Pre-cast Concrete Panelizing
Executive Summary:
Using principles of lean construction, researchers assisted a large Florida builder and their primary shell subcontractor to improve quality, reduce costs and increase energy efficiency as they transitioned from concrete block to precast concrete panel construction. Preliminary research involved extensive observation and analysis including continuous digital monitoring/recording and value stream mapping. Value stream mapping identified activities that contributed value to the customer as well as activities that added little or no value. Material handling and rework were primary contributors to the 47% of labor consumed by non-value added activities. Once started, the flow of value-added activity was routinely interrupted. Poor access to materials and tools, rework, ill-defined process flows, and workforce/1st line supervision issues were contributing factors. To address these issues, researchers utilized lean production principles - challenging non-value added activities and removing the obstacles to continuous production flow. Recommendations addressed issues of organization/communication, structured procedures and work flow, material handling, and off-line sub-assembly.To test the recommendations, researchers performed a 3-day pilot test at the plant. The test involved a single house consisting of 25 panels. The first day was spent organizing and training the test production team and the second and third days were dedicated to production. Overall labor productivity was increased by 47%. Not all recommendations could be realized during the test. Some equipment and personnel issues could not be resolved on a short-term test basis. This suggests that the true potential is significantly greater than that observed during the test – possibly approaching 200% increase in labor productivity. Corresponding cycle time reductions are estimated to be 20-25%.
Technical Reports & Papers:
Proprietary
