Proceedings of the ASME 2012 International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition

IMECE2012
November 9-15, 2012, Houston, Texas, USA

IMECE2012-89048

DESIGN OF A LEAN METHODOLOGY FOR AN ERGONOMIC AND SUSTAINABLE

WORK ENVIRONMENT IN TEXTILE AND GARMENT INDUSTRY

Laura Costa Maia Anabela Carvalho Alves

R&D Centre for Industrial and Technology
Management, Department of Production and
Systems, School of Engineering, University of
Minho
Guimarães, Portugal
R&D Centre for Industrial and Technology
Management, Department of Production and
Systems,
School of Engineering, University of Minho
Guimarães, Portugal

Celina Pinto Leão

R&D Centre Algoritmi
Department of Production and Systems,
School of Engineering, University of Minho
Guimarães, Portugal

ABSTRACT LCM Life Cycle Management

This paper presents a methodology to implement Lean LP Lean Production
Production (LP) in Portuguese Textile and Garment Industry PDCA Plan–Do–Check–Act
(TGI). Lean Production is a well-known work organizational PEST Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural and
model being, nowadays, widely implemented in all sort of Technological analysis
industries and services companies. LP responds to customers’ CIP –Continuous Improvement Process
demand for on-time delivery of high quality products at QFD Quality Function Deployment
reduced costs, through continuous waste elimination (e.g., SME Small and Medium Enterprise
overproduction, raw materials, energy and water more than SMED Single-Minute Exchange of Die
necessary, among others). In this methodology is included, SPC – Statistical Process Control
besides the Lean tools and techniques, some ergonomics tools SWOT Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats
in order to assess the ergonomic work conditions and TGI Textile and Garment Industry
techniques to evaluate the company sustainability. It is expected TPM Total Productive Maintenance
that, with the involvement of these tools, will allow the TPS Toyota Production System
implementation of a Lean Production that creates a positive UNEP United Nations of Environmental Protection
work environment for workers giving special attention to WBS Work breakdown structure
sustainable development. WCED World Commission on Environment and
Development
NOMENCLATURE WIP Work in process
3R reduce, reuse, and recycle
DFE Design for environment INTRODUCTION
DFMA design for manufacturability and assembly Lean Production (LP) [1] had its roots on Toyota
DMAIC Define-Measure-Analyze-Identify-Control Production System [2] being a well-known work organizational
EWA Ergonomic Work Analysis model that, through continuous waste, i.e., non-added value
FMEAFailure mode and effects analysis activities elimination, respond to customers demand with on-
ILO International Labor Organization time delivery of high quality products at reduced costs and
KPI Key performance indicators increased productivity. Nowadays, LP is widely implemented in
LCA Cycle Assessment all sort of industries and services companies [3-8]. This inspires
LCC Life Cycle Costing the authors of this paper to apply this model to the Portuguese

1 Copyright © 2012 by ASME

Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ on 01/31/2016 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use

