Manufacturing -Gulf stream Aerospace Assignment.
Lean manufacturing is a method of ensuring that not only does production or
manufacturing process takes place in a given manufacturing firm, but wastage is also reduced or
avoided while increasing quality and adding value to a given product (EPA 2015, Para1). Manufacturing -Gulf stream Aerospace Assignment.
Through lean manufacturing, companies such as the Gulf Aerospace can find ways of reducing
waste while ensuring that people, equipment, and the workspace remain responsive to what is
needed (Lean Enterprise Institute 2015, Para 1-6). The lean concept is a method applicable to all
manufacturing firms and it is concerned with common terminologies such as “inventory”,
“production”, and “customers”. Manufacturing firms have to consider whether they have large
stocks of inventory, which are still unsold, how flexible is the production process in terms of
changing their products to suit the customers need, and how rapidly can one adapt to the ever-
changing business environment amongst others (Lean Enterprise Institute 2015, Para 1-6). Manufacturing -Gulf stream Aerospace Assignment.
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However, the concept of lean manufacturing did not begin in the modern times. It is a concept that started sometimes back and developed up to today. There are some fundamental principles
or what could be termed as the bedrock of lean manufacturing as outlined below
1.2 Basics of Lean Manufacturing
The main concepts under lean manufacturing process revolves around finding the best
and the most efficient methods in the manufacturing process that minimizes chances of wastage
while adding value to the end product (Lean Manufacturing Junction 2014, Para 2). Most critical
is continuous improvement to improve and promote the desired state of a product while having a
respect for humanity as the people make up one of the most valuable resources of the company
(Lean Manufacturing Junction 2014, Para 5-6). In lean manufacturing, quality is a top priority. Manufacturing -Gulf stream Aerospace Assignment.
More importantly, customers focus on matters relating to the price of the product, and the value
of the product must be kept into considerations. Just in time production concerned with
manufacturing of products at the right time, right quantity and to the right people constitutes
basics of lean manufacturing (Lean Manufacturing Junction 2014, Para 10-11). In lean
manufacturing however, there are some notable categories of waste that manufacturing firms
such as Gulfstream Aerospace has to consider.
1.3 Categories of Waste
Anything that does not add value to the end product is categorized as waste. A
manufacturing firm such as Gulf Stream Aerospace had to consider some of the categories of
waste while working on how to improve on them. Wastage could be noticed in the production
stage, transportation, waiting time, workforce inefficiency, motion inefficiency, over-processing,
and work in progress (McBride 2012, Para 1-7). For a firm to be termed as employing or using
lean methods of production, a method of waste elimination along the overall value streams has to
be avoided or minimized. In addition, processes that need less human effort, less capital and
space, few defects, and use of less capital have to be designed (McBride 2012, Para 1-7 ). Ability to offer high quality but low cost products on timely basis should be the priority of
manufacturing firms. This then calls for the understanding of the concepts or principles of lean
manufacturing.
2.0 Principles of Lean
This is a five-step process of lean techniques used by manufacturing firms such as the
Gulf Stream Aerospace to ensure that their products stand out from the rest. They are:
2.1Valueidentification/specification
At this phase or stage, a firm has to specify the value of the product they seek to produce
from the viewpoint of the customer. They have to put themselves in the shoes of the customers
2.2 Mapping the Value Stream
The steps that will be involved in the creation process have to be identified, while eliminating
the stages or steps that do not crate or add value in any way to the end product.
2.3 Flow creation
The steps previously identified have to be practically implemented. At this stage, a firm
has to ensure that the product sequence is smooth to ensure that the flow to the consumer is
uninterrupted.
2.4 Establishment of pull.
As the product flow is introduced and customers are getting the desired product, a firm
should then let the customers pull value take course toward a firm’s upstream activity.
2.5 Seeking Perfection/ Continuous Improvement
This is the last stage in lean manufacturing. After value specification and value streams
identified together with the removal of wastage steps, the whole process has to be started again
from the initial step until perfection stage is achieved or reached at. This will ensure that perfect
products with little or no defects at all are manufactured with minimal or no wastage at all.
