Is Japanese Cell Manufacturing a new system? A comparative study between Japanese Cell Manufacturing and Cellular Manufacturing

In this paper, the similarities and differences between Japanese Cell Manufacturing (JCM) and Cellular Manufacturing (CM) are compared in regard to the following four points: 1) implementation changes, 2) cell features, 3) advantages and disadvantages of implementation, and 4) mechanisms behind the advantages and disadvantages. The comparison made it clear that while some similarities exist in cell features and advantages and disadvantages of implementation, JCM and CM are completely different in terms of the implementation changes and mechanisms behind the advantages and disadvantages. CM is implemented as a result of shifting from a job shop to a flow shop, whereas JCM is implemented as a result of three changes in a flow shop. Based on these findings, it is possible to conclude that JCM is a new type of manufacturing system that should be considered separately from CM. However, existing studies that offer complex discussions of the similarities and differences of the two systems tend to focus on cell features and advantages of implementation. The fact that some similarities can be found in these two points could be the reason why JCM and CM are often considered to be the same.