ORIGINAL

ARTICLE Implementation of a standard work routine using

Lean Manufacturing tools: A case Study
Implantação de uma rotina padrão de trabalho utilizando as
ferramentas da Manufatura Enxuta: Estudo de Caso
Diego Michael Cornelius dos Santos1* , Bruna Karine dos Santos2 ,
César Gabriel dos Santos3 
1
Universidade Federal de Santa Maria – Mestrando em Engenharia Mecânica. Avenida Roraima, 1000, Santa Maria
- RS Brasil, CEP: 97105-900. E-mail: diego.mdossantos@hotmail.com
2
Universidade Federal de Santa Maria – Mestranda em Engenharia Agrícola. Avenida Roraima, 1000, Santa Maria -
RS Brasil, CEP: 97105-900. E-mail: bksantos09@gmail.com
3
Universidade Federal de Santa Maria - Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica, Centro de Tecnologia – CT.
Avenida Roraima, 1000, Santa Maria - RS Brasil, CEP: 97105-900. E-mail: cesar.g.santos@ufsm.br

How to cite: Santos, D. M. C., Santos, B. K., & Santos, C. G. (2021). Implementation of a standard
work routine using Lean Manufacturing tools: A case Study. Gestão & Produção, 28(1), e4823.
https://doi.org/10.1590/0104-530X4823-20.

Abstract: Due to technological advances, trade politicies and society's consumption patterns,
competitiveness among companies has increased considerably, requiring practices that provide
a constant improvement in production indicators and product quality. In this context, the use of
Toyota Production System tools, also known as Lean Manufacturing, have a fundamental role in
the elimination of waste and continuous improvement of industrial production levels. Thus, this
work aims to implement a standardized work routine among employees working in a market of
parts in an Agricultural Machinery industry, which lacks production methods. To represent this
situation, real data were used, which correspond to the needs of the assembly line, and which
served as the basis for the analysis and implementation of a new work routine. The results
obtained enabled the creation of a standardized work routine, which was obtained by balancing
activities between operators and eliminating activities that did not add value to the product.
Keywords: Takt time; Standardized work; Productivity; Lean manufacturing; Yamazumi board.

Resumo: Devido aos avanços tecnológicos, políticas de comércio e padrões de consumo da

sociedade, a competitividade entre as empresas vem aumentando consideravelmente, exigindo
práticas que proporcionem uma melhoria constante nos indicadores de produção e na qualidade
dos produtos. Neste contexto, a utilização das ferramentas do Sistema Toyota de Produção,
também conhecido como Lean Manufacturing, possuem papel fundamental para a eliminação
de desperdícios e melhoria continua dos níveis de produção industrial. Desta maneira, este
trabalho tem como objetivo implementar uma rotina padronizada de trabalho entre os
colaboradores que atuam em um mercado de peças de uma indústria de Máquinas Agrícolas, a
qual carece de métodos produtivos. Para representar esta situação, foram utilizados dados reais,
os quais correspondem a necessidade da linha de produção, e que serviram de base para a
análise e implementação de uma nova rotina de trabalho. Os resultados obtidos possibilitaram a
criação de uma rotina de trabalho padronizada, a qual foi obtida através do balanceamento das
atividades entre os operadores e eliminação de atividades que não agregavam valor ao produto.
Palavras-chave: Takt time; Trabalho padronizado; Produtividade; Lean manufacturing;
Yamazumi board.

Received May 08, 2018 - Accepted Nov. 14, 2019

Financial support: none.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Implementation of a standard work routine...

1 Introduction
With the growing competitiveness among organizations because of technological
advancements, trade policies and consumption patterns, the employment of practices
that enable the continuous improvement of production indicators becomes a differential
for organizations. However, many companies end up not having an adequate control
of the activities performed during their production process. In this scenario,
organizations searching for a differential in face of their competitors are constantly
focused in reducing costs, improving their products’ quality whilst increasing their
productivity with focus on meeting their clients’ needs.
Lean Manufacturing system, also known as Toyota Production System, positively
revolutionized automobile industry in Japan during the 1950’s. The practices defended
by Toyota System Production have been adopted by the most varied industrial
branches around the world. This Production System is based on the elimination of
waste to improve production levels in companies. To enable the elimination of waste,
specific tools are used in order to manage processes and other activities performed
inside the company (Liker & Meier, 2007).
In this context, this article aims at implementing a standard work routine through the
use of Lean Manufacturing tools, searching to optimize the distribution of activities
among operators in the Logistics Sector of an agricultural machinery manufacturing
company.

