Kanban-driven parts feeding within a semiautomated O-shaped assembly line: a case study in the automotive industry

Manufacturing firms aim at improving both internal and external processes through some Lean Production techniques, like pull production and Kanban. In some case these techniques may have to be implemented within specific constraints related to a specific layout configuration, like the case of closed loop (O-shaped) line layout. The work aims to introduce a new concept of Kanban implementation for an O-Shaped assembly line, providing insights on i) the impact of lean principles application on O-shaped layouts; ii) operative solutions related to the logistic limits of these types of assembly lines; iii) how kanban technique can be adapted to an O-shaped layout. The research methodology is based on Action Research, conducted within a semi-automated assembly line for automotive components. The main findings are related to a new conception of decoupled kanban, with a new kanban dimensioning approach and a parts’ feeding system realized with a line supermarket. The outcomes are assessed through an extensive benchmarking analysis between the as-is state and the new configuration.