Clean Room Space Optimization Through Lean-Driven Workstation Redesign and Financial Analysis

Abstract

A five-phase Lean methodology was implemented to improve space utilization in a medical device manufacturing cleanroom. The study concentrated on Zone A, comprising 25 workstations and 10 manufacturing processes. Application of 5S principles, workstation table redesign, and enhanced use of vertical space resulted in the release of 304 ft² of cleanroom floor space, representing a 35% reduction from the original 868 ft² baseline. Cycle time was reduced from 15,318 to 14,911 seconds, a statistically significant improvement of 407 seconds (paired t-test, t (9) = 4.48, p = 0.002). The I-MR control chart demonstrated consistent application of the methodology across workstations. Regression analysis indicated that original workstation size was a significant predictor of freed space (R² = 48.3%, p < 0.001). Financial analysis revealed strong economic value, with a net present value (NPV) of $446,568 and a payback period of 5.02 months.