3.0 Lean Manufacturing problems at Gulf Stream Aerospace.
Gulf Stream Aerospace is one of the global leaders in aircraft manufacturing. However,
the firm has in the past decade been faced with several problems during the process of
manufacturing aircrafts that suit their customers’ needs. Manufacturing efficiency that is
witnessed today was achieved after implementing the lessons from lean manufacturing problems
subsequently indicated below.
3.1 Long Assembly Time
The time it took to assemble just one aircraft by Gulfstream Company was overly long. In
the past decade for instance, completing and assembling just one jet took more than 150 days
while employing a significant number of employees to complete the task (David, 2004: 1). The
assembly line consisted of many workers performing the same tasks resulting in a lot of wastage.
The plane was only delivered as a hollow piece with no interior installations to various
companies to complete the process. In addition to the time it took to complete the assembly of
one jet, the assembly of the interior parts of the plane consumed even more time. Such long
hours and man force taken to complete one plane did not only hamper the profitability of
Gulfstream Aerospace but also had negative effects on failing to satisfy its customers in addition
to wasting time.
3.2 High Production Costs
Initially, Gulfstream had many assembly points for their products. One department made
one part of the plane while the rest of the parts had to be completed by other people in other
departments (David, 2004: 2). Obviously, this was costly. Completing only some sections of the
plane and transporting the rest to be completed by other companies was costly to Gulfstream
Aerospace. Outsourcing interior designers, painters, soundproof installation experts amongst others, all, which could be done in the factory, was a costly error. In addition, transporting a plane to other factories for the aforementioned exercise to be done consumed much time hence
wastage (David, 2004: 3). In light of this, urgent solutions had to be reached at immediately.
3.3 Lean Manufacturing Solutions used by Gulf Stream Aerospace
In the recent times, Gulf Stream Aerospace has undertaken measures to cut the time it
takes to complete its aircrafts assembly. Gulf Stream recently made it clear that it was still
working on a number of ways to ensure an improvement on its manufacturing efficiency. In
addition, the production costs were very high, as some activities such as internal installations had
to be outsourced from other areas hence draining the firm financially. In addition, learning from
past errors offered some vital lessons on the need to continuously improve. Continuous
improvement acted as part of other solutions implemented by Gulfstream Aerospace. Some of
the solutions are better illustrated below.
3.4 Rollback Initiative
The “Rollback” initiative was identified by Gulf Stream Aerospace as one of the ways of
reducing wastage in a number of areas such as production and waiting time. This initiative
involves chipping or removing some of the barriers that inhibit quick completion of an aircraft.
Gulfstream Aerospace has been manufacturing only the engine and the body of the aircraft while
leaving the rest of the interior design to be completed by other companies. However, Gulfstream
soon discovered that it could also handle such tasks (David, 2004: 2). Through “rollback”
initiative, all assembly procedures had to be undertaken at once so that the customer gets their
products in one peace and on timely basis. This solution employed the Value Stream Mapping
Principle that had earlier been discussed. Here, the steps involved in the creation process had to
be known in order to deliver end products that are desirable to the customer. Prior to employing
this technique, Gulfstream Aerospace production used to last up to 55 weeks but today, such a
process only lasts a maximum of 16 weeks (David, 2004: 2). Furthermore, the company is aiming to cut back waiting time to just 12 weeks. Through this initiative, the company worked on
moving work previously done to jets after leaving the factory back to assembly line to be done
all at once. Initially, Gulfstream Aerospace only delivered a “green aircraft” with no interior
designs to various companies dealing in interior designs and installations to complete the task.
However, such activities were moved back to the factory where workers could install
wiring systems, in-flight modes of entertainment, avionics, soundproof systems, toilets, furniture,
and galleys all at once hence saving on time. In fact, lean methods of production or
manufacturing are evident as several tasks could be done all at once without waiting one person
or department to complete a given task before another one began. While one laborer is busy
installing flight controls, another one could be installing soundproof mechanism. At Gulfstream
Aerospace, the production is so efficient in the sense that as the green aircraft is being rolled
down the production line, other workers specialized in various fields of wiring, painting, and
interior design swarm in to install the remaining components needed (David, 2004: 2).
