IMPROVING MANUFACTURING EFFICIENCY WITH LEAN TECHNIQUES CASE STUDY: STONE MORTAR MANUFACTURING PROCESS IN TAK PROVINCE

Abstract

This research article aims to: 1) examine organizational operating characteristics; 2) study the application of lean concepts to improve production efficiency in the granite stone mortar manufacturing industry in Tak Province; and 3) compare differences in the application of lean concepts. This study employs a quantitative research approach. The population consists of 1,252 workers in the granite stone mortar manufacturing industry in Tak Province, with a sample size of 304 respondents

The research findings indicate that the overall level of importance of applying lean concepts to enhance production efficiency in the plastic manufacturing industry is high ( = 4.11). When analyzed by dimension, the elimination of process unevenness (MURA) is rated at a high level (  = 4.14). The item with the highest importance is building an effective team that emphasizes collaboration and effective communication to identify and resolve process variability (  = 4.36). The elimination of overburden in the system (MURI) is also rated at a high level (  = 4.11), with the most important item being workload balancing by equally distributing tasks between workers and machines to reduce overburden (  = 4.30). Similarly, the elimination of waste in processes (MUDA) is rated at a high level (  = 4.08), with the highest-rated item being preventive maintenance of machinery according to a planned schedule to ensure continuous production readiness (  = 4.29). Comparative analysis of the mean importance levels of lean application for improving production efficiency in the plastic industry, classified by business registration type, length of business operation, and business size, reveals statistically significant differences at the 0.05 level.