2 Literature review
The literature review approaches concepts and theories relating to the company’s
goals. Fundamental concepts such as Lean Manufacturing, Takt Time, Value Stream
Mapping, and Standardized Work. These are fundamental concepts to apply Lean
Manufacturing methodology in an industrial environment.

2.1 Lean manufacturing

In the aftermath of World War II, Japan found itself with scarce resources, domestic
market was limited and the country’s economy was ruined, detaining the manufacture
based on elevated productive levels (Womack et al., 1992). Toyota Production System
(TPS), in this sense, arose form the need to produce a large range of product models
but in a reduced quantity (Collatto et al., 2016).
Aiming to enhance industrial manufacture levels, Lean Manufacturing focus on
eliminating eight kinds of waste that do not add value to the production process and
that must be avoided throughout the development of products in a lean process: i)
Overproduction; ii) Time on hand; iii) Transportation; iv) Processing itself; v) Excess
inventory; vi) Unnecessary movement; vii) Defective products; viii) Underutilization of
workers’ creativity. For these wastes to be eliminated or considerably reduced, Lean
Manufacturing provides several tools that enable the management and the visualization
of the processes and the activities, such as: 5s, Poka-yoke, Kanban, Operator Balance
Chart, Value Stream Mapping, Standardized Work, among others (Liker & Meier, 2007)
The implementation of Lean Manufacturing System allows for a process to be
carried out using fewer materials and demanding fewer investments. This enables a
decrease in the inventory levels by consuming less space and with the use of fewer
human resources. Thus, in this production system, workflow becomes more

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predictable, reducing levels of uncertainty and disorder, establishing trust,

convenience, and tranquility for all parties involved in the process (Wilson, 2010).
By implementing the concepts of lean manufacturing, it is possible to reduce the
cycle duration of internal industrial processes through shifts in work methods. With this,
deliveries are done according to deadlines defined, enhancing the components’ quality
and increasing trust in the supplier-client relationship, with the former being seen as
partners (Bartz et al., 2013).
Lean Manufacturing has as a main feature the elimination of waste. This
consequently leads to reducing costs, allowing the company to improve assessment
methods that may result in monetary gains with its implementation in different areas of
the company (Walter & Tubino, 2013).
Besides the enhancement in production, a lean manufacture enables to organize
and manage relationships between clients and suppliers in an optimized manner,
allowing a diversified production, with quality, and a low level of stocks faced with the
fluctuations of market demand (Santos & Alves, 2015).

2.2 Takt time

As cited by Iwayama (1997), Takt Time is about the time calculated for the
production of a part or a whole product. It can be applied for a work cell or even for an
assembly line. Therefore, Takt Time cannot be treated as absolute data, but it is
determined based on the available work time and the units to be produced. It can be
understood, following this, that Takt Time informs the time slots necessary to
manufacture a product in each manufacture process. In other words, the time slot in
which the product must be processed.
Takt Time may be defined based on the market demand and the time available for
production, that is, it is about the pace of production necessary to answer the demand.
It is the result of the ratio of work time available by slot and the number of units for
production, as it can be seen in Equation 1 (Alvarez & Antunes, 2001).

work time available by shift ( minutes )
TAKT TIME =   (1)
units to be produced ( machines )

If each process exceeds Takt time, the results are scarcity of products; but if it faster,
there will be an oversupply. When Takt Time is correctly observed, both activities in the
work stations flow in the same pace, only producing the number of parts that were
demanded for (Imai, 2014).

2.3 Operator Balance Chart (OBC)

The production balance is one of the TPS pillars and its objective is to make the
operators involved in an activity to produce only the cessary amount of work to maintain
the pace of the assembly line, not causing delays in production. In other words,
production processes must be organized so that only the necessary quantity in the
necessary timing is produced (Shingo, 1996).
In this context, Operator Balance Chart, also known as Yamazumi Board, is a
graphic tool that helps to create a continuous flow in a process with multiple stages and

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several operators, distributing activities among operators according to Takt Time. As it

is illustrated in Figure 1, vertical bars are used to indicate the quantity of work that must
be performed by each operator. Each bar is formed by small bars proportional to the
time of each activity (Lean Enterprise Institute, 2003).

