1 Batching
Batching is the piling up of processed items before moving them to the next process. The goal is to minimize the setup/change over time between processing different items. Or, in the case of processing a single type of item, transporting items between production stages can be considered setup time. Production managers prefer to collect many processed items in a container before transferring them to the next stage rather than carry them one by one. Conveyor belts can overcome this hurdle when appropriate. Let’s watch the following simulation to learn more about how batching works.
Simulation Part 1 – Batching: Small Orders
In this simulation, we illustrate a simplified production line for manufacturing badges. The production processes are cutting, pressing, and stamping. We assume the line is balanced, meaning each step or station has the same amount of cycle time. In this simulation, the cycle time is 1.5 seconds, and it takes 3 seconds to move a batch of ten pieces between stations. We have received an order to produce ten badges. As you will see, each production stage stacks ten processed items before moving them together to the next stage.
Credit: Batching: Small Orders by Fatih Yegul and Conestoga College, CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0
Key Performance Indicators – Small Order Batching
Continue to Part 2. One-Piece Flow
the time required to process one item
