Yamaha's Revolutionary Production Line: A New Era of Flexible Manufacturing

Yamaha Motor revolutionizes motorcycle production with its 'Super General Purpose Production Line,' featuring a flexible Automated Guided Vehicle system. This innovation adapts to seasonal demand and minimizes losses, showcasing an efficient, streamlined assembly process while maintaining high operational efficiency and stable labor requirements.

Yamaha Motor has set a new benchmark in motorcycle manufacturing with the introduction of its 'Super General Purpose Production Line.' This advanced system incorporates an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) bypass system designed to adapt efficiently to seasonal fluctuations and the varied demands of global customers.

'Motorcycles are inherently seasonal,' explained Kenji Sogai of Yamaha Motor. 'For instance, off-road bikes gain popularity in summer, while sports bikes are sought after in the winter months. The primary hurdle to enhancing production efficiency was reducing factory inefficiencies year-round.' The innovative bypass line was introduced to cultivate a highly adaptable production environment. Smaller motorcycle models, comprising fewer components, proceed halfway along the production line before branching off to the final inspection area, while larger models with more parts continue on a dual-line route before reaching completion and inspection.

The setup has been optimized from four production lines down to two, with compact models assembled on one line and larger motorcycles on either one or two. Upon completion, AGVs transport the finished products to a rigorous inspection zone for thorough functional and aesthetic evaluation, ensuring every detail meets Yamaha's quality standards. Kenji Sogai noted that this system allows Yamaha to maintain a high annual operating rate while minimizing labor and resource wastage through the AGV bypass method.

(With inputs from agencies.)