Productivity Increase by Means of Critical Process Automation for Edwards Lifesciences

Abstract

Due to the boom in exports of medical devices, the effort to maintain product quality has increased, but productivity has remained unchanged. In the free zone industries, direct labor is one of the variation factors that affect product quality. The objective of this project is to understand the effects of automation of a key process in the Dominican Republic’s facilities of Edwards Lifesciences, in terms of manufacturing costs and production rates. This body of knowledge will later be applied to a specific manufacturing line which has its demand increased by more than 50%. Key Terms ⎯ Automation, Efficiency, Process control, Productivity.