Definition
Agile Manufacturing is an operational strategy focused on inducing velocity and flexibility in a make-to-order or configure-to-order production process with minimal changeover time and interruptions. Agile Manufacturing products compete directly with standard products, providing a customer with configurable opportunity to specialize a product.
Agile Manufacturing differs with Lean Manufacturing in the sense that lean manufacturing is oriented toward a repetitive manufacturing environment with order characteristics of high-volume/low-mix, and Agile Manufacturing applies to low-volume/high mix.
Agile Manufacturing is oriented toward low-volume/high mix, adding velocity and flexibility in the production process. It applies to environments where customized, configurable, or specialized orders, offer a competitive advantage.
Agile Manufacturing requires an agile supply chain to function optimally. Supply chain agility is the extent of network capability that the organization possesses. Key to the success of an agile supply chain is the speed and flexibility with which these activities can be accomplished and the realization that customer needs and customer satisfaction are the very reasons for the network.
Customer satisfaction is paramount. Achieving this capability requires all physical and logical events within the supply chain to be enacted swiftly, accurately, and effectively. The faster parts, information, and decisions flow through an organization, the faster it can respond to customer needs.
The benefits generally are specialization, customization, flexibility, lower costs, higher quality, lower inventory, and shorter lead times. The characteristics of Agile Manufacturing are:
The Issues
Agile Manufacturing is in direct opposition with traditional manufacturing approaches characterized by use of economic order quantities, high capacity utilization, and high inventory. It requires radical change. Excess capacity is welcome instead of taboo. Make-to-order capability replaces mass production and lot sizes based on EOQ's.
A major issue with Agile Manufacturing is the high capitalization often required for flexibility in the production and assembly areas. However payback periods of 2 years or less are common.
However, just like anything else, Agile Manufacturing is no panacea, nor should it be embraced as a religion. It is an operational strategy that, if implemented properly, will provide a new dimension to competing: quickly introducing new configurable and specialized high quality products, and delivering them with unprecedented lead times.
Pragmatic Applications
Agile Manufacturing is a combination of speed and flexibility that is difficult to achieve because it requires radical changes to traditional thinking. A broad front approach to implementation is likely to bog an organization down. We suggest a series of pilots following a master plan, taking a "grassfire" approach where continual pilot implementations over several years eventually result in a "blaze" of change.
Our Approach: Tools from a Toolchest
Rockford Consulting Group applies concepts and technologies as the situation warrants, that will result in the ultimate benefit to our clients. We treat strategies, technologies, and methodologies as tools in a toolchest, and use them when they offer practical solutions and achievable results. We believe that each client situation is unique, with its own unique set of solutions. (Click on this link to see our Agile Manufacturing consulting services) Agile Manufacturing Consulting Services )
Why Us?
Mr. Richard G. Ligus CMC CPCM, President of Rockford Consulting Group, was one of the first in the U.S. to introduce the strategy of Agility at the 1990 IMTS in Chicago, via the presentation of his paper ”Regaining World Market Share Starts With Getting Physical, ….and Agile”. The points and principles focused on in that paper are still valid and very relevant today.
(Click on this link to see his white paper) Regaining World Market Share Starts With Getting Physical, ….and Agile
Taking dramatic steps to become agile is necessary to be a manufacturing contender in this highly competitive global market. Organizations must focus on moving information and products quickly through the entire supply chain: distribution, assembly, manufacture, and supply. All physical and logical events within the supply chain must be enacted swiftly, accurately, and effectively. The faster parts, information, and decisions flow through an organization, the faster it can respond to customer needs.
Large-scale changes in the way we operate in the office and in the factory are required to achieve this degree of performance.
Rockford Consulting Group can provide long-term assistance to many companies in
a variety of industries. The firm has a cadre of the best manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain
consultants in the world today, providing high quality professionalism
through the use of experience and innovation.
We subscribe to the Institute of Management Consultants Code of Professional Conduct. All consultants engaged on projects adhere to its principles. Whenever possible we will use consultants certified in their particular specialty area. Certification assures that consultants have substantial prior experience in their specialty, and their competencies have been tested by the IMC, and verified by a number of clients. This assures our clients that we are assigning the highest qualified consultants in the profession.
We provide technical expertise, team facilitation, leadership, and direction in deciding how you will meet the challenge. We refer you to our Qualification Statement for further details on our background, areas of specialization, concepts and technologies applied, staffing, operating policy, approach, companies and industries served, case studies and references. Equally as important, we train our clients to sustain new methods of manufacturing and the consequential benefits over time. Your company will benefit directly from this training.
We have achieved an efficiency in our approach to assignments that allows us to provide high quality technical and managerial advice in a much shorter amount of time than could be accomplished years ago. We are able to do this because of the extensive consulting experience that each of our specialists has.
©2006 Rockford Consulting Group, Ltd.