Framework for digitally transformed Lean Production Systems

Dissertation “Framework for digitally transformed Lean Production Systems” at the Institute of Industrial Manufacturing and Management IFF of Prof. Dr. Thomas Bauernhansl of the University of Stuttgart Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Thomas Bauernhansl, University of Stuttgart Co-supervisor: Prof. Dr. Peter Nyhuis, Leibniz University Hannover

Lean Production Systems (LPS) are company-specific, methodical rulesets designed to continuously align all company processes with customer needs to achieve corporate objectives, and they are established as an industry standard in Germany. The digital transformation significantly impacts existing LPS and their design. New efficiency potentials arise for industrial engineering while complexity increases, especially in the operational part of digitally transformed LPS, due to new methods, Industrie 4.0 technologies, and Industrie 4.0 use cases. Consequently, this dissertation aims to establish a systematic framework for managing productivity within LPS that have undergone digital transformation. This dissertation conducts an exploratory study to investigate the research field, testing scientific hypotheses within industrial practice, assessing the present state of production systems in industry, and identifying indicators for the design of future production systems. Based on this, a framework for digitally transformed LPS is designed and developed with three modules, and implemented in a web-based prototype called Toolbox »Lean 4.0«. The validation is carried out by applying and evaluating the Toolbox »Lean 4.0« in workshops with 48 experts from seven manufacturing companies, which confirm the practical suitability of the framework. In conclusion, this dissertation contributes to the applied research field focused on the systematic design of future production systems. The framework for digitally transformed LPS provides a broad knowledge base, including practice-oriented application processes that enhance the complexity management in industrial engineering, exceeding current state-of-the-art practices. By applying this framework, industrial practitioners are enabled to integrate a synergistic approach of LPS and Industrie 4.0 within their enterprise-specific production environments.