Sandeep Grover

A digraph approach to TQM evaluation of an industry

Different total quality management (TQM) environments may be suggested to an organization for improving the quality of products, customer satisfaction, competitiveness and profitability by TQM experts. This paper identifies factors responsible for the TQM environment. All these factors are interacting with each other by different amounts. An attempt has been made to develop a mathematical model of the TQM environment from these interacting factors using a graph theoretic approach. In the graph theoretic model, a directed graph or digraph is used to represent abstract information of the system using directed edges, which is useful for visual analysis. The matrix model developed from the digraph is useful for computer processing. A permanent value of multinomial developed from the matrix represents the environment uniquely by a single number/index, which is useful for comparison, ranking and optimum selection. The method is quite flexible to accommodate new factors and market dynamics in global business in a bid to go for continuous improvement and breakthrough improvement in the environment, product, process and intellectual property rights (IPR).

An ISM approach for modelling the enablers in the implementation of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)

Total Productive maintenance (TPM) is increasingly implemented by many organizations to improve their equipment efficiency and to obtain the competitive advantage in the global market in terms of cost and quality. But, implementation of TPM is not an easy task. There are certain enablers, which help in the implementation of TPM. The utmost need is to analyse the behaviour of these enablers for their effective utilization in the implementation of TPM. The main objective of this paper is to understand the mutual interaction of these enablers and identify the ‘driving enablers’ (i.e. which influence the other enablers) and the ‘dependent enablers’ (i.e. which are influenced by others). In the present work, these enablers have been identified through the literature, their ranking is done by a questionnaire-based survey and interpretive structural modelling (ISM) approach has been utilized in analysing their mutual interaction. An ISM model has been prepared to identify some key enablers and their managerial implications in the implementation of TPM.

Analysis of barriers of total productive maintenance (TPM)

In the highly competitive environment, to be successful and to achieve world-class-manufacturing, organizations must possess both efficient maintenance and effective manufacturing strategies. A strategic approach to improve the performance of maintenance activities is to effectively adapt and implement strategic TPM initiatives in the manufacturing organizations. Total productive maintenance (TPM) is not easy to adopt and implement, due to presence of many barriers. The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyse these barriers. A questionnaire based survey was conducted to rank these barriers. The results of this survey and interpretive structural modelling approach have been used to model and analyse key barriers and drive managerial insights.

Applying fuzzy grey relational analysis for ranking the advanced manufacturing systems

Purpose – Advanced manufacturing system (AMS) offers opportunities for industries to improve their technology, flexibility and profitability through a highly efficient and focused approach to manufacturing effectiveness. Selecting a proper AMS is a complicated task for the managers as it involves large tangible and intangible selection attributes. Failure to take right decision in selecting proper AMS alternative may even lead industry to losses. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to rank the AMS alternatives by using fuzzy grey relational analysis, which will help managers when choosing an appropriate AMS.Design/methodology/approach – This research proposes a multi‐attribute decision‐making (MADM) method, fuzzy grey relational analysis (FGRA), for AMS selection. The methodology is explained as follows. AMS alternatives and selection attributes will be chosen. The qualitative attributes will be converted into quantitative using fuzzy conversion scale. Then these data will be pre‐processed to normali...

A graph theoretic approach to evaluate the intensity of barriers in the implementation of total productive maintenance (TPM)

Total productive maintenance (TPM) is an innovative approach to maintenance which holds the potential for enhancing effectiveness of production facilities. But, implementation of TPM is not an easy task. Innumerable barriers are encountered in real-life cases during TPM implementation. It is very essential to evaluate the nature and impact of these barriers so that production and maintenance managers can cultivate some strategies to overcome these barriers. In the present exertion, a graph theoretic approach has been applied to find the intensity of these barriers through an index which is computed through a permanent function obtained from the digraph of TPM barriers.