Figure 1. Model of Operator Balance Chart.

Source: Adapted from Rother & Shook, 2003.

According to Peinado & Graeml (2007) and Slack et al. (2002), processes hardly
present the same volume of work employed in each work station, that is, operations
are not in perfect balance. This means that in a specific part of the production process,
there will be a slower operation, and it will determine the production speed in all of the
assembly line. This slower operation is called a bottleneck.
For Wilson (2010), the implementation of the Operator Balance Chart enables the
visualization of important information on the analyzed process, such as:
• Waste of time: the vertical distance of the Takt Time line in relation to time
cycle of the work station represents waiting time, that is, time wasted in this
work station.
• Degree of balance reached: comparing the height of the bars, the
balance/imbalance of the process may be observed and, later, the balance
between operations can be enhanced through the task redistribution.
• Process bottleneck: in case the higher bar exceeds the Takt Time line, it is
indicating which of the operators is under overload, causing delays and even
stops in the process.
According to Sabadka et al. (2017), Yamazumi board consists of an ideal tool to
enhance productivity in an industrial environment, because its implementation is able
to significantly reduce the production time, enhancing the efficiency of the operator and
enabling the balance among the assembly cells.

Standardized work
Standardized work establishes precise work procedures for each of the operators
in a production process based on three elements: Takt Time, the work sequence, and
the standard inventory (Lean Enterprise Institute, 2003).
The Work Standards Sheet contains work elements in sequence of operation,
monitoring the length of each activity. As a reference, one has the Takt Time line which
represents the limit time in which activities must be performed, as it can be seen in
Figure 2.

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Figure 2. Model of Work Standards Sheet.

Source: Adapted from Lean Enterprise Institute (2003).

The work standards sheet is a tool for analysis that can be considered as set of
instructions for the operator in which it is possible to analyze and understand losses in
each operation. The use of this tool will provide information referring to the balanced
workflow during the creation of a continuous flow. As a tool for analysis, Standardized
Work will help employees identifying movements (walking, arriving) and waiting times
(when the work cycle is below Takt Time) (Liker & Meier, 2007).
In this context, Wilson (2010) adds that standardized work is a fundamental tool in
the assessment and the assistance of the synchronized production process, used to
review performance of the process, including its cycle time.
By means of implementing this tool, it is possible to distribute workloads in Takt
Time, meeting the client’s demand without the necessity of extra hours. If work
elements of one or more operators exceed Takt Time, it is possible to transfer these
elements for other operators, distributing activities in a balanced way. With the
reduction of the workload following Takt Time, it is possible to eliminate idleness and
waste in waiting time (Kishida et al., 2006).

2.4 Value Stream Mapping (VSM)

Movements by operators can be classified as operation and loss. The loss consists
of any activity that does not contribute to the operations, such as waiting, accumulation
of semi-processed parts, reloading etc. Operations can be divided in operations that do
add value and the ones that do not. For example, among the ones that do not add
value: walking, unnecessary movements with the material, unpacking parts coming
from suppliers etc. As for the operations that add value, they really transform the raw
material or service, modifying its form or quality (Shingo, 1996).
A value stream represents the necessary actions to locate a product in all essential
streams for its complete manufacture, even if this action adds value or not to the final
product. Therefore, value stream mapping helps in visualizing and understanding the
stream of materials and information as the products follow their stream. In other words,
in this stage, the production track of a specific product must be monitored from its
beginning to the end, through a visual representation of each process in the stream of
materials and information (Rother & Shook, 2003).
Value Stream Mappings offer a simplified language of the whole process and enable
understanding in a manner that allows every party involved to have the same shared
view of wastes. The current Value Stream Mapping must show processes and the
stream of material from one process to the other. It is possible, with it, to observe waste
and possible areas that may be enhanced. In other words, the purpose of the current
value stream mapping is to understand the nature of processes in a manner that allows
for a future value stream mapping to be created (Liker & Meier, 2007).

