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Business Process Re-Engineering to Digitalise Quality Control Checks for Reducing Physical Waste and Resource Use in a Food Company

Author

Listed:
  • Guillermo Garcia-Garcia

    (Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
    Department of Agrifood System Economics, Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), P.O. Box 2027, 18080 Granada, Spain)

  • Guy Coulthard

    (Richard Hochfeld Ltd., Orchard Place, Comp Road, Kent TN15 8LW, UK)

  • Sandeep Jagtap

    (Sustainable Manufacturing Systems Centre, School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing, Cranfield University, Building 50, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK)

  • Mohamed Afy-Shararah

    (Sustainable Manufacturing Systems Centre, School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing, Cranfield University, Building 50, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK)

  • John Patsavellas

    (Sustainable Manufacturing Systems Centre, School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing, Cranfield University, Building 50, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK)

  • Konstantinos Salonitis

    (Sustainable Manufacturing Systems Centre, School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing, Cranfield University, Building 50, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK)

Abstract

Quality control is an essential element of manufacturing operations that reduces product defects and provides excellent products of the right specifications to the end consumer. Industry 4.0 solutions, such as digitalisation, along with lean manufacturing tools, may support quality control operations. This paper presents a case study of a food company wherein quality control checks were optimised using business process re-engineering to reduce physical waste and resource usage. Following close analysis of the company’s pack-house operations, it was proposed to adopt elements of Industry 4.0 by digitalising the quality control process. Implementing such a solution led to a reduction in the time needed to complete recorded checks, an increase in the time the pack-house quality control team spends with packers on the production lines, and the facilitation of defects identification. It also ensured that the product met the customers’ specifications and reduced the likelihood of rejection at the customers’ depot. The new system also enabled monitoring of each line in real-time and gathering of additional information faster and more accurately. This article proves how employing lean principles in combination with Industry 4.0 technologies can lead to savings in resources and a reduction in waste, which leads to improvements in operational efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Guillermo Garcia-Garcia & Guy Coulthard & Sandeep Jagtap & Mohamed Afy-Shararah & John Patsavellas & Konstantinos Salonitis, 2021. "Business Process Re-Engineering to Digitalise Quality Control Checks for Reducing Physical Waste and Resource Use in a Food Company," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:22:p:12341-:d:674998
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Schniederjans, Dara G. & Curado, Carla & Khalajhedayati, Mehrnaz, 2020. "Supply chain digitisation trends: An integration of knowledge management," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    2. Emiliano Sironi, 2019. "Job satisfaction as a determinant of employees’ optimal well-being in an instrumental variable approach," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 53(4), pages 1721-1742, July.
    3. Sandeep Jagtap & Chintan Bhatt & Jaydeep Thik & Shahin Rahimifard, 2019. "Monitoring Potato Waste in Food Manufacturing Using Image Processing and Internet of Things Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-12, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Guillermo Garcia-Garcia & Yadvinder Singh & Sandeep Jagtap, 2022. "Optimising Changeover through Lean-Manufacturing Principles: A Case Study in a Food Factory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-20, July.
    2. Radosław Drozd & Radosław Wolniak & Jan Piwnik, 2023. "Systemic analysis of a manufacturing process based on a small scale bakery," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 1421-1437, April.
    3. Geandra Alves Queiroz & Paulo Nocera Alves Junior & Isotilia Costa Melo, 2022. "Digitalization as an Enabler to SMEs Implementing Lean-Green? A Systematic Review through the Topic Modelling Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-21, October.

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