Capacitor manufacture : a total technology study

The work examines a total company operation for a specific range of newgeneration, polypropylene capacitors, which results in recommendations for future operational improvements and the installation of a new system of manufacture. The research covers the major facets of a business operation and their interdependency. These are, principally, corporate strategy, markets, product technology and manufacturing organisation. A major feature of the work was the successful installation of manufacturing and control systems based on cellular layout. As the production methods were predominantly assembly orientated, this represented a unique application of Group Technology (G.T.), in view of the fact that such areas had received little attention by academics and industrial engineers. The writer was fully responsible for all facets of installation and operation of the new system which involved gaining the co-operation of operators and staff, planning the physical movement of machines and other facilities, and the monitoring of working procedures at the post-installation stage. The overall conclusion was reached that the company had a fundamental strategic problem and that basic decisions were needed if polypropylene capacitors were to have a future. The work covered in this thesis provides a framework to aid this decision making process. The information presented on markets provides an indication of the scope available to the business, and the product technology section demonstrates the need for management of change such that minimum cost and market criteria can be met in capacitor design. The Group Technology work was also useful in this connection as the rationalised nature of flow and inputs provided a datum point for the strategic planning of physical conversion processes.