceirizacao, e quais sao os fatores determinantes para seu sucesso. O trabalho destaca que, para alcancar os resultados esperados, e preciso tomar decisoes a respeito das funcoes a serem ou nao terceirizadas, analisar as vantagens e desvantagens, mapear os custos e um nivel satisfatorio de comunicacao e colaboracao com os parceiros da cadeia produtiva, alem da gestao de riscos inerentes ao processo.

Rules of Precedence as Basis to Generate Manufacturing Routes and Process Planning

This paper presents a methodology to generate manufacturing routes and operations using rules of precedence to provide logical approach in their dimensioning and chaining. The rules of precedence order and prioritize the knowledge of various manufacturing processes, taking into account the theories of machining, forging, assembly, and heat treatments; also, utilizes the theories of accumulation of tolerance and process capability, between others. The proposed methodology requires development of manufacturing data bases of manufacturing process , tolerances and capabilities, deviations of the machine tool cutting tool fixture device and work piece . The rules of precedence make viable the generation of manufacturing routings and operations, through the usage of structured knowledge, instead of tacit one .This approach allows the structured development of manufacturing routes, which can be deployed to engineers working in the areas of manufacturing engineering.