REDUCING PRODUCTION COSTS IN MOTORCYCLE MANUFACTURING THROUGH IMPROVED FUEL UTILIZATION DURING UNIT TESTING AT FACTORY X: A DESIGN THINKING APPROACH

Abstract

In this study, fuel consumption during unit-testing of motorcycles at Factory X was optimized using design thinking, a structured and human-centered innovation methodology. The conventional practice of fuel filling was based on estimation, which led to excess usage, waste, and inconsistent ignition performance. The research employed the five stages of design thinking, namely Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test, to identify the root causes of behavior, procedure, and technology, and created an ergonomic fuel nozzle prototype consisting of functional and flow mechanics principles. Testing on 22,400 units showed significant reductions in the average fuel consumption from 318.5 ml to 200 ml per unit (37.2% reduction), with successful ignition performance of 99.991%. Annual savings of about 138,645 liters of gasoline (IDR 2.88 billion) were achieved, while the ease of use for operators was improved and rework was reduced. These results demonstrate that it is possible to bridge the gap between human behavior and technical capability, make the process more efficient, and build sustainable cost and process innovations.