Group technology
| Group technology |
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Group technology involves using of typical processes for production of a set of similar products. This technology is a way of connecting production of little small batches of goods, in one larger group of production processes. Group technologies shall apply where part of the technological operations shows a resemblance to most of the technological operations performed during production.
Similar technology allows to "artificially" increase of length of production series. Thanks to this a reduction in unit costs is achieved while maintaining the flexibility. The basic step in creating group technology is to identify processes having technologically similar requirements. For each of the products production processes in developed. Some of them was performed previously and hence those processes will be fetched from the database of all processes (organizational knowledge base). Then managers develop matrix of operation in technological processes, and use method for grouping based on similarity of technology. Group technology allows to connect a lot of individual products in four groups of similar technology, which can be manufactured together due to the same technological operations.
Group technology in manufacturing
Where several products requires technological process having no matches with created groups then the items is produced separately or grouping criterion is changed. There is also the possibility of changes in the technological process of those parts to fit in the previously generated technology groups.
Main advantages of group technology:
- shortening the production cycle
- simplified planning and production control
- lower stocks
- increased efficiency of machinery and equipment.
References
- Harhalakis, G., Nagi, R., & Proth, J. M. (1990). An efficient heuristic in manufacturing cell formation for group technology applications. The International Journal of Production Research, 28(1), 185-198.
