Approach to reduce the manufacturing waste and improve the process cycle efficiency of a footwear industry by using lean six sigma model

Abstract

This study was a case analysis of lean tools and six sigma methodology implementation in shoe production lines of “X” footwear industry in Bangladesh. This work addresses the implementation of lean tools and six sigma methodology in the observed shoe production lines in order to evaluate present Process Cycle Efficiency (PCE), Takt time, Value Added (VD) and Non Value Added (NVD) activities, lead time, comparison of footwear industries various parameters in different countries and finally to develop an improved strategy to bring the improved PCE, Takt time and to reduce the lead time and NVD activities. Value Stream Map (VSM) and Pareto analysis were applied to evaluate the present and future state PCE and to find out the NVD activities. By this study the present state PCE of Derby, Casual, Court, Oxford, Boot and Moccasin shoe production lines were found consequently as 11.32%, 15.28%, 8.32%, 8.01%, 10.68% and 12.20% that could be 25.60%, 34.05%, 19.46%, 18.84%, 24.45% and 26.91% after the implementation of lean tools and SS methodologies within present production system. It is expected that after the implementation of lean tools the existing lead time of Derby, Casual, Court, Oxford, Boot and Moccasin shoe production lines could be reduced consequently by 55.78%, 55.09%, 57.23%, 57.44%, 56.28% and 54.64%. By this study an economic benefit is also evaluated where it is expected that after the proper implementation of lean tools and six sigma methodologies the total economic benefit would be 1206224160 Tk. or 1.2 billion USD per year. After all the production flow was optimized by minimizing several NVD times such as bottlenecking time, waiting time, materials handling time, etc. towards a lean environment establishment in management system of the studied “X” footwear industry in Bangladesh.