Modular Home off-site Construction Production Line Improvement

Abstract

Today modular and off-site construction practices are widely used as a novel approach to residential and commercial building construction. Although this approach is known for its high production efficiency and low material waste, manufacturers are facing the challenge of fully differentiating their modular construction procedures from the conventional construction approach. Manufacturers are thus seeking to continuously implement efficient methodologies to improve their production line effectiveness, thereby enhancing their market competitiveness. This paper proposes a methodology enabling the modular manufacturer to overcome this challenge and increase their assembly line productivity by implementing building information modelling (BIM)-supported lean manufacturing concepts, with a particular focus on the importance of the upstream pre-assembly line. This technique was implemented on a case-study, a residential modular factory, and increased the production line productivity by implementing the Lean-assembly concept. This approach is supported by the information provided from an enhanced BIM model generated to deliver accurate resource quantity required at each assembly station.