Gulfstream idea of operating its own air docks and furniture facilities especially in
Savannah has worked on reducing the time it takes for furniture installation from a maximum
period of 8 weeks to just over 2 weeks. In addition, its assembly area has adopted a lean method
of ordering parts needed to complete the aircraft from its suppliers over the internet. Through
such means, a “pull” system is developed as the materials ordered move smoothly from the
suppliers all the way to the production and assembly line without having to be kept in the
warehouse. The installation of machines that can efficiently improve riveting, while fastening
parts of the plane in less than 6 seconds, are some of the automation techniques employed by the
firm to increase its production from 73 aircrafts in 2001 to 90 aircrafts today.
3.5 Continuous Improvement
Gulfstream focus on creating a culture of continuous improvement is one of the lean
manufacturing principles the company employs (Katz, 2010: 46). According to Katz, continuous
improvement leads to operational excellence hence improving on the firm’s profitability. At the
Savannah facility for instance, the firm is continuously working on improving on the G650
fuselage. The fuselage contains new features and much larger than the previous make but uses
fewer parts. As parts of its continuous improvement initiatives, the firm has instituted methods of
general dynamics as a means of reducing production time. While learning from its previous
works, the company has found better ways of cutting costs while being efficient.
4.0 Methodology.
While trying to compare the challenges that Gulfstream Aerospace face, there is a need to
adapt to a dual form of approach. First, we have to examine the initial processes of Gulfstream
Aerospace and the paths it has taken to achieve lean manufacturing. This is important as existing
case studies do offer efficient and effective methods used in comparing and understanding
complex scenarios (Deflorin and Rathje, 2012: 3961). Secondly, we had to use a single case
study as means of obtaining the needed data from Gulfstream Aerospace and make comparisons
of data collected with existing ones from the literature of mass-producing companies in the
airline sector. Such comparisons will enable us understand Gulfstream position on the challenges
it has faced to become a lean producer. Manufacturing -Gulf stream Aerospace Assignment.
4.1 Data Collection.
10
This study adopted secondary methods of data collection to gather information directly
from the company and other secondary sources as will be outlined. Reasons for adopting
secondary means was advised by a number of reasons such as low cost of acquiring data, ease of
access, easy access to large-scale information, and avoidance of difficulties were primary
methods of data collection adopted. In addition, a significant amount of time is saved by just
analyzing data previously done and availed by other persons. In other words, this method of data
collection involves access of information that has already been gathered mainly through primary
means. It is a type of desk research, which does not involve a lot of movement in trying to gather
the necessary information about a given company. For this case, the adoption of several scholarly
databases was used to gather crucial information on Gulfstream Aerospace. Manufacturing -Gulf stream Aerospace Assignment. For instance,
published records and statistics, published texts such as reports, and media reports. However, the
internet formed the largest means used in data collection as a significant number of published
materials could easily be accessed. Gulfstream Aerospace Company has a lot of accessible
materials and report on the internet, journals, and media reports.
4.2 Data Analysis
Analysis of the data collected from the secondary sources revealed significant and
important information on Gulfstream Aerospace on matters relating to its rich history,
achievements and the paths it has taken to achieve lean methods of production. For instance,
since 1958, Gulfstream Aerospace has been in business up to now.
