2 One-Piece Flow
In this scenario, as the name suggests, the parts flow through the production processes one by one. Each production stage sends the item as soon as it is processed to the next stage, which starts processing right away and transfers it to the next process in line once complete. Thus, a perfect flow of materials is achieved. Although this kind of perfect flow is almost impossible to implement for a whole production line, it is a theoretical ideal that lean practitioners strive to achieve.
Simulation Part 2 – One-Piece Flow: 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 1 second to move a single piece between stations. We have received an order to produce ten badges. As you will see, each production stage processes a single item at a time then moves it to the next stage.
Credit: One-Piece Flow: Small Orders by Fatih Yegul and Conestoga College, CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0
