Analysing the hindrances to the reduction of manufacturing lead-time and their associated environmental pollution

Behnam Fahimnia, Romeo Marian and Behzad Motevallian

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2009, vol. 10, issue 1, 16-25

Abstract: Manufacturing Lead-Time (MLT) is the total time required to process a given product through a plant. Long MLT is the major cause of inefficient manufacturing, since it generates large amount of wastes and creates considerable environmental burden. In the past, a large amount of environmental pollution has been generated by manufacturing industries, most of which come from inefficient practices trough generating various types of wastes. The easiest and probably the least expensive way to cut manufacturing wastes and minimise their consequent environmental impacts is to improve the manufacturing procedures of the companies. A novel approach to do this is to identify and reduce/eliminate the processes and activities which cause the inefficient use of resources. This paper presents the MLT reduction process via identifying the value-adding and non-value adding activities. It also analyses four crucial sources of wastes which generate the greatest environmental pollution and suggestions for improvements are provided.

Keywords: environmental pollution; MLT; manufacturing lead times; manufacturing wastes; lead time reduction; environmental impact; waste reduction; value-adding activities; non-value adding activities; waste generation. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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