 Textile and Garm ment industryy (TGI). Thhis industry sector manufacturingg industry andd 1.4% of co
m ompanies opeerating in
suffeers from low productivity
p annd countless wastes.
w P
Portugal.
Traditionally, the Portugueese TGI is prredominantly Small Besides these
t numbeers and indu ustry importaance, the
and Medium Enteerprises (SME E) based indu ustry, with a strong
s a
authors experiience showed that this induustry is also ann industry
famiily-oriented sttructure. Norm mally these coompanies are much w
where many wastes and disorder caan be foundd due to
disorrganized and have a lot of wastes naamely high raate of d
disorganization a setup times and to
n, to high waaiting times and
defeccts, too many y waiting timees, high machhines failures, high o understandding the importance of orgaanization.
thhe difficulty of
absenteeism, amoong others. It hhas many moonotonous actiivities F
Figure 1 illusttrated some w
wastes that caan easily be fo ound in a
wherre employees remain seatedd, sometimes for long perioods of c
clothing comppany: inventoory piled waaiting to enteer on the
time. This can caause occupatiional diseasess and accidennts. In p
production sew
wing line or aaccessories waiting
w to be picked
p up
geneeral, the worrkers are noot involved in i the comppanies’ h
haphazardly.
projeects, discouraaging their participation on the com mpany
decissions, makingg them unsatisfied with theirr work.
The TGI usess natural resouurces (natural fibers, dyes, water,
w
energgy and otherrs) and it is traditionally
t v
very dependeent on
T decrease of these natuural resources will
thesee resources. The
repreesent a difficuulty in the texttile industry, especially
e in dyeing
d
and finishing processes, wheree the consumpption of wateer and
energgy is high. So, to reduuce the conssumption of these
resouurces shouldd be a conncern for thee companiess and
indivviduals in ordeer to achieve a sustainable development
d [9]. Figure 1. Inveentory piled waiting to en
F nter on the production
This industryy sector is aalso strongly influenced by b the s
sewing line or accessories w
waiting to be picked
p up
seasoons, trends annd fashion andd climate chaanges, adding some
new challenges: cuustomers dem mand changes significantly and a in In most Portuguese TG GI companies, due to the inffluence of
shortt time. These conditions coould be an apppealing to leaanness mass productioon paradigms could be foun
m nd a work envvironment
and agility
a compaanies. s
suffering from
m an authoriity, autocratic and comm mand-and-
A draft of a methodology
m tto implement Lean Producttion in c
control hierarrchic chain managementt, where thee “boss”
TGI will be presennted in this paaper, addressinng some Leann tools c
controls everyything and eveerybody. It is common
c in Poortuguese
as well
w as some important toools to assess ergonomic work T
TGI to find companies where w collabborators are so much
condditions and environmental
e l wastes conccerns. In ordder to a
accommodated d to a sttressful and disagreeablle work
desiggn such methoodology, somee methodologiies were studied. e
environment that the only tthing they waant, in a norm mal day of
w
work, is to reaach to the endd of the day, anxious for th he buzzer
CON NTEXT STUD DY AND MO OTIVATION a
announcing it.. In crises tim
mes, like the ones
o we livedd now, the
The Portugueese Textile annd Garment Inndustry (TGI)) have a
authors were compelled to help theese companiees to be
an immportant rolee in national economy, takking a consideerable o
organized, to reduce their w wastes and too help collabo orators to
weig ght on socio-eeconomic struuctures of Porrtugal. It is one o of f
find some com mfort and enthuusiasm on theeir work.
the few
f industries which contribbute positivelyy to the Portuuguese This was a motivation to endorse a PhD. projectt, in order
tradee balance and it is one of thhe most exposed to competition, too develop a methodologgy that helps TGI comppanies to
with significant impact
i on thhe volume off employmennt and immplement Leaan Productionn. The first steep of this projeect was to
reduction of salees margins. It represents 10% of naational d
design a surveey in order too understand if i companies know the
expo orts (in 90s, thhis value was 30%), 22% of o employmen nt, 8% L concept, iff they implem
LP ment and how w they implem ment Lean
of tuurnover and 10 0.7% of Gross Value Added of manufactturing [11]. Based onn a 13.3% off responses, th he survey reveealed that
industry [10]. f companies of the Portuuguese Textilee and Garmentt Industry
few
From the terriitorial point oof view, this in
ndustry is spreead all c
consider that they had impplemented Leean Productioon. These
overr the national territory, althoough there aree two main reegions c
companies do not know anyy of the Lean methodologie
m s and two
that are, the Nortth of Portugaal, where are located the cotton c o them answ
of wered that hadd resorted to a consulting company
comppanies and, Beira
B Interior, where the wool
w companiees are (
(Kaizen Instituute) to implem ment LP. They y also stated encounter
e
locatted, representting 85% off the compannies. This inddustry s
some difficultiies during Lean implementtation processs, namely,
compprises two laarge sectors: (1) the textiile sector - which w d
difficulty in unnderstanding Lean tools, difficulty in quuantifying
incluudes fiber prroduction, sppinning, weavving, knittingg and thhe benefits, missing knoowledge of Lean princiiples and
finishing (dyeing,, printing andd finishing) an nd (2) the gaarment r
resistance attittude from thee collaboratorrs. However, the most
sectoor - which includes m manufacture of clothing and immportant issuue was that tthe majority of o the TGI companies
accessories. The industry
i incluudes, approxim mately, 4000 textile
t s
state never heard
h or do not have knowledge of the Lean
comppanies and around 110000 garment companies, which w P
Production m
model. On thhe other han nd, they knoow some
togetther representt around 19% % of all produuction units of o the immportant concepts such as quality at thee source, wastes, value
s
stream, value among otherss and tools asssociated with Lean like

2 Copyrright © 2012 by
b ASME

Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ on 01/31/2016 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use

