Mass Customization

Brad,

I believe that Mass Customization would be the best strategy for your precooked meals. Mass customization is a strategy of producing almost standardized goods, but incorporating some level of customization in the final product. Using a modular design of mass customization would be the most effective and efficient approach. Using modular design, component parts are grouped into modules that are easily replaced or interchanged. This way, it would be easy to switch out cooking a specific meat, potatoes, vegetable and bread for the various menus. It would be easy to create many different combinations of the menu items (up to 495 if I am using the correct calculation) using this module of mass customization. The advantages are easier diagnosis and remedy of failures, easier repair and replacement, and simplification of manufacturing and assembly. Disadvantages are limited number of possible product configurations (only up to maximum amount without introducing new product into mix), and limited ability to repair a faulty module.

PP3 Cellular Layout

Cellular layout is a layout in which machines are grouped into a “cell” that can process items that have similar processing requirements. It is an integral part of lean manufacturing, where small and mobile equipment that can be quickly moved or changed is used for production. When properly implemented, cells are more flexible and responsive than traditional assembly line for mass production, because machines can move into new cell production with ease. Group technology is used in cellular layout. Machines are grouped into families of items with similar design or manufacturing characteristics to allow for quick production change.