GM491_Unit 2 Assignment_KRR
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Value of Projects Focus Paper: Automation in Manufacturing
Value of Projects Focus Paper: Automation in Manufacturing
Kyle Reutenauer
Purdue Global
GM592 Unit 2
Dr. Fleming
November 14, 2023
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Value of Projects Focus Paper: Automation in Manufacturing
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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Introduction
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Project Overview
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Analysis of Project
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Recommendation and Course of Action
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Conclusion
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References
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Value of Projects Focus Paper: Automation in Manufacturing
Executive Summary
Sustainability and value-centric projects are at the forefront of companies and organizations
across the globe. Projects play a pivotal role in making businesses more sustainable and this has become
more important now than ever with the growing focus on environmental conservation (Pirozzi, M et al,
2023). Deploying automation within the manufacturing environment can single handedly increase
revenue for the company and increase sustainability in the form of waste reduction. Deploying an
automation cell for the gate trimming operation of the Rollease plastic end caps, will help to reduce
operator involvement which in turn will lead to reduced costs for our company and increased profits. To
stay competitive in a global marketplace, projects such as these are not an option, but a necessity.
Introduction
A business must consistently invest in new projects to maintain and attract new customers. To
determine if a specific project is beneficial, a comprehensive study of costs, benefits, and risks must be
conducted to provide justification for the investment of capital funds to stakeholders (Resch, M, 2011).
Many tasks in a manufacturing environment can be done more consistently with the help of automation
cells, which will help to deliver more consistent part quality, reduce waste and scrap, and reduce head
count. Project success must be seen as more than a simple financial return or reaching the project’s
goals of scope, but that of the life cycle-oriented benefits and impacts on customers and society
(Martinsuo, M, 2020).
Project Overview
The Rollease end cap trimming molding and trimming operation is one which is on-going during
nearly all business hours, which makes it a great opportunity for deploying this automation. Value-
centric projects such as this will provide positive business value to the company (Resch, M, 2011) in
facilitating the decrease in cycle time, reducing the amount of waste, and reducing operator
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Value of Projects Focus Paper: Automation in Manufacturing
involvement. By use of automation, we can take parts directly from the molding machine, place them
into an automation cell, and then this cell will trim the gate, count, and package up the parts
automatically.
Analysis of Project
The owner of Forum Plastics is a capital investment company which is always looking for ways to
increase their profitability and environmental impact. This capital investment company is the sponsor for
this project. A project manager was needed to run this from concept to close out and as I have familiarity
with automation and manufacturing, I was chosen to be the project manager.
During the concept phase, time was spent conducting research on the current operations in
terms of cycle time, waste and scrap, headcount costs, and facility capability which allowed about a 30%
business case accuracy level (Resch, M, 2011). It could not be until outside suppliers who will do the
development that this accuracy could be increased. Three suppliers were given equal requirements for a
proposed solution to allow for fair business practices and the one which best fit our needs was selected.
With a supplier chosen, the stakeholders were contacted with a full proposal for approval of the
overall project. A communications plan was established based on the needs of the stakeholders (Project
Management Institute, 2017) form of bimonthly gantt charts and general status updates. This technique
of communication is vital to keep stakeholders involved and up to date so that the project can gain
additional resources if need be.
The largest risk on this project as well as most others is the proper close out phase and transfer
to organizational operations. Towards the end of a project, teams tend to disband before operations can
achieve the targeted benefits (Resch, M, 2011). I felt the need to involve operations in the development
process since they would end up owning this after I finish my portion. I have found that this group
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Value of Projects Focus Paper: Automation in Manufacturing
appreciates being involved early on as they can provide vital input as to what should go into the project
scope since they see this work being performed daily on the floor.
Recommendation and Course of Action
The best course of action for this project is to have a solid communication plan with stakeholders
and all involved in the project to maintain complete transparency. The value of the project must not be
lost at any point so that the company can reap the rewards of the investment.
Conclusion
A value-centric project management methodology is rapidly becoming the standard for project
management. Stakeholders often do not see the full value of a project until long after the entire project
has wrapped up (Martinsuo, M, 2020). Due to this we must make sure to use proper techniques and
communication to ensure that the effort put forth does not go to waste. As the project lifecycle
continues, operations must continue to be involved to facilitate a smooth transition from development
to daily use so that full project value can be achieved.
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Value of Projects Focus Paper: Automation in Manufacturing
References
Resch, M. (2011).
Strategic project management transformation: Delivering maximum ROI & sustainable
business value
. J. Ross Publishing.
Project Management Institute. (2017).
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®
Guide)
–Sixth Edition: Vol. Sixth edition. Project Management Institute.
Pirozzi, M., Quagliarini, A., Apponi, F., Brusciotti, F., Buzzi, C., Mendicino, A., Milani, C., & Raguso, D.
(2023).
Sustainable Project Management: A Multidimensional Valuebased Approach
. PM World
Journal, 12(6), 1–20.
Martinsuo, M. (2020).
The Management of Values in Project Business: Adjusting Beliefs to Transform
Project Practices and Outcomes
. Project Management Journal, 51(4), 389–399. https://doi-
org.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/10.1177/8756972820927890
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