REDUCING SETUP TIME IN THE PRODUCTION CHANGEOVER PROCESS FOR MODEL A: A CASE STUDY IN AN AUTOMOTIVE PARTS MANUFACTURING PLANT

Abstract

The objective of this study is to reduce the time required for the production model changeover process for Model A, a critical automotive component. Model A, which constitutes the vehicle floor, is produced in nine variants, each differing primarily in the placement of drilled holes. The existing process lacks equipment to assist with the changeover, and workers manually perform the changeover in the molds of stamping machines 3 and 4, taking 230 seconds and covering a distance of 73 meters. To improve this process, the researcher applied the ECRS (Eliminate, Combine, Rearrange and Simplify) theory and the 7 Wastes principles. Method 1 involved increasing the workforce and optimizing the walking route during the changeover, while Method 2 incorporated a PLC-based automation system. Post-improvement results show that Method 1 reduced the time to 200 seconds (a 13.04% reduction) and the distance to 53 meters (a 27.4% reduction). Method 2 resulted in a time reduction to 145 seconds (a 36.96% decrease) and a distance reduction to 3 meters (a 95.89% decrease).