A K-Chart based implementation framework to attain lean & agile manufacturing

Abstract

Lean manufacturing has always ensured production optimization by eliminating wastes, and its implementation has helped in improving the operational performance of the organization since it eliminates the bottlenecks from the processes, thus making them efficient. In lean scenarios, the focus is on “waste” elimination, but in agile manufacturing, the focus is on the ability of comprehension of changing market dynamics and the resilience. One of the major factors in the combined implementation of lean and agile approaches is inadequate planning, monitoring and lack of awareness regarding changing market trends, and this can be countered by utilizing the effective tool of K-Chart. Through a systematic literature review, the authors establish the requirement of effective planning and monitoring in the implementation of integrated lean and agile approach, concluding that K-Chart is a handy tool to adopt for their effective implementation. The result provides a new vision of lean implementation through K-Chart, whereas it provides clarity to practitioners by presenting a K-chart based implementation framework for achieving favourable results. Being a literature review the research work can be validated through a case study approach in future through a comparative analysis between various implementation techniques and K-Chart.

Keywords

• k-chart
• lean manufacturing
• agile manufacturing
• operational excellence