Applications of Lean Manufacturing in Reducing Assembly Line Defects in Automotive Industry

 Authors:

                     Pratapsing R Rane                                                                                     Prof. Kanifnath S Satav

Student, MBA Department Dhole Patil                                                      Professor, MBA Department Dhole Patil

         College of Engineering, Pune                                                                        College of Engineering, Pune                                  

Abstract - The automotive manufacturing sector continues to face persistent assembly line defects that increase operational costs, reduce product quality, and impact overall productivity. This study examines the application of Lean Manufacturing principles, including Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Kaizen, 5S, Poka-Yoke, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED), and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), to systematically identify and eliminate the root causes of defects in automotive assembly processes. A mixed-method research approach was adopted, involving time-motion studies, defect analysis, and survey data collected from 80 respondents across different functional levels. The results demonstrate that Lean implementation significantly reduces defect rates by approximately 30–45%, improves cycle time by 25–35%, and decreases setup time by up to 70%. Additionally, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) improved from a baseline of 56% to 78% after implementation. The study highlights that management commitment and workforce engagement play a critical role in sustaining improvements. A structured and scalable Lean framework is proposed, making the findings highly relevant for automotive manufacturers aiming to enhance quality and operational efficiency.

Key Words:  Lean Manufacturing, Assembly Line Defects, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Poka-Yoke, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), Automotive Industry.