 cellular manufacturing, 5S, Kanban system and admit to have a
production model similar to JIT production or stockless
production.
Almost 50% consider that Lean Production could be a
model to implement. This is an important topic because, and
based on the companies respondents, the measure that they are
accustomed to adopt to face competition are the products
quality improvement, practice of efficient management and
eliminate wastes. The LP implementation could help on these
measures improvement, avoiding a capital investment or a
financial effort like in the Portuguese examples described in
Alves and co-authors work [12].
METHODOLOGIES TO IMPLEMENT LEAN
A methodology studies the best way to approach problems,
indicating paths to reach solutions [13]. According to this
author, a methodology orients and supports in the research
process and in the data/information collecting to take the best
decisions in a time and in a specific moment. A methodology
must indicate and facilitate, in each project phase, data and
methods or tools that allows to the designer to reach to good
project solutions, in an efficiently and effectiveness way.
Attending to this methodology definition, it is possible to
find out some methodologies to implement Lean, more or less,
formalized in the literature reviewed by [14] that found out, at
least, thirteen different methodologies, to know:
1. TPS methodology
2. Lean thinking
3. Toyota way
4. Lean automotive vision model
5. Lean Six Sigma
6. Kaizen methodology
7. SECORA Lean Implementation methodology (SLIM)
8. Brief methodology
9. Lean Alliance methodology
10. Strategic Lean Implementation methodology (SLIM)
11. Hoshin-Kanri
12. Methodology A3 PDCA
13. Lean implementation model for textile
Some of these are well-known such as Toyota Production
System (TPS) methodology [2, 15], Lean Thinking [16] or
Toyota Way [17] and some not so, as described elsewhere [18].
Others are more oriented and focused in a specific area of
work, like Lean Six Sigma [19] or Kaizen methodology [20]
that are focused on the quality area. Some are specific of each
consulting company like SECORA Lean Implementation
methodology (SLIM) [21], Brief methodology [22] or Lean
Alliance methodology [23] or of an academic sector like
Strategic Lean implementation methodology (SLIM) from the
Warwick Business School [24]. These methodologies define
and select tools to apply in an integrated sequence or model to
implement Lean.
Most of these methodologies are focused on the Lean
operational and technical tools like JIT production; Jidoka or
Autonomation; 5S; Heijunka or production smoothing;
Standardized work; Visual management; continuous
Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ on 01/31/2016 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
improvement/ Kaizen; Pull system; continuous flow; Single
minute exchange of Dies (SMED); Plan-Do-Check-Act
(PDCA) cycle; Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control
(DMAIC) technique; Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Total
Productive Maintenance (TPM); one page report (A3) and
Policy Development/deployment. Others also imply strategic
tools and problem solving tools in the methodologies. For
instance, Hoshin-Kanri methodology [25, 26] as a methodology
more strategic employing tools such as Strengths-Weaknesses-
Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) analysis or Porter analysis to
link the strategic management to the operational manufacturing.
Others are more practical and more orientated to problem-
solving tools such as Pareto Chart or fishbone diagram, for
example, the methodology A3 PDCA [27].
From the methodologies presented above, it is important to
refer the Lean implementation model for textile industry [28]. It
is a methodology oriented for the textile industry similar to the
one that will be proposed in this paper. Additionally, Feld [29]
and Wilson [20] presented a road map to implement Lean or a
“how to” perspective of their Lean implementations
experiences.
Additionally it is important to refer the application of TRIZ
methodology [30] and Axiomatic Design methodology [31],
that have been applied for understanding Lean Production and
could help in Lean production principles implementation [32-
34].
LEAN PRODUCTION METHODOLOGY IN TEXTILE
AND GARMENT INDUSTRY
It is frequent to hear of unsuccessful stories of Lean
Production implementation. This failure is, in most cases,
assigned to the fact that Lean do not addresses correctly to the
workplace ergonomics and human factors [35]. Unfortunately,
some of these narratives are true and could result from several
reasons: 1) a poor work environment before Lean Production
implementation; 2) an unprepared environment; 3) Lean
implementation is only a partial implementation, i.e., some
tools were implemented as an testing, so, it is not a really Lean
implementation; 4) it is a enforced process of management, not
involving all people. Additionally, other reasons are point out
by other authors [20, 29]. It is also common to see in literature
that Lean is a philosophy, a culture [36], more than a set of
tools and techniques. Toyota senior executives said that
management tools can be copied, but the mindset not [37].
Thus, Lean implementation is not an easy process because
mindset has to do with people. People are vital to feel the needs
behind each improvement that start from these needs and not
from burdens. This is the fundamental mindset and
organizational learning behind LP continuous improvement as
discussed by Yamamoto and Bellgran [38] and Flinchbaugh
[40]. Lean Production promote thinkers [40] but before this
happen, people must be involved and compromised as the “pig
is compromised in the English breakfast”. Wilson [20] points
out three fundamental issues to a cultural change: the
leadership, the motivation and the problem solvers assessment,
as the first step before the Lean project implementation.
3 Copyright © 2012 by ASME
 Attending to this need to involve peoplle as collaborrators, too diagnosis the t company strategic stattus and to bu uild their
but also
a as thinkers and respoonsible for th heir own work k and ffuture vision of o the future arre SWOT anaalysis, SWOT Analysis,
assurre that they arre working inn healthy and pleased condiitions, P
Porter analyysis and m matrix, PEST T Analysis, matrix
the methodology y proposed in i this work k, starts withh the p
product/marke et, matrix maarket/technolo ogy, diagnosiis of the
preparation of the company for the introductiion of Lean. p
president, am
mong others.. A projectt like Lean n project
The Figure 2 shows a three-phase framework of o the immplementatio on must start with supportt of top man nagement,
prop
posed methodo ology to impleement Lean Prroduction in TGI.
T o
otherwise the success
s probaability is minor.
All peoplee must be awaare of the project that it willl just start
inn the compan ny. So, a com mmunication plan will bee of great
immportance to o start with, involving peeople. It coulld not be
Im
mplementing 
e
expected that a company cu ulture suddennly change butt, starting
• Straategic tools m
methodology w the prom
with motion of an oopen commun nication, will captivate
• WBS and Gantt chart • Follow‐up measures p
people attention. Exposingg the project plan with th he project
• Teams  preparation • Sustainable tools
• Ideaas generation  tools 
• Problem so olving tools
• Ergonomic tools
a
activities in a work breakdown structuree (WBS) and represent
• Operationaal  Lean tools
(braainstorming,...)
• Standard work
•
•
Measure KPI and KEP
Scoreboards
PI thhese in a Gan ntt chart show wing the timeliine and milesttones will
• Skillls matrix
• Ergoonomic tools (EWA,...) • Heijunka • Suggestions systems g
give to all th he feeling of the seriousneess of the pro oject and
• SMED • ....
• Susttainable tools
• Cellular p
production
c
compromise to
o assume. Addditionally, rolles and respon nsibilities
• Diaggnostic tools
• Collect KPI and KEPI • Heijunka
Evaluating, 
(
(clarified with
h a skills m matrix help) must be deffined and
• Visual maanagement
Preparing wo
ork  • ... standardizing  a
assigned to the
t collaborattors. This is also the mo oment to
environment aand  and susttaining  o
organize collabborators in teams and laun nching some challenges
c
people too promote thee ideas generration and thee ground to th he culture
c
change for a continuous
c im
mprovement. TheT TPS meth hodology,
p
presented the Quality Coontrol Circless as small groups g of
Figu
ure 2. Framewwork of the m t implement Lean
methodology to c
collaborators l
looking mprovements and this way promotes
for im
Prod
duction in TGII thheir involvem ment [2].
Some too ols to promotee the ideas geeneration are the well-
This metho odology inteends to ap pproach diffferent k
known: nstorming, 66M1E (Man, Machine, Methods,
brain
dimeensions: the ergonomic dimension, the sustainaability M
Material, M
Measurement, Managemen nt informatiion and
dimeension, the op perational dim
mension and the human capital
c E
Environment) checklist, thee asking “Wh hy” five times (5Whys)
dimeension. Study ying the methhodologies reeferred abovee, the technique, thee 5W2H (Whaat, Why, Wheere, When, Who, W How,
autho ors concludee that no companies
c c
consider all these H
How much/m many) checklisst and Osborrne´s checklisst (use it
dimeensions. In order
o to connsider these dimensions, some a
another way; borrow
b an idea from someth hing similar; change
c or
ergon nomic and suustainable toolls were studieed to considerr their r
replace it; exxpand it; reduuce it; use alternatives; reeplace it;
incluusion in this methodologyy in each phaase. The toolss will r
reverse it; andd combine it).. These tools help to raise the right
permmit the diagno osis and asseessment of th he physical cu urrent q
questions [41].
statee looking to the work co onditions ergo onomic evalu uation, In this iniitial phase it iss also necessaary to collect some key
envirronmental conditions evvaluation and human capital c p
performance indicators (KPI) like products produced, p
know wledge. p
productivity, l
lead-time, deffects rate, eco
onomic, ergon nomic and
s
sustainability indicators. A As Lord Kelviin, two hundrred years
Prep paring work k environme ent and peop ple a
ago, said:“Whhen you can m measure what you´re
y speakiing about,
In the projecct beginning (first phase) it is necessaary to a express itt in numbers, you know soomething aboout it; but
and
prepare the enviironment andd the peoplee for the ch hange. w
when you cannnot measure it, when youu cannot express it in
Prepparing environ nment means to evaluate the physical work n
numbers, yourr knowledge is of a meagger and unsaatisfactory
condditions and un nderstand if th
he collaborato
ors are satisfy
y with k
kind”. So, before
b any effort in th he path of a Lean
thesee or feel uncommfortable. Some signals off this uncomfoortable immplementatio on project, inndicators will reveal thee system
are the
t absenteeissm records, mainly,
m due to
o diseases. Beesides m
measurement to better undeerstand this functioning
fu an
nd present
this, work obsservation, w well prepared interview ws or s
state but moree important to compare with h the final ind
dicators at
quesstionnaires to collaboratorss, checklists will give thee data thhe end of thee project. A peerformance measure m matrixx like the
needded to evaluatte and study it. Some of thhese techniquees and o in Table 1, adapted fro
one om [43], could help addreessing the
otherrs are used inn some ergono omic tools deescribed in thee next p
performance in
ndicators relev vant.
sectiion. Another important daata is the opeeration times.. It is Some diaagnostic tools could be ussed on this phase p like
comm mon to find out companies without know wing their opeeration V
Value Stream Mapping (V VSM), eight wastes
w tool, rooot cause
times or with obssolete (not upd dated) times, so, a time stuudy is a
analysis and spaghetti
s diaggram. Non-vaalue activitiess such as
cruciial on this phaase. W time and
WIP d movement time, among g others are identified
The need for a Lean projecct implementattion must be felt
f by u
using these techniques. Imp plement a sug ggestions prog gram and
the top managemeent and some strategic toolss that could bee used d
diary meetingss (10 minutes maximum) with w team leadeers.

