Module 5 Discussion Question
Module 5 Discussion: Flow and Pull.
Discussion Board: Flow and Pull
What Lean tools are used with pull, and how are they used?
Guidelines
Submit your initial post of at least 250 words by the due date at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Lean Six Sigma
Creating Flow
Flow the Third Lean Principle
Flow is the third of the 5 lean principles. Flow is how the product, patient, claim, service, or
sandwich or whatever you do moves through the value stream. Where there is a physical
output (a widget in manufacturing or a patient in the doctors office), it is easy to see the flow.
In information-based or transactional environments (such as call centers or insurance claim
processing), it is more difficult to see the flow.
Whether it is a tangible product or an intangible output, flow is fundamental to Lean
operations. In the absence of good flow, you have processes that are confusing, that perform
poorly, that mask problems, and just generally are loaded with muda!
Lets explore a couple of examples.
Examples of Typical Situations
The Doctors Office Visit
We all occasionally go to the doctors office. From the initial contact to make an appointment
to the final step (depending on what you define as the final step), the visit is a series of steps
that are executed in some sort of flow. What might a typical visit look like?
Call for appointmentand wait
Check in at deskand wait
Nurse/tech takes vitals and gathers infoand wait
Doctor comes in, diagnoses, and prescribes
Send over to lab for testand wait
Draw sample for lab testand wait
And beyond!
You see lots of starts/stops and disruptions to the flow. Does this flow result in a satisfied
customer/patient? The answer probably depends on the customer/patient expectations, but it
is easy to see that there are opportunities for improvement once the value has been defined.
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The Manufacturing Order
Now, lets look at a manufacturing order. In a current state process, the value-added (VA) steps
are likely mixed in with many non-value-added (NVA) steps. If the flow is undefined, messy, or
confusing, you can bet there will be opportunities for improvement with effective flow. What
might a typical order look like?
Customer asks for quoteand wait
Turn quote into production orderand wait
Parts ordered from supplierand wait
First operation completeand wait
Second operation machine downand wait
Final operation completeand wait
Find missing shipping infoand wait
And more!
Again, you can see many starts/stops and disruptions to flow. You can begin to imagine each of
the different eight wastes residing somewhere in that flow.
Both of these examples illustrate conditions where effective implementation of flow will
produce great benefits, regardless of industry or type of process.
Two Kinds of Flow
To better understand the power of flow, lets break the flow topic into two different kinds of
flow. They are:
Streamlined flow the path the product or service takes to completion
Continuous flow once the product or service starts, it does not stop
Lets look at each type of flow more closely.
Streamlined Flow
Streamlined flow deals with the path in which the work moves. Think of a two-dimensional
picture of the path of work sounds like a spaghetti diagram!
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What does the picture look like? Is it clear, concise, easy to understand, maybe even U-shaped?
Or does it wind around, crisscross, go from one end of facility to the other end, and then back?
We can look at the streamlined flow within a work area, within a facility, or even across an
entire extended value stream. Once you start to study and document the condition of
continuous flow in a process, you may find that it will be the first-time people working in and
supporting the process have ever given consideration the flow.
Continuous Flow
Continuous flow deals with the disruptions (or lack thereof) in the process. Lets consider
manufacturing situation where there are four operations to make the part.
How many times do you pick it up and put it down? Does it move directly to the next operation,
or does it go to warehouse or WIP (work-in-progress) location or wherever there is some
open space to sit and wait?
The alternative is for the layout to be designed so the part is picked up at the first operation,
then handed to the second operation without waiting and repeated until operations are
complete. In the ideal state, the part never touches the ground and never stops. Talk about WIP
reduction throughput time decrease and easy to control shop floor!
Now, lets consider a service industry example, the sit-down mid-level restaurant. What might
the disruptions be to continuous flow in this environment?
Did you have to wait either because there was no capacity or because the empty tables have
not been bussed? Is the server available promptly? Is there too much or too little time between
the salad and the main course? Did some of the food have to go back to kitchen, which gets
that person out of sync with rest of party?
Or is there a smooth, calm, predictable, continuous flow that results in a satisfied customer?
As with the rest of the lean ideas, continuous and streamlined flow transcend industry
boundaries.
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Slow Down to Speed Up?
When was the last time your boss told you to slow down? This sounds counter-intuitive! But
sometimes that is exactly what should be done.
Consider a process with four operations again. If Operation #3 produces at 70% rate of the
other three operations, what happens? Operation #2 buries Operation #3 because #2 is faster
than #3, and Operation #4 is starved because it produces faster than #3 resulting in lots of
muda.
So, what might the countermeasure be to achieve balanced streamlined one-piece continuous
flow? Assuming that the pace Operation #3 is running is satisfactory to meet the customer
demand, you could slow down the whole process to match the constraint (Operation #3). If the
whole operation needs to run at the pace of Operations #1, #2, and #4, then you must figure
out how to get more resource (capacity) for Operation #3 (after you have eliminated all the
muda, or course!).
