`05 Cost Event - Lean Manufacturing

[Gabriel Descamps]

We were pretty sure we had everything covered regarding the manufacturing process of the requested parts, however, after we´d made our presentation and answered the judges´ questions, a third judge came in asking about lean manufacturing. Was this on the rules and the possible questions? I can´t recall reading that anywhere, maybe we just didn´t see it.

[Blake_DFSAE]

I'm not sure lean manufacturing has anything to do with Formula SAE. It's more of a mass production type thing.

[Garlic]

They asked about Lean Manufacturing every year I did FSAE. I think it was in the rulebook at one time. It's not in the list of items for manufacturing, but it is mentioned as one of the topics for the Cost event.

[Dave M]

lean manufacturing may not be in the rules, but it has everything to do with fsae. Its not just mass production. Its mainly about not scrapping ANY parts. Any respectable manufacturing program uses lean manufacturing.

[Michael Jones]

Lean principles have been part of the cost report presentation every year since 2001 at least, when it was a formal written requirement of the cost report. They've since dumped the written part, but still hold to the questions.

Certainly having someone about who knows lean system principles helps. It's something a relatively intelligent management-oriented person can take care of with a little effort. That's all I was.

I agree though that the concept it of limited application in how FSAE cars are actually built; it is a somewhat academic exercise of how you would apply lean concepts to FSAE (waste reduction being one of the concepts, but not the only one...)

In doing so, you find it's not as irrelevant as you might initially think - although equally not as formally applied as such principles would be applied in larger industrial contexts.

[Jersey Tom]

.. who is Mike Jones? Sorry, couldn't help it.

In the actual build of our FSAE car, its obviously way more of a hand-crafted thing than anything. You just cannot realistically design and build your car for true lean manufacturing and DFMA. Take the suspension and wheel assembly, realistically not a single component of that would be machined or welded (other than spot/finish machining). I'd drop forge most everything, use castings, screw machined parts.. Just too expensive for us to do.

However, you can go a LONG way in making your manufacturing process go smoother by going lean in some areas and really focusing on DFM for every part on your car.

Beyond that, JIT manufacturing isn't a mass production thing. Its the evolution away from that. And in my opinion, if you want to be competitive in design and manufacturing engineering, you NEED to know and have practical experience with the realities of DFM and JIT mfg. Its good practice.

[raska]

Originally posted by Blake_DFSAE:
I'm not sure lean manufacturing has anything to do with Formula SAE. It's more of a mass production type thing.

Hey Blake, good to see you here, but it does have something to do with FSAE cars, since you are supposed to be considering making the cars on a bigger scale.

Appendix A-6 of the rules:

"MANUFACTURABILITY (0-10) - Can 1000 units per year be economically produced? Was
manufacturing and ease of assembly a major consideration?"

[Blake_DFSAE]

Originally posted by raska:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Blake_DFSAE:
I'm not sure lean manufacturing has anything to do with Formula SAE. It's more of a mass production type thing.

Hey Blake, good to see you here, but it does have something to do with FSAE cars, since you are supposed to be considering making the cars on a bigger scale.

Appendix A-6 of the rules:

"MANUFACTURABILITY (0-10) - Can 1000 units per year be economically produced? Was
manufacturing and ease of assembly a major consideration?" </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

What up raska?

And I hadn't read that part...my work term company was huge on lean, hardcore about scrap reduction.

[JR @ CFS]

I think this topic relates to another one running currently on Cost reports. There is a difference between the way in which you actually manufactured the car and the way in which you would do it if you were producing 1000 units. Would I be correct in assuming this is the way the cost report works...I haven't studied the rules too closely on it! http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[CMURacing - Prometheus]

4.3.4

The cost report must be reflective of the prototype vehicle that the team has
brought to the competition.

4.3.4.1.D
The cost report must...
Be based on the actual manufacturing technique used on the
prototype, e.g. cast parts on the prototype should be cost as cast, and
fabricated parts as fabricated, etc.

[JR @ CFS]

ah ha...still, nice little word in there..."reflective"