4 Copyrright © 2012 by
b ASME

Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ on 01/31/2016 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use

 of the improvements that can be achieved, at low cost. Other
Table 1. Performance measure matrix example is the Ergonomic Work Analysis (EWA) that is a tool
  Resources  Input  Transformation  Output  to define and evaluate the work conditions in the work space
(productive and  (incoming  (material,  (products) 
consumable)  materials)  internal focus)  [47].
Quality and productivity  Work  Scrap rate   Defects parts  Complaints from  The synergy between Lean Production and Ergonomics
How well and how  hours/available  provoked by  clients 
productive?  hours  the process   exists, as showed in the literature review developed by
Flow and inventory  Equipment  Received  WIP level  Expedited units/  Bittencourt et al. [48], so it is unavoidable to promote this in a
How much and what  utilization rate  units/week  Throughput  week 
rate? Time it takes to be  Raw material  time  Lean implementation project. Reducing wastes (or muda) of
processed  inventory  movement, handling and transports are directly related with
Timeliness  Scheduled  On time  Order  Orders 
How timely?   maintenance  supplies  completion  completed on 
reducing collaborator effort. Reducing overproduction and
completed on  status   time   inventory are reducing the effort (producing the production
time 
Workplace environment  Number of       
excess) but also reducing the risk of accidents by having less
How safe and satisfying?  accidents  material spread by all space. The overburden (or muri) is
Financial aspects  Suppliers cost  Cost of  Wastes costs   Total cost by 
another non-valued activity and this is also associated to the
How much (in monetary  material lost to  unit   overburden of people. For example, Figure 3 shows that
terms)?  obsolescence  
collaborator D is overburden. This collaborator will be in stress
and this situation not balanced will delay the lead time of the
Ergonomic tools product.
Ergonomics ideally meets the needs of better productivity
and worker health and safety all at once [43]. So, and due to
some misinterpretation, it is necessary to state that ergonomics
is not a safety issue but is allied with this. Ergonomic tools are
important to diagnose and evaluate the current work conditions
giving important indications about where the ergonomic
problems are and how to improve them. This will promote, at
least, healthy environments that contribute positively for the
productivity increase and create an environment propitious to
implement LP. By the contrary, having an unhealthy
environment where people suffer doing their tasks, beyond the
people, LP implementation could even worsen this situation.
The methodology framework presented in Figure 2 shows
that ergonomic tools are used to analyze the situation and
Figure 3. Operations balancing graph showing an example of
prepare the environment for the LP implementation. This must
the an overburden collaborator (D)
be doing with company people help, involving and sensitizing
them to the change.
Measuring the effort demanded before and after the Lean
In work environment various factors must be evaluated like
implementation will permit distinguish the situation presented
posture (sitting, standing, change of posture, hand and arm
in Figure 3 and assure that this will not happen for collaborator
postures) and movement (lifting, carrying, pulling and
sake and company benefits on lead-time reduction.
pushing), information and operation (visual information,
hearing, other senses, controls for operation, dialogues, website
Sustainable tools
design, mobile interaction, virtual reality), environment factors
Traditionally, the Textile and Garment Industry had always
(noise, vibration, illumination, climate and chemical
been to a great extent dependent on natural resources: natural
substances) and work organization jobs and tasks [44]. These
fibers, dyes, water, energy and others and a great consumer of
factors also influence the health, safety and comfort and worker
water and energy, especially in dyeing and finishing processes.
efficiency.
These processes have a problem concerning the water and soil
To improve the workplace and to reduce the human effort
pollution. In this manner reducing the consumption of these
can be used some tools, reviewed in Maia et al. [45], that must
resources and reducing the pollutants should be a concern for
be selected according the factor assessed. Of course, there are
companies and individuals, to achieve a sustainable
some tools that could assess various factors and in a general
development. As appointed by the Millennium Project [49], the
evaluation they could be used. Example of these are a manual
sustainable development and climate change are the first of the
from the International Labor Organization (ILO), named
15 Global Challenges facing humanity and its accomplishment
Ergonomics checkpoints [46], that presents various checklists
will improve enormously the life for all in the planet.
for assessing the materials storage and handling, hand tools,
According to a Brundtland report called “Our Common
machine safety, workstation design, lighting, premises,
Future”, sustainable development is: “Development that meets
hazardous substances and agents, welfare facilities and work
the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
organization. This manual also illustrates some useful examples
future generations to meet their own needs”. Sustainable

