Implementação de melhoria contínua para diminuição de consumo de vapor em uma empresa de extração de óleo vegetal

Abstract

Faced with an increasingly competitive globalized market, companies are continually seeking structure articulated models of strategic management in order to progressively optimize their processes and obtain more economic benefits. In this context, continuous improvement presents itself as an excellent mechanism to assist large corporations in improving their processes, products and services. In the ambit of continuous improvement, the A3 methodology is a powerful quality instrument that allows the identification and practical resolution of routine problems in large corporations. In view of this, this article outlined an implementation study of the A3 methodology to increase productivity in a multinational. Thus, for analysis and reflection on the application of the methodology, a company of vegetal oil extraction located in the city of Ponta Grossa - PR was used as object of study. The research method used was the action research and the present work proposed the application of A3 to reduce the consumption of steam, an energy input used in the processing of the soybean seed and extraction of oil in the industrial plant. With the implementation of continuous improvement, it was possible to reduce steam consumption by 3.8% in the first five weeks of analysis, and 8.9% in the subsequent five weeks of evaluation. In addition, the project's development increased the interaction between employees of different shifts and sectors, and provided the team with the idealization of continuous improvement programs with high development potential within the plant.