Decision making over the production system life cycle: MOORA method

Decisions in robust and flexible production systems are made in an environment often characterized by complexity, need for flexibility, and inclusion of a decision-maker’s subjectivity. Typically in production system life cycle, decisions on the product design, facility location, facility layout, supplier, material, technology, and so forth has to be made in an efficient and timely manner. These decisions are more complex as the decision makers have to assess a wide range of alternatives based on a set of conflicting criteria. In this paper, application of multi-objective optimization on the basis of ratio analysis approach is explored to solve such type of decision making problems. Moreover performance of the reference point approach is also tested for the considered decision making problems.

Selection of manufacturing process using graph theoretic approach

To manufacture a product, nowadays there are many methods available in the market to manufacture them and to earn more profits and best production which is the prime focus of any manufacturing industry, it is necessary to select only that type of manufacturing process which leads to more profits, less scraps, and reworks, faster production rate, good quality of production, employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, etc. So the aim of this paper is to judge the best manufacturing process among various manufacturing processes for manufacturing any product using graph theoretic approach. The graph theoretic approach reveals a single numerical index and accordingly it is possible to choose the best manufacturing process. To apply the graph theoretic approach the authors selected four factors namely: Quality, Cost, Technical Capability, and Production. Based on these factors and their co-factors a fish bone diagram is represented. While applying graph theoretic approach a digraph of the characteristics is drawn which represented the factors and co-factors affecting the selection of manufacturing process and further the interdependency of the factors as well as their inheritances has been identified and its representation in the matrix form has been used for the calculation of numerical index of the manufacturing process through its variable permanent quality function. The technique is applicable when there are more than options are available for manufacturing a product. An example is also shown in the last of the paper to understand the application of graph theoretic approach for the selection of best manufacturing process among three processes.

Manufacturing system’s effectiveness measurement by using combined approach of ANP and GTMA

Evaluating effectiveness of a manufacturing system is increasingly recognized as a tool for gaining competitive success. Today, lot of new manufacturing technologies are coming into the market. To build confidence of managers in adopting these new technologies, measurement of their effectiveness is must. So, developing a model on measurement of effectiveness for a manufacturing system will be significant from strategic management point of view. Manufacturing effectiveness factors from the literature and an expert questionnaire were utilized prior to building the effectiveness measurement model. To prioritize these, we used well known multi-attribute decision making (MADM) technique-Analytical Network Process (ANP). ANP allows interdependencies and feedback within and between clusters of factors. ANP is the generalized form of AHP. A group of experts were consulted to establish interrelations and to provide weightage for pairwise comparison. Outcome of the ANP is weighted comparison of the factors. A Manufacturing System Effectiveness Index (MSEI) is also calculated by using robust MADM technique-Graph Theoretic and Matrix Approach (GTMA). This index is a single numerical value and will help managers to benchmark the effectiveness of manufacturing system with their peers. A case study in three organisations is performed to demonstrate and validate the use of GTMA for calculation of MSEI. To the authors’ knowledge, this will be the first study which used combine approach of ANP and GTMA leading to single numerical index of effectiveness for a manufacturing system.

Production system life cycle: an inside story

The life cycle of production system depicts the progress of production system from the inception to the termination of system. This paper explores the different stages of production system life cycle with the view to introspect the decisions made in each stage along with their key consideration. Besides this, quality enabled factors have been identified in each stage of the production system life cycle, which will help in making the accurate decision in different stages of the production system life cycle. In each sub-system of production system, identification of major activities/sub-activities along with role of concerned department would help to analyse and manage the stages of production system in a better way.

Development and comparison of quality award: based on existing quality awards

The quality award programmes are applied worldwide. The various quality awards are the criteria for measuring performance excellence. They represent the framework for high-performance management system. In this paper the authors intend to (i) develop a quality award model based on commonalities among criteria of existing quality awards, (ii) develop interdependencies at system/sub system level and (iii) use inheritance and interdependencies to evaluate a numerical index for the developed model using graph theoretic approach. The framework incorporates the critical factors of quality evolution, which further implied for TQM implementation.