Milford manufacturer Precision Metal Products will construct its newest building addition in a layout to further the company’s commitment to cellular manufacturing.
“It is basically an elimination of waste,” said John Baloga, general manager for Precision.
Cellular manufacturing is a tool of lean manufacturing where companies increase efficiency by locating all the processes needed for one product stream in a close cell. As opposed to having machines spread out throughout a facility, cellular manufacturing eliminates the back-and-forth by having everything close together.
“Once you get these processes closer together, the chances of you overproducing are minimal,” said Matin Karbassioon, lean facilitator for Rocky Hill nonprofit ConnStep. “It improves quality and communication among employees as well.”
Precision Metal, which specializes in medical devices and contract manufacturing, starting instituting cellular manufacturing several years ago and has been converting its processes a little bit at a time. For the addition, the company wanted to set up for cellular from the beginning, Baloga said.
From the outside, the 1,900-square-foot addition is just like any other construction project, said Joe Pierandi, project manager for Branford-based Pat Munger Construction, which is performing the Precision addition.
“There’s nothing extremely crazy about it,” Pierandi said.
By putting all the processes in cells, Precision will need less work space to accomplish the same level of production, Baloga said. Everything is set up by workflow, and all the parts needed for one product are in the same location.
“It is all in close proximity,” Baloga said.
Cellular manufacturing became part of the lean toolbox in the 1950s in Japan, said Karbassioon. The concept migrated to the United States in the 1980s.
The lean tool doesn’t fit for every company, Karbassioon said, only those who have processes that can be brought in close proximity. Of the 40 companies Karbassioon has advised on lean, about a dozen use cellular manufacturing.
“It is making its way into offices as well,” Karbassioon said. “You are trying to maximize value to the customer and minimize waste.”