5 Copyright © 2012 by ASME

Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ on 01/31/2016 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use

 development is based on three pillars: economic; environmental Also, at this stage, it is intended to seek and explore some
and social responsibility. According to Holliday et al. [50] “The key environmental performance indicators (KEPI) and
prices of goods must reflect all the costs – financial, sustainability indexes. Search will also indicate how to obtain
environmental and social – involved in making them, using certifications to companies and eco-labels for their products
them, disposing of them or recycling them.”. and processes.
One more time, the symbiosis between Lean production
and sustainable development is unmistakable, starting with Implementing Lean methodology
their key ideas of “doing more with less” and “creating more This phase concern the heart of this methodology and
with less”, respectively. Moreira and co-authors [51] reviewed before starting implementing the Lean operational tools it is
this relationship published since 1993 and showed the evidence necessary for the formed teams discover problems. There some
between the seven wastes and the impact (effect) on the simple problem solving tools that easily could be taught to the
environmental performance. teams like the ones presented by Suzaki [41]:
Fortunately, some initiatives are taking place by the entire Histogram Affinity diagram
world and Portuguese companies are not exception, Cause-effect diagram Tree diagram
accompanying this trend and promoting initiatives as presented (fishbone or Ishikawa
in [52]. Some of these initiatives are somehow forced by diagrams)
European Union legislation like the use of eco-labels and others Check sheet Matrix diagram
are research projects developed by companies in partnership Pareto diagram Arrow diagram
with universities that study alternative materials like biological Graph Gantt chart
cotton or use of more friendly fibers such as polyester or hemp Control chart Radar chart
to use in fabric production or enzymes to optimize the dying Scatter diagram Process analysis sheet
Pie chart Cycle time analysis sheet
process (less time, less energy and less water).
Display chart (pictograph) Work combination chart
Tools for Life Cycle Management (LCM), including Life Relations diagram Process flow diagram
Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC), Man-machine chart
AUDIO (Aspects-Upstream-Downstream-Issues-Opportunities)
analysis [53] and tools to calculate the ecological footprint, are Additionally, Pareto analysis is helpful in identifying the
tools to consider for evaluating the company sustainability. The product or the products family to analyze in first place, 8D
implementation of environmental management systems such as method problem solving could be a useful worksheet for
ISO 14000 or others like ISO 26000 continuously implemented helping the teamwork. DMAIC tool is a quality tool that
through PDCA cycles could ensure continuous improvement in assisted to an evolution for six steps including the standardize
environmental performance. Some guides to sustainability step – Six Sigma (Figure 4).
launched by UNEP [54-57] could also be used in this phase.
For this implementation will be used adapting them to the
Portuguese reality and promoting a “life cycle thinking” in all
functions of company, from development of the product to
sales, in all phases of the product lifecycle, from creation to
disposal (the perspective of “cradle to grave”) and across the
value chain, suppliers and consumers.
Additionally, it will be provided techniques to 3R (Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle) and techniques to develop more eco-efficient
products as Design For Environment (DFE), Design For
Manufacturability and Assembly (DFMA) or
disassembly/recycle. This also involves a number of other
concepts and tools like: (eco)-design methods, green
procurement, eco- and energy labeling, environmental product
declarations, ecological and carbon footprint analyses,
environmental performance indicators, and social sustainability
assessments and approaches. Others tools involve the GHG
Figure 4.Steps of DMAIC tool
protocol, corporate ecosystem services review, global water
tool, measuring impact framework, and the sustainable These problem-solving tools articulate the problem and
procurement of wood and paper-based products guide. potential causes and could be used on the PDCA phases of an
Employing these tools and concepts, TGI are also being A3 report (53). A3 report is a visual tool that could be exposed
prepared to face disappearance of well-defined seasons, having in boards to encourage everyone inspired and motivated to
an even more strongly seasonal due to global warming as a propose solutions [59]. In this one-page report, the problem is
result of climates changes. clearly defined, the root cause analysis is used to reach to
proposals, and an implementation plan is followed. Other visual

