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The article presents an overview of key attributes that determine whether any custom fabrication facility has a smart facility layout. It mentions that how layout and design act as an important component of a custom fabricator's overall operations, both in terms of maximizing the effective functioning of their production system and meeting the needs of their employees.

The article offers information on essential qualities of a lean leader in manufacturing industry in the U.S. It mentions that 5H leadership qualities including head, heart, hands, hooves and (h)ear. It discusses the director of completion tool manufacturing at Superior Energy Completion Services in Houston, Todd Chretien's leadership qualities that powered the implementation of Lean in his business.

A method is proposed for the system design of a manufacturing cell aiming for its profit maximization over a certain period of time. The proposed method makes use of simulation, design of experiments, regression analysis, Taguchi methods, and a profit model to generate several feasible and potentially profitable designs. A decision-maker may then choose the best alternative based on the profit value, robustness, and other practical considerations. The application of the method is illustrated with a case study where a partial design of a manufacturing cell is accomplished in a manufacturing company. Keywords: Cellular manufacturing; Metamodeling; Taguchi methods; Design of experiments; Profit models

The article discusses how to enhance value stream mapping for manufacturing. Topics covered include how a value stream map helps to implement Lean, the suggestion that high-mix low-volume manufacturers should switch to using maps that help visualize and analyze multiproduct production systems instead of using value stream mapping and the limitations of value stream mapping and how to eliminate them.

The article discusses that the Value stream mapping (VSM) is "the process of mapping the material and information flows of all components and subassemblies to produce a value stream map." It mentions that the Value stream maps have been used to find and eliminate waste in a production system that has a badly designed facility layout, relies on batch-type material handling systems, follows incorrect inventory control policies, uses outdated purchasing practices or lacks rigorous scheduling.

The article offers information on the designing lean hospitals using practices from manufacturing job shops. It discusses the role of the tracking patient flow routes yields plan to simplify travel between departments. It discussing how to create the ideal layout design of a hospital for improving quality and flow apply to patient care.

The article discusses design, lean tools, and other characteristics of a job shop, comparing it with an assembly line. Topics include assembly line being a low-mix, high-volume manufacturing system, while a job shop being a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing system; how a job shop operates in a make-to-order (MTO) production mode; and tips on job shop reform given by authors James E. Ashton and Frank X. Cook Jr. to help HDS Division of Schlumberger that made electromechanical sensors.

The article discusses how machine shops advance lean production systems. Cited lean principles from the Toyota Production System (TPS) include specifying value from the end customer, identifying the steps in the value stream, and making the value-creating steps occur in tight sequence. The challenges facing machine shops in the implementation of lean and the lean tools to use in machine shops are also cited.