Workcells and Cellular Manufacturing are at the heart of Lean Manufacturing. Their benefits are many and varied. They increase productivity and quality. Cells simplify material flow, management and even accounting systems.

Workcells appear simple. But beneath this deceptive simplicity are sophisticated Socio-Technical Systems. Proper functioning depends on subtle interactions of people and equipment. Each element must fit with the others in a smoothly functioning, self-regulating and self-improving operation.

Proper  design of manufacturing workcells is an engineering problem. Like any other engineering design, it proceeds through a logical sequence of steps. At each step, the designers make compromises between conflicting requirements or technical limitations.

Doing it well requires a deep and profound knowledge of the elements of a workcell, their functions, and their interactions.

Unfortunately, many practitioners fail to recognize this. A desire for instant solutions exacerbates the situation. As a result, many manufacturers fail, create  sub-optimum cells, or produce negative unintended consequences.

The links at right outline the major tasks of cell design and their associated steps. An experienced designer performs many of these steps informally or just mentally. The process is not as complex or lengthy as the charts indicate. However, failure to perform a step results in design by accident, a risky proposition.

You can find a complete explanation of this in Mr. Lee's book, "Facilities and Workplace Design - An Illustrated Guide." 

Our seminar "Workcell Design for Lean Manufacturing" also addresses these tasks in-depth.

Four Tasks of Cell Design

References

LEE, QUARTERMAN, Facilities and Workplace Design, Atlanta, GA, Engineering and Management Press, 1997.

WRENNALL, WILLIAM, AND LEE, QUARTERMAN, Handbook of Commercial and Industrial Facilities Management, McGraw Hill, August 1993.