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Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is a technique originally developed by Toyota and

later popularized in the book “Learning to See”, written by Rother and Shook in 1998.
VSM enables the visualization, analysis, reduction and complete elimination of waste.
This tool, then, aims at enhancing processes, eliminating or reducing operations that
do not add value to the final product (Wilson, 2010). For it to occur, the Value Stream
Mapping illustrating the current situation must be carried out and, afterwards, a Future
Value Stream Mapping can be made, as it is illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Operation system of Value Stream Mapping.

Source: Adapted from Rother & Shook (2003).

Total Value Stream comprehends all sectors of the company, from negotiations with
suppliers to the delivery of the product to clients. However, as it is illustrated in Figure 4,
this article will approach the implementation of Lean Manufacture in the Logistics area,
specifically focusing in a market of parts.

Figure 4. Site of VSM implementation.

Source: Adapted from Rother & Shook, (2003).

The implementation of the proposed model in the company’s supply chain may
result in the enhancement of performance indicators, even within a brief time since it
begins. The proposed model maximizes advantages of the systems under study at the
same time that it minimizes their limitations, resulting in the accomplishment of
managers’ needs in the search for success in their companies (Santos & Alves, 2015).

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3. METHODOLOGY
The work was carried out in the logistics area of an agricultural machinery industry
located in the northwestern region of the Rio Grande do Sul state. The logistical activities
of this company are based on the input of material (Figure 5a) and the supply of parts to
the assembly line via restocking boxes that are later returned empty from the assembly
line (Figure 5b). After the boxes are loaded, stock routes are carried out in a way that
answer the assembly line without causing any supply problems in workstations.

Figure 5. Receiving material.

Source: Authors.

The material is received in pallets of KLT boxes (Klein Lagerung und Transport or
Conditioning and Transportation of Small Components). In accordance to Figure 5b,
KLT boxes allow for a higher volumetric capacity in the transportation of parts. Bin
boxes, on the right side of Figure 5b, present lower volumetric capacity than KLT boxes,
and both are used to restock the assembly line.
The starting point to carry out this work was the full compliance with the demands
of the assembly line which must always be taken in consideration in the standardized
work of the activities. In case the demands are revised, shifts in the activities among
operators are necessary. In the case in point, the client (the assembly line) has two
specific needs: payment routes in defined hours and the supply of boxes according to
the needs of the assembly line.
Through the bibliographical research in books, theses, and scientific papers, tools
to be used in this work were defined: Value Stream Mapping, Operator Balance Chart,
and Work Standards Sheet.
In this manner, the work was divided in six stages among which the following can be
highlighted: data collection of activities performed by each operator, VSM, Takt Time calculus,
the balancing of activities and the implementation of a standard work routine for each operator.

1st Stage: Design of the current status

In order to carry out the VSM, the mapping of activities performed by operators was
held. These activities are necessary to guarantee the supply of the assembly line. The
mapping was represented as a flowchart, observing the order in which activities were
performed by operators, aiming to guarantee that the process of payment of the parts
is performed according to the clients’ necessities.

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2nd Stage: Data Collection

As all activities are directly linked to storage and restocking of boxes that are
returned from the assembly line, this stage aims to determine the average time for each
box. To do so, each operator had all their activities timed throughout five days. This
procedure allowed to determine the average time per box, destined to receiving,
restocking and sending of boxes that return empty from the assembly line. A digital
stopwatch of the brand Vollo was used to collect data referring to the time of each
operator (three operators) throughout five days.
Data collected throughout five days were organized in a standard table in order to
obtain the average time for each box, as Table 1 shows.

Table 1. Model table of collected times.

Day Quantity Time Mean Day Quantity Time Mean

Activity X Activity Y
1 133 126.50 0.951 1 103 215.92 2.096
2 97 92.98 0.959 2 83 168.48 2.030
3 199 189.05 0.950 3 104 215.53 2.072
4 177 165.20 0.933 4 66 141.15 2.139
5 254 240.28 0.946 5 94 198.15 2.108
Source: Authors.

