The “Bright Light” Company is a well-known and reputed flash light manufacturing company. The company was producing two types of flash lights originally: ï‚· Long Body- 3 x 1.5V C batteries with aluminium alloy body ï‚· Short Body - 2 x 1.5V C batteries with aluminium alloy body. The company manufactures all the parts for their flash lights except bulbs and batteries. They have a permanent contract with a battery manufacturer and a bulb manufacturer. After a very successful 50 years of operation, the newly appointed director has decided to expand the company’s present manufacturing capacity by 100% to meet the increased demand of their flash lights. Further, a new plastic bodied “Dolphin Type” 6V Battery heavy duty flash light line was commissioned. Quick major changes were done over a 12 months period to increase the capacity, as follows: ï‚· Commissioned a few more metal fabrication units to double the production of aluminium bodies. ï‚· Extended the assembly plant with steel/aluminium structure ï‚· Increased the labour force in two assembly lines and recruited workers for new Dolphin Line. ï‚· Selected two more suppliers for bulbs and batteries ï‚· Selected two plastic bodies manufactures for the newly established “Dolphin Line”. Notable instructions from the Directors for the expansion process have been given, since the director board is under the impression that some of the present facilities are under used: ï‚· No expansion of Administration, Supplies Departments and the Storage Facilities ï‚· No expansion of sales department ï‚· No automation needed in the factory floor. Use the existing manufacturing/assembly method in all three lines. MEC3204 Production Engineering S2, 2015 2 Within 2 years of operation after it’s expansion (at the moment), the company has suffered a large trade union action mostly due to: ï‚· irregular working hours assigned to them depending on the demand (output), ï‚· salary cuts for idling time due to the shortage of parts in assembly lines ï‚· substandard facilities Further, the company’s strong reputation on their products such as durability, the robustness and quality is tarnished. A continuous supply of flash lights to defence industry is on hold due to regular failure of quality tests and delays in supplies. The Director was blamed for the cause of this big blow and a consultancy firm was appointed to provide a crash report on urgent and long term corrective actions needed to put company back into its normal stand. The recommendations were to apply new technologies i.e. “Kanban”, “JIT” and “TQM”. The report insisted to invest on factory floor/storage modernization and better facilities for workers. However, the report does not recommend any reduction or increase of the number of factory floor workers but improvements in, admin, supply and sales departments. Your Task: Assume that the company hires you as a consultant to “Production Manager/Board of Directors” to apply the recommendations as early as possible. Describe your strategies in implementations of the recommendation not more than four A4 pages. You need to show: 1. Understanding of the problems 2. The critical points need to address and the priorities 3. Systematic approach to implement “Kanban”, “JIT” and “TQM” methods in to the organisation 4. Process of marinating the system for a required period until the next revision 5. What are the expected major outcomes of your process implementation You may use text and also relevant sketches in your report. You are required to give brief and concise descriptions and justifications of your approach in implementing those concepts and modernization. MEC3204 Production Engineering S2, 2015 3 Q2. (75 Marks) Write one A4 page abstract on your understanding of “Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM)” and related major components of a CIM environment (you may include sketches). Describe your approach to implement a CIM type environment to a world class apparel manufacturing company which has three major factories in three separate locations. Two of the factories are producing parts of apparels for their exclusive brands of ladies wear. The largest factory assembles the parts into the finished products and also has an embroidery line which embeds the company logo on the selected part of each apparel brand. However the company still operates majorly using man power with less automation. Your task: ï‚· Identify relevant major processes in an apparel factory. (you need a web survey). ï‚· List and prioritize the processes suitable for conversion to a CIM environment ï‚· Detail the process/techniques of final integration of three factories Prepare a concise and brief report in not more than two A4 pages with text, sketches, tables to describe your approach of conversion of apperal company’s operations in to a “CIM” environment.

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