In short, sometimes it does make sense to slow down to make the overall process more
effective and efficient.
Batch and Queue
Our traditional ways of operating with batch and queue practices automatically build in
disruptions to flow. We take a batch of 5 or 50 or 500 parts or claims or patients whichever is
relevant to your industry. Batch and queue instills a very lumpy and disrupted process; that is
one of our great opportunities for improvement!
The following example Illustrates the impact batch and queue versus one-piece flow. Note that
the batch of 10 takes 40 minutes for the entire 10 pieces to complete, while the one-piece flow
takes 13 minutes for all 10 pieces to complete.
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How Does Flow and Pull Affect Speed?
Batch & Queue with Poor Flow
I
Inv = 10
Oper.
#1
Finishe d
Goods
I
Inv = 10
Oper.
#2
I
Inv = 10
Oper.
#3
I
Inv = 10
Oper.
#4
Lot of congestion and
crossing intersections
Difficult to see flow
Introduces muda of
transportation and
motion
Difficult to communicate
between processes
Push!!!
How Does Flow and Pull Affect Speed?
One-Piece Flow in U-Shaped Cell
I
Inv = 1
Oper.
#1
I
In
v
=
1
O
pe
r.
#2
I
In
v
=
1
O
pe
r.
#3
I
Inv = 1
Oper.
#4
Finishe d
Goods
U-shaped cell defines
flow
Easy to see the process
Transportation and mo-
tion muda reduced
Upstream and down-
stream operators can
communicate Pull!!!
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(Mfg Leadtime – Assuming Cycle Time = 1 Min and Use FIFO)
Batch & Queue with Poor Flow One-Piece Flow in U-Shaped Cell
I
Inv = 10
Oper.
#1
Finishe d
Goods
I
Inv = 10
Oper.
#2
I
Inv = 10
Oper.
#3
I
Inv = 10
Oper.
#4
MFG LT for 1 piece or entire lot =
10 + 10 + 10 + 10 = 40 min.
MFG LT for 1 piece =
1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 4 min.
MFG LT for entire lot = 13 min.
I
Inv = 1
Oper.
#1
I
In
v
=
1
O
pe
r.
#2
I
In
v
=
1
O
pe
r.
#3
I
Inv = 1
Oper.
#4
Finishe d
Goods
Lean Six Sigma
Spaghetti Mapping
Spaghetti mapping is a tool in Lean Six Sigma that can be used to expose
inefficient process layouts, unnecessary travel, and overall process
waste. This Lean technique uses a line to trace the path of a person or
object throughout a process to create a spaghetti diagram.
The steps for aping a spaghetti diagram are as follows:
1. Create a map of the work area layout
2. Observe the current workflow and draw the actual work path from
the very beginning of work to the end when products exit the work area
3. Analyze the spaghetti chart and identify improvement opportunities
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Quick Changeover
Introduction
This lecture will discuss single minute exchange of die (SMED). At the
end of this lecture, students should be able to:
Discuss the history of SMED and its importance
Identify the eight steps of SMED implementation
Describe the different wastes addressed by SMED
Definition
Quick changeover refers to the amount of time it takes for operators to
set up equipment to move from processing one type of product to
another.
History
Shigeo Shingo working for Toyota, one of the architects of Toyota
Production System (TPS), is recognized as the developer of single minute
exchange of die (SMED).
Observed that long changeovers resulted in long lead times, large
lot sizes, and reduced utilization
Figure 2: Toyota Production System Model
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At the time, Toyotas objective was to reduce set-up time by
59/60ths of a minute, or 1 (one) minute. SMED approach
creates process for and expectation of changeover is less than 10
minutes.
SMED is important because it adds value, reduces waste, and allows
to produce optimum lots sizes based on the organization.
Changeover Time Definition
Last good part of previous run to first good part of next run
More than just sliding old die out new die in.
Includes tweaking, finding tooling, and other NVA tasks
Importance of SMED
Changeover time is not value-added
Expensive resources not producing
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Opens capacity and relieves constraints
Allows to make what we need, not what is determined by economics
of long changeover
8 Techniques to SMED
As with many of the lean methods and tools, a defined approach
or structure is helpful to be consistent and effective
With SMED, there are eight steps or techniques
Each step builds on the previous step in a logical way
1. Separate Internal from External
Internal is work done while the machine (or process) is stopped
Cannot unclamp die set while ram is still going up and down
Study the process to understand which is internal and which is
external
Capitalize on the low-hanging fruit!
2. Convert Internal to External
Evaluate work that is internal for opportunities to convert to
external
Look for opportunities such as pre-set tools and robust locators to
eliminate tweak/adjust
Ideal changeover time is ZERO…through ideas like
universal fixtures
3. Standardize
Look for ways to standardize the changeover work
The way parts are fixtured, the way materials are presented, and
the way information is delivered might be done in standard ways
Standardization removes the need for judgement, second-
guessing, and confusion
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4. Clamping and Fastening
Securing the part(s) is essential to producing quality products
(weld, machining, or assembling)
Are clamps and fasteners manual (tightened by hand), or are they
quick clamp pneumatic or magnetic?