6 Copyright © 2012 by ASME

Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ on 01/31/2016 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use

 tools already referred are the VSM, spaghetti diagram and
many tools presented above as problem-solving tools because
they have an enormous visual potential and could appear in the
A3 report or be used in each 8D method. Axiomatic Design and
TRIZ tools are also important tools to design and innovative
products (goods, services, systems, and others) in a way to
pursuit customer specifications and desires.
Implementing Lean will demand the application of a set of
Lean operational tools that are used to improve the system,
from the 5S program to the Leveling (Heijunka) tool, like the
ones following:
1. Jidoka 2. Kaizen
3. SMED 4. Standard work
5. Poka-Yoke 6. Heijunka
7. JITproduction/pull 8. Mixproduction
9. Kanban 10. Visual management
11. 5S 12. TPM
13. Six-Sigma 14. QFD
15. Point CIP 16. FMEA
17. SPC 18. Supplierspartnership
19. One-pieceflow 20. …
These tools implementation have a proper precedence and
implementing, for example, Heijunka before set-up reduction it
will not result. Monden [2] presented the TPS methodology and
advised start with improvements by small groups (QCC) and
introduction of 5S (Seiri – arrangement; Seiton-tidiness; Seiso
– cleaning; Seiketsu – cleanliness and Shitsuke – training).
Implementation of 5S and production technologies will
promote cleaner production processes that it will reduce
resource use, emissions and waste and contribute to savings in
companies. Set-up reduction, standard operations, workers
preparation and layout reconfiguration are parallel activities
that are next. Without a proper production system or layout
reconfiguration it is difficult to put in action a success Lean
implementation because many tools depend on this system to
function well. The basic problem areas: quality, cost, delivery,
safety and morale (QCDSM) only can be achieved with a
proper production system favoring an integrated and holistic
Lean implementation.
Evaluating, standardizing and sustaining
In the last phase of this methodology, Lean implementation
is assessed. It is necessary to understand if the tools applied and
the changes occurred, created added value to the company. In
order to do this, it is necessary to reevaluate the system with the
same tools and collect the new results of the KPI and KEPI
considered in the first phase. Comparing the results, it will be
possible to know if the desired targets were achieved.
If the first phase was succeeded and the collaborators were
involved, this is almost a guarantee that the changes will
remain. This involvement will assure this, because it will start a
company culture of continuous improvement that before was
not possible to find. But, if implementing could be a difficult
process more difficult it will be to keep the procedures and
make them a routine. This must be done with a lot of
Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ on 01/31/2016 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
persistence, hard work and some tools like 5S audits,
scoreboards continuously updated, continue with diary
meetings and encourage the suggestions program. This program
must be taken very seriously, promoting some kind of reward
for the best suggestions and discuss with the collaborators the
suggestions not implemented. Otherwise the consequences will
be disastrous, ruining the opportunity of workers collaboration.
Of course to obtain good prepared suggestions it will be
necessary to train the collaborators in problem-solving tools
like the ones already presented in previous section. Alves and
co-authors [40] presented some testimony of companies that
implemented suggestions programs. The benefits obtained from
a suggestions program could be remarkable for the company
and the collaborators will feel more motivated and ownership
of the company, incorporating a team spirit, not presented in the
Portuguese TGI work environment. This will be difficult to
achieve in work environments like Portuguese TGI but
appealing to the entrepreneurship spirit that some
administrators assume, it is not an impossible mission. They,
more than others, are aware of the country difficulties mainly
when they have to fire someone due to costs reduction.
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) programs must be
also assured through standard procedures plans. Machine
failures will ruin all the implementation effort. Maintain and
improve strong and close partnerships built on the trust and
confidence with customers and suppliers will guarantee by one
side, a certain demand, and the by other side, the right quantity
and quality and timely all the components, supplies, materials
or parts to produce the company product.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The identification of the difficulties of Portuguese Textile
and Garment Industry and the need for new production models
is not new, but very few were and being done. The internal
difficulties of organizations, in general, and in the Textile and
Garment Industry in particular, prove that this type of industry
must adopt the Lean Production principles and tools to face the
competition, to satisfy and to deliver value to costumer
(internal and external).
When the companies finally accept that something is
wrong and they have to change their strategy and implement
LP, there still a lot of work to carried on. To facilitate and to
organize the LP implementation, a methodology will help to
define the road, and will allow reducing the implementation
time. With this concern this paper presented a described a draft
of a methodology to implement LP in order to eliminate waste,
increase the productivity of the companies and improve the
processes. Additionally, this methodology considers ergonomic
and sustainability tools to evaluate the work conditions and
sustainable environment. Reviewing some methodologies to
implement LP the authors recognized that no methodology
presented includes ergonomics and sustainability tools.
Ergonomics allows the assessment to improve the environment
