Significant Parameters of Labour Flexibility Contributing to Lean Manufacturing

In today’s highly competitive manufacturing industry, it is necessary to employ efficient processes and practices to contain cost of manufacture and move towards the attainment of lean manufacturing. Lean Manufacturing entails improving quality and quantity of products with reduced consumption of resources. It emphasizes on the performance of value added activities and continuous reduction in the non-value added work. Two main resources which contribute towards lean manufacturing are machinery and equipment and human resources. Machinery and equipment should be highly automated and computer controlled so as to manufacture a variety of products just by changing the computer programme and necessary tooling. Human resources should be flexible with multiple skills to efficiently run new age machinery and equipment and are also ready to change, unlearn old practices and learn new ways of work. Multiple skills, willingness to work on a variety of machines, taking charge of more than one major activity etc. are necessary to successfully achieve lean manufacturing status. This paper presents a study carried out in engineering industry to assess the status of manpower flexibility and its impact on lean manufacturing implementation. A survey was conducted using a specially designed questionnaire carrying multiple choice questions on various aspects of lean manufacturing and manpower flexibility involving multiple skills. From the analysis of the response, standing of each parameter of lean manufacturing and lean manufacturing were found out. The relationships between these parameters were determined from the coefficient of correction and significant parameters of manpower flexibility contributing to lean manufacturing were found out from regression analysis.