Column ‘day’ refers to the weekday in which data were collected, with 1 referring to
Monday and 5 to Friday. Column ‘quantity’ refers to the number of boxes that must be
restocked and sent again to the assembly line. Time is presented in minutes and it
refers to the necessary timing for an activity to be concluded. Arithmetical mean is the
ratio of time and the quantity of boxes (minutes per box).

3rd Stage: Definition of Takt Time

In this stage, Takt Time was defined using the Equation 1. The quantity of machines
manufactured per day in the assembly line (three machines) and the time available per
shift (150 minutes) was considered for the calculus.

4th Stage: Preparation of the Operator Balance Chart

To distribute activities among operators in a balanced way, the Operator Balance
Chart was prepared in an electronic spreadsheet. Its development was carried out with
data obtained on the second stage. In this kind of chart, Takt time, calculated in the
third stage, is also used; it indicates the limit-time necessary to finish activities.

5th Stage: Design of the future status

After observing and analyzing the current status, it is possible to eliminate activities
that do not add value to the product or eliminate idleness in the process that may occur
throughout the performed activities. The future status is represented by a flowchart.

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6th Stage: Developing the Work Standards Sheet per operator

The last stage consisted in creating a Work Standards Sheet for each operator
based on the distribution of activities approached in the 4th stage. This stage aims to
eliminate the waste in waiting time in order to create a standard work routine, focusing
always on the specific restocking of the assembly line.

4 Results and discussion

In the first stage of the work, mapping of the activities performed by the employees
was carried out. These activities consist on receiving and storing material, separating
and stocking empty boxes, and developing payment routes in the assembly line, as it
is illustrated by Figure 6.

Figure 6. Current Value Stream Mapping.

Source: Authors.

Throughout one week (five working days), data were collected referring to the timing
of each activity developed in order to guarantee the supply of the production line. In the
data collection, day 1 refers to Monday and day 5 to Friday, as it can be seen in Table 2.

Table 2. Times collected during five days.

(seconds)

(seconds)

(seconds)

(seconds)
Quantity

Quantity

Quantity

Quantity
quantity

quantity

quantity

quantity
Time /

Time /

Time /

Time /
(unit)

(unit)

(unit)

(unit)
Time

Time

Time

Time
Day

Day

Day

Day

Bin A boxes Bin B boxes KLT A boxes KLT B boxes

1 133 7590 57.1 1 93 12955 139.3 1 39 2779 71.3 1 50 3353 67.1
2 97 5579 57.5 2 105 10109 96.3 2 76 5654 74.4 2 62 3918 63.2
3 199 11343 57.0 3 94 12932 137.6 3 63 4406 69.9 3 58 4014 69.2
4 177 9912 56.0 4 72 8469 117.6 4 21 1443 68.7 4 44 3276 74.5
5 254 14417 56.8 5 83 11889 143.2 5 71 5024 70.8 5 65 4418 68.0
Receiving Restocking Supply route
1 300 9360 31.2 1 29 2538 87.5 1 3 15354 5118
2 282 11208 39.7 2 22 1516 68.9 2 3 13104 4368
3 252 12480 49.5 3 27 2164 80.2 3 3 14868 4956
4 180 7032 39.1 4 30 2100 70.0 4 3 13554 4518
5 228 9028 39.6 5 33 2086 63.2 5 3 12726 4242
Source: Authors.

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For the data collection, each operator developed their activities according to their
daily work routine. That allowed for the identification of the time that it took the operator
to finish up their activities. At the end of each day, the amount of work performed in a
determinate period of each activity performed was obtained. As it is shown in Table 2,
the amount of work presented constant oscillations among the number of boxes for
each week day. Therefore, the week average was used as a standard time for each
activity.
When finishing the work shift and the data collection of the week, it was possible to
calculate the arithmetical means of the weekly time for each activity, as it is approached
in Table 3.

Table 3. Mean of collected times.

Daily quantity Average time Time/box Quantity per

Activities
(units) (minutes) (minutes) Takt time
Bin A boxes 172 162.80 0.95 58
Bin B boxes 89 187.85 2.10 30
KLT A boxes 54 64.35 1.19 18
KLT B boxes 56 63.27 1.13 19
Receiving 248 163.69 0.66 83
Restocking 28 34.68 1.23 10
Payment route A 3 232.02 77.34 1
Source: Authors.

