Kaizen em chão de fábrica: produção enxuta na WEG Transformadores de Gravataí

Abstract

The subject of this study is the Lean Manufacturing management philosophy that constitutes one of the ways companies can dispose to improve their processes of production management. Known as Lean Production System (LPS) in Brazil, the Lean philosophy is characterized by seeking the production improvement as a whole, minimizing waste of machines and resources, reducing inventories and improving product quality. One of the tools of the Lean system is Kaizen, which consists in a mindset of constant changes and improvements in the company. Through Kaizen, we look for to identify problems to be solved with the help of creative people, to increase the productivity by controlling the processes, to reduce cycle time, to obtain standardization and to eliminate wastes. The aim of this research is to present the planning stages, execution and results of the Lean Manufacturing philosophy implementation in the manufacturing process of medium-sized electric transformers of the company WEG, subsidiary of Gravataí, State of Rio Grande do Sul. The actions presented in this study, and based on the Lean philosophy, are focused on the increase of the production capacity, with the joint optimization of human resources, machines and the physical structure of the production plant. The hypothesis investigated stablishes that the implementation of improvement circles – Kaizen at the factory floor, a procedure that integrates lean production, is a simple and promising way to leverage the productive system at WEG – Gravataí. Methodologically, the research was carried out through bibliographic and documentary searching, besides the empirical research, in which the qualitative approach and a case study was adopted. The actions planned and implemented at WEG – Gravataí uplifted production and competitiveness of the company, as well as improved performance indicators, product quality and financial aspects, even facing difficulties of a non-serial production.