Analysis and proposal of reduction of lead time in the process of cutting, loading and transportation in a sugar cane factory: a study case

Abstract This article parts from the importance of sugarcane based energy to the Brazilian economy and, consequently, the important role of the process that involves cutting/loading/transportation (CLT) of cane in the supplies and production cost of sugar, alcohol and its derivates. For this purpose, a study case was carried in a sugarcane factory from São Paulo state, aiming to build a proposal that could reduce the lead time in the CLT process through the analysis of the Manufacturing Critical-Path Time (MCT) of the studied industry. With the data collected in the field visits, the MCT of one tone of sugarcane during its logistic process was done. This tool revealed a long waiting time of the cane waiting to be milled in the patio of the factory. Through the theory of dynamic of the systems it was concluded that this time was high due to the variability of the field as a consequence of an inefficient use of the harvester and the logistic system of dynamic allocation of the transportation resources ahead in the harvest. To make the harvester more efficient, a reduction of 40% of the laying time “awaiting transshipment” was proposed, which would result in a save of R$ 1.172.784,00/year. For this reduction five proposals were identified to be implemented in parallel: integration of the systems of the board computer and the traffic control system; integration of the board computers of the harvester and the transports; implementation of truck filling volume sensors; focus in the management of basis leaders; and, implementation of a multitask worker