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Today, it is regarded among different circles as one of the most efficient and advanced firms across the globe. Manufacturing -Gulf stream Aerospace Assignment. With a
workforce of more than 95,000 employees, it is not strange to notice the immense contribution
that the company is doing in manufacturing business aviation aircrafts, expeditionary combat
systems, munitions and armaments, and marine systems. Gulfstream engineers and the entire workforce have learnt to adopt lean manufacturing methods to produce its goods hence making
the firm one of the most reliable companies in the airline sector. Information from published
reports, books, journals, and online materials revealed many lean methods adopted by the
company. As earlier indicated, Gulfstream assembly line is among one of the best when it comes
to saving time. For instance, the final complete aircraft comes out of the assembly line as one
piece ready to be used. Different personnel trained on different roles handle the plane while it is
still on the line to save time and other forms of wastage. Individuals trained on soundproof,
wiring, painting, and interior design amongst others play their roles way early before the plane is
rolled out for use. In addition, electricity trenches in the firm are located underground so that
employees do not waste too much time while maneuvering themselves or parts of the aircraft
hence saving time and resources (Katz, 2010: 45). Data collected from the internet especially
from the works of Katz, further relays that continuous improvement or learning from past
mistake is one of the lean methods adopted by Gulfstream Aerospace. Manufacturing -Gulf stream Aerospace Assignment. Through continuous
improvement, the firm has cut or reduced costs and other forms of wastage. Analysis of the data
reveal that indeed, there is a perfect relationship between Gulfstream success and the lean
methods of manufacturing it has adopted. Published and media reports indicate the company’s
commitment to continue improving on certain areas such as investing in their own air docks to
save on certain costs such as transportation. Statistical data gathered from the internet sources
from tables to graphs display impressive records concerning Gulfstream Aerospace all due to its
adoption of lean methods of manufacturing. Manufacturing -Gulf stream Aerospace Assignment.
5.0 Recommendations and Analysis
To maintain a competitive advantage, lean manufacturing has to continue. Companies
have to continue using systems and processes that use low cost in the manufacturing process while avoiding wastage and focusing on customers. The following section will highlight the
recommendations of this study.
5.1 Repetition and Standardization of Processes
To continue achieving lean methods of manufacturing, Gulfstream Aerospace needs to
continue on its processes of ensuring employees adapt and follow proven, repetitive and
standardized procedures, while following the established lean principles to improve quality and
production by avoiding or reducing the mistakes.
5.2 Commitment to Lean Leadership
Lean leadership is concerned with commitment. Commitment should begin from the
leader himself/herself then scale down to the employees and finally to the system. Lean
leadership is about understanding the problems faced by employees, communication problems,
and having better listening skills for better understanding. A lean leader has to eliminate waste
and these calls for his understanding on where wastage is more prevalent. Manufacturing -Gulf stream Aerospace Assignment.
5.3 Change the Company’s Culture
To achieve lean, the culture of the company has to face mass transformation. The top
management should be the responsible group in ensuring that the culture of the company has a
way of integrating all the employees in the system while advising them on working to meet long-
term goals and not short-term goals only. A learning organization ready to support long-term
initiatives of the firm have to be encouraged.
6.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, Gulfstream Aerospace is one of the outstanding aircraft companies in the
globe. It offers a wide range of machine aircrafts ranging from G500, G450, G550, G650, and
G650ER (Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, 2015:3-4). The firm also provides services in
product support and product enhancement. Manufacturing -Gulf stream Aerospace Assignment. With a rich history and an ever-increasing expansion scheme with lean methods of manufacturing, Gulfstream Aerospace will continue to stamp its
authority in aircraft manufacturing industry while dominating the field for many years to come.
The adoption of lean leadership, fostering a culture of continuous improvement through
repetition and standardization will continue positioning the company high. Manufacturing -Gulf stream Aerospace Assignment.
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Bibliography
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http://www.epa.gov/lean/environment/
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation. 2015. Company Overview. History. 1-25
Gulfstream Aerospace.2015. Excellence Worldwide: Creating and Delivering the World’s Finest
Aviation Experience.[Online] Retrieved from: www.gulfstream.com/company
Katz, J. 2010. Rethinking Manufacturing Dynamics: General Dynamics cuts production costs
and time by retooling its manufacturing processes. Vol. 20, No. 6, 45-46
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www.lean.org/What’sLean/principles.cfm
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manufacturing-junction.com/lean-leadership.html
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www.emsstrategies.com/dm090203article2.html
Manufacturing -Gulf stream Aerospace Assignment.