and the work conditions, and the sustainability development
allows the company to achieve its objectives and goals without
7 Copyright © 2012 by ASME
 destroying the planet. These reasons led the authors to include
them on the methodology developed.
The framework of methodology presented is, yet, in an
initial phase of development and the authors are presenting the
draft in this paper to obtain feedback that will be important for
continuing the development.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors are grateful to Portuguese Foundation for
Science and Technology, under Strategic Projects PEst-
OE/EME/UI0252/2011 and PEst-C/EEI/UI0319/2011, for
financial support.
REFERENCES
[1] Womack, J., Jones, D.T. and Roos, D. (1990). The machine
that changes the world. Rawson Associates, NY.
[2] Monden, Y. (1998). Toyota Production System. Industrial
Engineering and Management Press, 3rd edition, Institute of
Industrial Engineers.
[3] Melton, T. (2005). The benefits of lean manufacturing:
What Lean Thinking has to Offer the Process Industries,
Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 83(A6), 662–
673.
[4] Shah, R. and Ward, P.T. (2003). Lean manufacturing:
context, practice bundles, and performance, Journal of
Operations Management, Vol. 21, 129–149.
[5] Liker, J.K. and Morgan, J.M. (2006). The Toyota Way in
Services: The Case of Lean Product Development.
Academy of Management Perspectives, 5–20.
[6] Page, M. (2007). Much more than lean production, The
manufacturer. (Online: http:/www.themanufacturer.com/uk/
content/7599/Much_more_than_lean_production.html.
Accessed 16 February 2012).
[7] Wong, Y.C., Wong, K.Y. and Ali, A. (2009). A Study on
Lean Manufacturing Implementation in the Malaysian
Electrical and Electronics Industry. European Journal of
Scientific Research, Vol. 38, No. 4, 521–535.
[8] Farhana, F. and Amir, A. (2009). Lean production practice:
the differences and similarities in performance between the
companies of Bangladesh and other countries of the world.
Asian Journal of Business Management, Vol. 1, No. 1, 32–
36.
[9] WCED (1987). Our Common Future. Report of the World
Commission on Environment and Development, United
Nations. (Online: http://worldinbalance.net/intagreements/
1987-brundtland.php. Accessed 16 February 2012).
[10] Aicep Portugal Global (2011). Portugal - Perfil País.
(Online: http://www.portugalglobal.pt/PT/Biblioteca/
LivrariaDigital/PortugalPerfilPais.pdf. Accessed on 15
February 2012).
[11] Maia, L.C., Alves, A.C. and Leão, C.P. (s.d.). How
Portuguese textile and Garment Industry sees the Lean
Production? (to be submitted).
[12] Alves, A.C., Carvalho, D., Sousa, R., Moreira, F. and
Lima, R. (2011). Benefits of Lean Management: results
from some industrial cases in Portugal”. Proceedings of 6th
Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ on 01/31/2016 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
Congress Portuguese-Mozambican of Engineering
(CLME2011), 29 August-2 of September, Maputo,
Mozambique.
[13] Simcsik, T. (1993). O.M.I.S. – Organização e Métodos.
Makron Books, McGraw-Hill (in Portuguese).
[14] Maia, L.C., Alves, A.C. and Leão, C.P. (2011).
Metodologias para implementar Lean Production: uma
revisão crítica de literatura. (Methodologies to implement
Lean production: a critical review of literature). Proceedings
of 6º Congresso Luso-Moçambicano de Engenharia
(CLME2011), 29 Agosto-2 de Setembro, Maputo,
Moçambique (in Portuguese).
[15] Ohno, T. (1988). The Toyota Production System: beyond
large-scale production. Productivity Press.
[16] Womack, J.P. and Jones, D.T. (1996). Lean Thinking –
Banish waste and create wealth in your corporation. Siman
& Schuster, New York, USA.
[17] Liker, J.K. (2004). The Toyota Way: 14 Management
Principles From the World’s Greatest Manufacturer.
McGraw-Hill, NY.
[18] James-Moore, S.M. and Gibbons, A. (1997). Is lean
manufacture universally relevant? An investigative
methodology. International Journal of Operations &
Production Management, Vol. 17, No 9, 899–911.
[19] Caldwell, C. (2005). A Hight Quality Care – In Health
Systems, achieving strategic results using Lean Six Sigma
demands strong leaderships, Industrial Engineer.
[20] Wilson, L. (2010). How to implement Lean
Manufacturing. New York, McGraw-Hill.
[21] SECORA Consulting (2007). Case Study: Operational
Effectiveness Through SLIM (Lean) Implementation.
(Online: http://www.secora.com.au/resources/publications/
1217814800370_case_study_lean_laser_welding_automotiv
e. Pdf. Accessed on 25 November 2011).
[22] BRIEF Consulting (2007) (Online: www.brief.com.br.
Accessed in 2011.07.25).
[23] Ahrens, T. (2006). Lean production: Successful
implementation of organizational change in operations
instead of short term cost reduction efforts. Lean Alliance.
[24] Warwick Business School (2010). Strategic Lean
Implementation Methodology (SLIM). (Online:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/wbs/projects/slim/links/
zr_presentation.pdf. Accessed on 2011-11-25).
[25] Witcher, B.J. and Butterworth, R. (2001). Hoshin Kanri:
Policy Management in Japanese-owned UK Subsidiaries,
Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 38, No 5, 651–674.
[26] Yang, T.M. and Su, C.T. (2007). Application of
hoshinkanri for productivity improvement in a
semiconductor manufacturing company. Journal of
Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 18, No 6,
761–775.
[27] Salvada, P.A. (s.d.). Metodologia A3 PDCA. Comunidade
Lean Thinking. (Online: http://www.leanthinking
community.org/livros_recursos/PDCA%20Metodologia%20
A3%20segundo%20Pedro%20Salvada.pdf. Accessed on 25
November 2011, in Portuguese).
8 Copyright © 2012 by ASME
 [28] Hodge, G.L., Goforth, K.R., Joines, J.A. and Thoney, K.
(2011). Adapting lean manufacturing principles to the
textile industry. Production Planning & Control, Vol. 22, No
3, 237–247.
[29] Feld, W.M. (2001). Lean Manufacturing: Tools,
Techniques, and How To Use Them. The St. Lucie
Press/APICS Series on Resource Management.
[30] Altshuller G. (2001). 40 Principles: TRIZ Keys to
Technical Innovation. Technical Innovation Center.
