Promoting the Application of Lean Automation - Take the Automobile Oil Seal Manufacturing Industry as an Example

With increasingly sophisticated global manufacturing technology and fierce competition in the international market, the automobile manufacturing industry has entered the stage of internationalization. Therefore, it is necessary to innovate and change, improve production technology continuously, strengthen physical fitness, and maintain competitiveness to survive in the rapidly changing market. Lean Management (LM) and automation equipment are important methods to achieve the above goals. Among them, the use of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) has become a crucial equipment in the industry that many manufacturers have widely used. AGVs are unmanned vehicles that can travel according to a program or a predetermined path. AGVs can replace the original logistics, shortens the handling time greatly, and enhances the competitiveness of enterprises.This research focuses on the introduction of LM in an automobile oil seal manufacturing industry in Taiwan and focuses on improving logistics efficiency. It uses Value Stream Mapping (VSM) to discuss the logistics problems existing on the production line and proposes specific improvement plans. This study aims to improve logistics efficiency using AGVs and logistics improvement based on its cooperation with Jidoka. This study proposes a new route transportation method, which uses multiple AGVs to perform transportation tasks at the same time, combined with Karakuri’s base-running path transportation mode of multi-functional racks.The results include (1) proposing a new route transportation method, AGVs combined with Karakuri’s running route transportation mode; (2) saving two full-time logistics manpower; and (3) increasing the Cycle Time (CT) to within 5 minutes.