A Novel Production System for Wide-Variety-Small-Volume Production - Modular Structure and Production Platform Hierarchy

A novel production system for wide-variety-small-volume production is proposed. This system is composed of hierarchized three production platforms according to the purpose of quality, cost and delivery. "Function-quality conclusion production platform" enabled products to be completely produced without throwing defects into the post-process by in-line and in-process inspections. "Diverse-synchronized production platform" enabled products to be mix-produced without cost improving by united cycle-time between each process. "Demand-synchronized production platform" achieved the production that synchronized with order information without inventory of products. These platforms were able to be achieved by being able to divide integral products into modules that were difficult to modulate so far. Systematic improvement activities of production lines have been achieved by production platform hierarchy and clarification of role and concept of each production platform. The effect of this production system has been verified in the field of industrial control components