In a production business, scheduling refers to the rate that units flow through the manufacturing line. Lean certification includes an analysis of scheduling, to modify the flow of items according to demand, and to enhance the flow with a high quality output.
There are numerous factors that go into the scheduling of a manufacturing line. Each factor needs to be identified and analyzed as an element of lean training. Demand is one of the inputs when considering scheduling rates.
Demand can be determined by the consumer requirement for the purchase of a product, or it can be dependent on a single step of a multi-step manufacturing process. If a unit is needed at a certain rate, then there is a demand for that unit to be produced, for example. There are overall demands on the production process,and there are incremental demands within the process.
In considering a traditional manufacturing business, overall demand may be the driver of the whole production process. For example, a marketing group may get information on consumer demand. They pass the information to another department, and finally the data gets all the way to the production department. This long communication path creates inefficiencies in the whole process.
One inefficiency is the communication flow from department-to-department. Another inefficient quality is the distance from the source of the information to its destination. Each department adds its own interpretation to the original data, and passes on its version of the information. By the time it reaches production, it can be quite different from the initial marketing data.
In lean manufacturing, the production line is broken up into cells. Each cell is responsible for scheduling. Each module, therefore, must locate a source of demand-data, whether it be from the outside world, or from another cell. The module and the demand-data are only a single step away from each other in this model. This allows for very accurate scheduling.
Another important part of scheduling is switching over from making one item, to making another variation of that item. This creates downtime, or a period where a section of the production line produces nothing. Scheduling downtime, and minimizing it, is a necessity in a production line. There is no way around downtime. There are ways to minimize its effects on the overall production process, however.
Being aware of demand allows the scheduling of downtime to be done at low demand periods. This is one way to lessen the effects of downtime. Another is to have a statistical analysis done to determine the best time to make changes in production.
Often the ideal moment is not determined by observation, but by mathematical data. Sometimes it is much better to break up a production run into halves or thirds, which may be counter-intuitive, but it cuts downtime by a significant amount, and benefits the production process, in general.
Using data analysis to assist with scheduling is a key factor in the lean manufacturing process. Putting into place feedback mechanisms and being close to the source of demand are examples of ways of making scheduling very efficient.
There are numerous factors that go into the scheduling of a manufacturing line. Each factor needs to be identified and analyzed as an element of lean training. Demand is one of the inputs when considering scheduling rates.
Demand can be determined by the consumer requirement for the purchase of a product, or it can be dependent on a single step of a multi-step manufacturing process. If a unit is needed at a certain rate, then there is a demand for that unit to be produced, for example. There are overall demands on the production process,and there are incremental demands within the process.
In considering a traditional manufacturing business, overall demand may be the driver of the whole production process. For example, a marketing group may get information on consumer demand. They pass the information to another department, and finally the data gets all the way to the production department. This long communication path creates inefficiencies in the whole process.
One inefficiency is the communication flow from department-to-department. Another inefficient quality is the distance from the source of the information to its destination. Each department adds its own interpretation to the original data, and passes on its version of the information. By the time it reaches production, it can be quite different from the initial marketing data.
In lean manufacturing, the production line is broken up into cells. Each cell is responsible for scheduling. Each module, therefore, must locate a source of demand-data, whether it be from the outside world, or from another cell. The module and the demand-data are only a single step away from each other in this model. This allows for very accurate scheduling.
Another important part of scheduling is switching over from making one item, to making another variation of that item. This creates downtime, or a period where a section of the production line produces nothing. Scheduling downtime, and minimizing it, is a necessity in a production line. There is no way around downtime. There are ways to minimize its effects on the overall production process, however.
Being aware of demand allows the scheduling of downtime to be done at low demand periods. This is one way to lessen the effects of downtime. Another is to have a statistical analysis done to determine the best time to make changes in production.
Often the ideal moment is not determined by observation, but by mathematical data. Sometimes it is much better to break up a production run into halves or thirds, which may be counter-intuitive, but it cuts downtime by a significant amount, and benefits the production process, in general.
Using data analysis to assist with scheduling is a key factor in the lean manufacturing process. Putting into place feedback mechanisms and being close to the source of demand are examples of ways of making scheduling very efficient.
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