Applying an Advance Pallet Preparation System to Improve Work Process Efficiency: A Case Study of an Automotive Assembly Plant

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to 1) examine parts management in an automotive assembly plant, 2) design and develop an advanced pallet preparation system suitable for the production process, and 3) evaluate the performance of the advanced pallet preparation system by comparing conditions before and after the improvement. This study employed an action research approach. Data were collected through workplace observations and purposive interviews with 14 participants between February and May 2025. The identified problems were analyzed using lean principles in conjunction with Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). Work procedures were then designed using statistical measures, including standard deviation and Z-scores, leading to the development of new standardized operating procedures for parts management in the automotive assembly plant.

The findings revealed that improvements to the pallet retrieval process, achieved by separating work areas and implementing advanced pallet preparation, eliminated forklift waiting time and reduced travel distance by 1,062 meters per day, resulting in more flexible and safer operations. Improvements to the Dolly Supply sorting process, including workspace reorganization and redesigned material flow routes, reduced employee waiting time by 75 percent and decreased total pushing distance by more than 1,220 meters per day, thereby enhancing workflow continuity and operational efficiency. Furthermore, workload redistribution reduced disparities in walking distances among four employees from 11.64 percent to 4.84 percent, indicating improved balance. However, for the two forklifts, the deviation from the average increased from 23.9 percent to 38.3 percent, suggesting that workload distribution between forklifts remained unbalanced after the improvement.