Manufacturing Systems and Design New

This course introduces engineers to the diverse landscape of manufacturing systems, highlighting the strengths and applications of each. Participants will gain fluency in key industry terminology and performance metrics such as cycle time, utilization, and work in process. By connecting system design with continuous improvement strategies like Lean, QRM, and Theory of Constraints, engineers will be prepared to make data-driven decisions that enhance efficiency and responsiveness.

• Manufacturing and industrial engineers involved in process design or optimization.
• Operations managers and production supervisors seeking system-level insights.
• Engineering consultants and analysts focused on performance improvement.

1 – Manufacturing strategy and types of manufacturing systems

2 – Key metrics for manufacturing systems

3 – Bottlenecks, batching & Little’s Law

4 – Line balancing & cellular manufacturing

5 – Introduction to Lean, Theory of Constraints and Quick Response Manufacturing

Charlene Yauch

Charlene A. Yauch, Ph.D., P.E., has been an engineering educator for over 20 years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) and Oklahoma State University. Her notable honors include five teaching awards and a National Science Foundation Career grant. She has taught a wide variety of classes, including Manufacturing Systems Design & Analysis, Materials & Manufacturing Processes, Computer Numerical Control Machining, Automation Technologies, and Engineering Economy.

Her professional interests relate to the implementation of manufacturing system improvements, such as Quick Response, Lean, and Agile Manufacturing, with emphasis on the human, social, and organizational aspects. Prior to her doctoral degree, she worked in industry for six years, performing a wide variety of tasks for manufacturing firms, including simulation modeling, facility layout, and process improvement. She has also advised numerous student projects related to manufacturing system improvement.  Dr. Yauch has a multi-disciplinary educational background with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University, and graduate degrees in sociology (M.S.), manufacturing systems engineering (M.S.), and industrial engineering (Ph.D.) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.