The averages of time related to the supply of four kinds of boxes (Bin A, Bin B, Klt
A, Klt B) correspond to the necessary time to carry out the supply of an empty box and
its load in the tow. In the case of reception, average time represents the storage of only
one box in its correct place in the market. As for replenishment, average time is linked
to the separation of one part and its shipment to dispatch. Time related to routes of
payment correspond to the average time that it takes the operator to carry the last box
restocked in dispatch until its return to the market of parts, after the supply of parts in
the assembly line.

Figure 7- Data collection: boxes that return empty from the assembly line.
Source: Authors.

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According to the data presented in Table 2, the number of boxes that returned from
the assembly line presented constant variations, even if the number of machines
manufactured daily in the assembly line was kept at three machines per day. It is
evident by this that the lack of standardized work in this logistics sector affected the
pace of the assembly line directly because the boxes were not delivered in the right
moment. As it can be seen in Figure 7, there was a variation of 157 Bin A boxes
between Tuesday and Friday. The other kinds of boxes also presented considerable
variations throughout the week. With this information it was possible to calculate the
rate of variation for each type of box throughout five days, with the results of 31,44%
for Bin A boxes and 12,47% for Bin B boxes. KLT A and KLT B boxes presented a rate
of variation of 38,56% and 16,46%, respectively.
The company defined that a route of payment to each machine leaving the
assembly line should be carried out. To calculate Takt Time, where the demand to be
met by the assembly line was of three routes per day, it is necessary to know the work
time available. The shift begins at 7:30 and ends at 17:30. It allows 1 hour of lunch
break and 15 minutes of snack break in the morning shift and other 15 minutes in the
afternoon shift. This way, the time available per shift is of 510 minutes. With this
information, it is possible to calculate Takt Time, according to the resolution below:

510 minutes
Takt Time
= = 170 minutes / route
3 routes

Based on the Takt Time concept by Iwayama (1997), routes of payment must occur
every 170 minutes, guaranteeing that the payment of parts keeps the pace of the
assembly line.
The Operator Balance Chart, illustrated in Figure 8, enabled the division of work
load in a similar way among operators, making evident the fact that three people are
enough to meet the pace of the assembly line. The sum of activities is below takt time.
With this, it is expected that each operator performs their activities in an isolated
manner in the production cycle, where each one will perform according the time
available for the activities.

Figure 8 – Operator Balance Chart

Source: Authors.

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With the current Value Stream Mapping, it was possible to analyze the activities
separately, enabling idle activities or reducing idleness of the employees, as it can be
seen in Figure 9.

Figure 9. Future Value Stream Mapping.

Source: Authors.

As Figure 9 shows, it was possible to eliminate two stages in the process. The stage
“separate full boxes” functions as follows: after they are full, boxes are placed below a
mezzanine where they are later separated in the dispatch, according to work stations
in the assembly line. In the future process, after boxes are replenished, they will be
carried directly in the dispatch, avoiding, thus, the transshipment in the mezzanine.
The second stage eliminated, “separate boxes according to the location in the
warehouse” will be performed at the moment boxes are taken from the assembly line.
In the current process, empty boxes are placed disorderly in the dispatch and separated
only after they arrive in the warehouse. This way, in this phase of the work, it was
possible to eliminate two activities that did not add value to the production cycle.
The standardized work flow among operators, shown in Figure 10, was
implemented based on information from the operator balance chart.

Figure 10. Work standards sheet among Operators.

Source: Authors.