[31] Suh, N.P. (1990). The principles of Design, Oxford
University Press.
[32] Cochran, D.S., Eversheim, W., Kubin, G. and Sesterhenn,
M. L. (2000). The application of axiomatic design and lean
management principles in the scope of production system
segmentation. International Journal of Production Research,
Vol. 38, No 6, 747–758.
[33] Ikovenko S. and Bradley J. (2004). TRIZ as a Lean
Thinking Tool. Proceedings of the TRIZ Future 4th World
Conference, Florence, 3-5 November 2004. Firenze
University Press.
[34] Maia, L.C., Alves, A.C. and Leão, C.P. (2012c). How
could the TRIZ tool help continuous improvement efforts of
the companies?. In ETRIA World TRIZ Future Conference
2012 will take place in Lisbon (Portugal), 24–26th October
2012, Lisbon, Portugal (accepted).
[35] Arezes, P.M., Dinis-Carvalho, J. and Alves, A.C. (2010).
Threats and Opportunities for Workplace Ergonomics in
Lean Environments. Proceedings of 17th International
Annual EurOMA Conference – Managing Operations in
Service Economics, (Eds.) R. Sousa, C. Portela, S.S. Pinto,
H. Correia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, 6-9 June,
Porto, Portugal.
[36] Mann, D. (2010). Creating a Lean Culture: tools to sustain
Lean conversions. Productivity Press, Taylor & Francis
Group.
[37] Stewart, T.A. and Raman, A.P. (2007). Lessons from
Toyotas’s long drive. Harvard Business Review, July-
August, 74–83.
[38] Yamamoto, Y. and Bellgran, M. (2010). Fundamental
mindset that drives improvements towards lean production.
Assembly Automation, Vol. 30, No 2, 124–130.
[39] Flinchbaugh, J. (2011). Beyond Lean: Building
Sustainable Business and People Success through New
Ways of Thinking. Lean Learning Center. (Online:
http://www.leanlearningcenter.com/knowledge_center/articl
es.cfm. Accessed on 23 November 2011).
[40] Alves, A.C., Dinis-Carvalho, J. and Sousa, R. (2012). Lean
production as promoter of thinkers to achieve companies´
agility. The Learning Organization, Vol. 19, No 3, 219–237.
(Online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09696471211219930.)
[41] Suzaki, K. (1993). The New Shop Floor Management:
empowering people for continuous improvement, Free
Press, New York.
[42] Hyer, N. and Wemmerlov, U. (2002). Reorganizing the
factory: competing through Cellular Manufacturing,
Productivity Press.
Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ on 01/31/2016 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
[43] Heston, T. (2006). Ergonomics is the first step to Lean.
(Online: http://www.fabricatingandmetalworking.com/
2006/07/ergonomics-the-first-step-to-lean. Accessed on 5
December 2011).
[44] Dul, J. and Weerdmeester, B. (2008). Work Organization
Jobs and Tasks. Ergonomics for Beginners. A Quick
Reference Guide, Third Edition, CRC Press.
[45] Maia, L., Alves, A.C. and Leão, C.P. (2012a). Do Lean
Methodologies include ergonomic tools? In Proceedings of
International Symposium on Occupational Safety and
Hygiene (SHO2012), February 2012, Portugal, 350-356.
(Online: http://hdl.handle.net/1822/18877).
[46] ILO – International Labour Office (2010). Ergonomic
checkpoints: Practical and easy-to-implement solutions for
improving safety, health and working conditions.
International Labour Organization.
[47] Gomes da Costa (1995). Estudo Ergonómico de Postos de
Trabalho. Universidade do Minho, Escola de Engenharia.
(Translated from EWA of Ergonomics Section, Finish
Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), Ergonomic
Workplace Analysis, 1989).
[48] Bittencourt, W., Alves, A.C. and Arezes, P. (2011). Revisão
bibliográfica sobre a sinergia entre Lean Production e
Ergonomia. (Literature review about synergy between
LeanProduction and Ergonomics), Proceedings 6º
Congresso Luso-Moçambicano de Engenharia
(CLME2011), 29 Agosto a 2 de Setembro 2011, Maputo,
Moçambique.
[49] The Millennium Project (2009). Project Overview history.
(Online: http://www.millennium-project.org/millennium/
overview.html. Accessed 25 September 2011).
[50] Holliday, C.O., Schmidheiny, S. and Watts, P. (2002).
Walking the talk: the business case for sustainable
Development. Greenlaf Publishing.
[51] Moreira, F., Alves, A.C. and Sousa, R.M. (2010). Towards
Eco-efficient Lean Production Systems, IFIP Advances in
Information and Communication Technology, Volume 322,
Balanced Automation Systems for Future Manufacturing
Networks, 100–108.
[52] Maia, L., Alves, A.C. and Leão, C.P. (2012b). Sustainable
Work Environment with Lean Production in Textile and
Garment Industry. In Proceedings of International
Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations
Management (ICIEOM2012), July 2012, Guimarães,
Portugal.
[53] Esty, D.C. and Winston, A.S. (2006). Do verde ao ouro.
Tradução de R. Fidalgo, Casa das Letras.
[54] UNEP (1996). Cleaner Production: a training resource
package, first edition. (Online: http://www.uneptie.org/
shared/publications/pdf/WEBx0029xACPtraining. Accessed
24 February 2012).
[55] UNEP (2007). Life Cycle Management: a business guide
to sustainability. United Nations Environment Programme.
(Online: http://www.unep.org. Accessed 21 February 2012).
[56] UNEP (2009). Life Cycle Management: How business
uses it to decrease footprint, create opportunities and make
9 Copyright © 2012 by ASME
 value chains more sustainable. United Nations Environment resourcepanel/Publications/Decoupling/tabid/56048/Default
Programme. (Online: http://www.unep.org. Accessed 21 .aspx. Accessed 21 February 2012).
February 2012). [58] LaHote. D. (2005). PDCA Story boards (A3s). (Online:
[57] UNEP (2011). Decoupling natural resource use and http://www.lean.org.br. Accessed 25 November 2011).
environmental impacts from economic growth. A Report of [59] Shook, J. (2008). Managing to learn – using the A3
the Working Group on Decoupling to the International management process to solve problems, gain agreement,
Resource Panel. (Online: http://www.unep.org/ mentor and lead. Lean Enterprise Institute.

10 Copyright © 2012 by ASME

Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ on 01/31/2016 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use