Course Objectives

The competitive advantage in manufacturing is based on product and service quality, on-time delivery, flexibility, cost, short lead-time, etc.

Cost reduction can not be achieved at the expense of delivery or quality. Competition is forcing manufacturers to continuously improve on every front.

The level of performance required can only be achieved through robust manufacturing processes which could produce good quality, on time and in full synchronization with the customer requirements.

Customers are no longer relying on receiving inspection: they are assured of the quality of the products they purchase by taking a close look at their suppliers' manufacturing processes, even in real time (via Internet), so they can predict quality by looking at in-process metrics such as defect rates, test yields, throughput, lead-time, etc. at the critical supplier manufacturing steps.

This proactive approach on the part of the customer is forcing manufacturers to keep a close control of their manufacturing process in order to predict and prevent problems, react on time if they occur and avoid expensive corrective actions and delays.

The objective of this course is to provide hands-on experience through simulation and group work on the manufacturing processes as they operate in real life in order to understand the mechanisms that originate defects, bottlenecks, etc. causing late deliveries, and quality problems to customers. Once the problem is understood, the participant has the opportunity to try different corrective actions through simulation and experience any possible side effects, but without the associated expensive consequences of real life.

Course participants are mainly manufacturing line managers and professionals as well as procurement managers responsible to subcontract manufacturing operations.