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The workday begins at 7:30 a.m. when every employee starts their activities, always
considering the time for dedication to each operation. Operator 1 will begin their work
routine with the route of payment in the assembly line. After finishing their route, they
will perform the replenishment of KLT “A”, in sequence, replenishment of Bin “A” boxes
must be concluded. Operator 2 begins their shift, receiving material and will have as
next activity the stocking of Bin “B” boxes. Operator 3 also begins their activities with
focus on receiving the material. Later, stocking of KLT B boxes is performed and, finally,
the separation of items of replenishment.
It is object of verification that when Operator 1 performs the payment route, other
operators are focused in receiving material. Once the route is completed, all boxes that
returned from the assembly line are restocked and will return full to the assembly line,
in the next payment route. This work routine will be repeated three times daily if there
is no change in the demand by the assembly line.
If case of any changes in the client’s demand, values in the electronic spreadsheet
may be altered at any moment so that a new operator balance chart or a new work
standards sheet is organized.
After the definition of tools to be used and which stages would be approached, a
one-week training was carried with operators aiming at the use of the tools
implemented in this work. In the first day, operators were presented to basic
fundamentals of lean manufacturing and how this methodology could enhance the
performance of their daily routines by optimizing time and organizing activities. They
were also instructed about the tools revised in the literature review and each operator
received a work map and specific times in which activities should be performed. At this
point, it is important to highlight that the first reaction by operators was of doubt,
because they didn’t believe the implementation of these tools would be able to optimize
time and allow activities to be performed in a more dynamic and organized manner.
Throughout the whole of the first week, doubts that came up were properly clarified so
that the activity could be performed according to the plan from then on.
After the training period, activities continued to be monitored so that possible
improvements of the new work maps could be identified. As it can be observed in
Figure 11, the implementation of this work provided a decrease on the oscillation in
number of boxes that returned empty form the assembly line, in comparison to Figure 7.

Figure 11. Week after train and implementation of tools.

Source: Authors.

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This result is confirmed by the decrease of the coefficient of variation among the
boxes. Bin A boxes presented a coefficient of variation of 7,4% while Bin B boxes
presented 4,4%. KLT A boxes presented 14,6% variation and KLT B presented a
coefficient of variation of 12,9%. With this, it was possible to guarantee the demands
of the assembly line consistently and in a standard manner, carrying out payment of
parts according to the necessary demand, so that the daily assembly of three machines
was kept without any delays in sending boxes to the assembly line.

5. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
The implementation of the Lean Manufacturing system made evident the
importance of this production system. It can be followed in several sectors of the
company as well as in any area of the industry, enabling the continuous enhancement
of productions processes.
With the Value Stream Mapping, it was possible to eliminate two operations that did
not add value to the product. The sum of time of both eliminated activities was around
8 seconds per box. As the daily average of boxes returned from the assembly line is
around 371 boxes, total time gained with the elimination of both activities was of
49,5 minutes per day. Time gained per month corresponds to around 18 hours.
Data collection enabled the definition of average time for each activity, based on
boxes that return empty from the assembly line and in the quantity of material received
in the warehouse. These quantities may suffer alterations according to the seasonality
or because of changes in the clients’ necessities. This way, with the information raised
in this work, if there is any change in the assembly line, it is enough that values of input
for each activity are changed. Instantly, the operator balance chart will show the current
status of the process.
To control the pace within which activities should be performed, in order to
guarantee full accomplishment in the assembly line, Takt Time and the operator
balance chart were important to indicate when routes should be carried out and the
definition of which activities each operator must perform.
The work standards sheet provided more harmony among operators throughout the
development of their activities. In each operator’s activity it is necessary that routes are
sent to the assembly line in the right moment and with the right number of stocked
boxes, avoiding supply problems.
Before carrying out this work, activities were performed disorderly, without any
standard. This generated constant bottlenecks in the area of reception and supply. With
this work, it was possible to indicate standards for activities developed and the times of
performance for each activity.
According to coefficients of variation calculated, alterations for the number of boxes
that returned empty from the line decreased in about 24% of Bin A boxes while the
variation rate in Bin B boxes reduced in 8,07%. For the cases of KLT A and KLT B
boxes, their decrease was of 23,96% and 3,56%, respectively. This way, it is evident
that there was a development of standardization and stability in the process as well as
enhancement in the continuous flow of materials, and more speed and quality when
meeting the needs of the assembly line.
Last, it is important to emphasize that, after the training week, with activities now
performed according to the new work procedures, operators were surprised because
the supply of the assembly line was organized and without any delays. In the operators’
view before the implementation of this work, full supply of the assembly would only be

14/15 Gestão & Produção, 28(1), e4823, 2021

 Implementation of a standard work routine...

possible by contracting another employee. However, this implementation shows that

before hiring new staff, processes must be correctly controlled and organized in order
to check whether new staff is really necessary.

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