Are connections quick-connect/disconnect or individual
threaded connections manifold connector or one-at-a-time
connectors?
5. Intermediate Positioning
Look for ways to position the work prior to stopping the machine,
especially for work that requires manual attention
Use a duplicate jig or fixture to prepare the next work piece
Move some of the loading time from internal to external
6. Parallel Operations
Sometimes, the changeover time can be reduced by having two
people concurrently work
Think of a machine or process where there are front and back
sides
Instead of one person going back and forth, have two work
concurrently
7. Eliminate Adjustments
Think of all the waste involved in set-up: run a piece, check the
piece, adjust, run another piece, check the piece, adjust, and
repeat!
The Lean practitioner is always looking for ways to eliminate the
adjustments since this may account for 50% of the internal
changeover time
Tool setting, positive locators, standard process, and proper
training are all ways to reduce and eliminate adjustments
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8. Mechanize and Automate
The final step in SMED may involve spending capital, which is
why the other steps should be done first
Consider earlier industrial technology that may have required run,
check, shim, and run again versus more current technology that
can self-probe and adjust during a machine cycle
Be creative with Steps 1 through 7 before spending money on
Step 8
Recognizing the Eight Wastes
Understanding the eight wastes is foundation for the lean body
of knowledge
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You will see each of the eight wastes as you implement SMED
and quick changeover
Challenge the changeover task and look for solutions through the
lens of eight wastes
Quick Changeover for Non-Manufacturing
Turnaround time for room in ER
Moving from last quote to next quote
Changing from breakfast menu to lunch menu
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Using Takt Time and Cycle Time
Some Operational Questions
Regardless of your industry, how do you answer these operational questions?
How fast do we need to run?
Are operations balanced?
Where is the constraint?
Do we need to add a machine, person, or shift?
Can we meet our customers demand?
Is it anecdotal based on past experience? What does the wisest person in the operation
think? Or what do the supervisors believe? Making these decisions with data instead of gut
instinct is critical to a Lean operation. Takt time (TT) and cycle time (CT) help to make data-
based decisions.
Definitions
Are you a musician, or do you have family members who are musicians? If so, you can probably
relate to the comparison of the metronome to takt time. Simply put, takt time is the pace you
need to produce to meet your customer demand. The equation is takt time equals available
time divided by units of demand. The result is time per unit of demand.
Cycle time is the pace you are really running at. A best practice when trying to understand cycle
is to go to the gemba to go see. Also, it would be a good idea to take along a stopwatch to
measure the cycle time firsthand.
Takt time and cycle time are independent of one another, but, when together, tell a story.
When the takt time (pace to meet customer demand) is compared to the cycle time (pace you
Takt Time =
Available Time
Units of Demand
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are actually producing at), you have the information to assess whether or not you can meet
your customer demand.
Chart 1: Takt Time / Cycle Time Chart
You can see that the takt time / cycle time chart pulls these critical and independent pieces of
together in one place. Lets assume this is a cell with three operations. The columns show the
cycle times for Operations A, B, and C. The horizontal line shows the takt time for this example.
An informed picture about the cell begins to emerge.
Observations include:
Operation As cycle time is greater than takt time (cycle time = 90 seconds, and takt
time = 70 seconds). That indicates a problem because Operation A cannot produce
enough to meet demand
Operation B and C cycle times are both at or below the takt time (Op. B cycle time = 50
seconds and Op. C cycle time = 60 seconds). You should be okay to meet the demand,
although you might consider some line balancing to optimize the cycle time closer to the
takt time
Assuming the demand is fixed and that you cannot move part of Op. As work to Op. B
and Op. C, then you must create more available time. This could be increased by adding
another machine, person, or partial/extended shift, for example
The takt time / cycle time chart provides a visual representation of the data that is of utmost
importance to the supervisor, planner, plant manager, and others who have a vested interest in
the cells ability to produce what is needed to satisfy your customers.
0
20
40
60
80
100
A B C
Cy
cl
r
Ti
m
e
S
ec
on
ds
Operation
Takt Time / Cycle Time Chart
Takt Time
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Factors Influencing Takt Time
The ingredients in the takt time calculation require decisions to operational matters that are
often addressed in non-disciplined manners. The takt time calculation flushes out these issues
and makes management/leadership input an absolute necessity. As you look at the factors that
influence the takt time, you will take a more disciplined and scientific approach to managing
the machine, work cell, or even the overall operation.
Some factors that influence the available time (the numerator in the takt time equation)
include:
People-paced operation the number of people. If you add one person for an eight-
hour shift, then the available time increases, which results in takt time increase
Machine-paced operation If you pick up four hours from another machine that is
under-utilized, then the available time increases and the takt time increases
Shift adjustments Add a shift, and available time increases
Overlapped work schedules Change the shift time start and/or end so that you gain
additional clock hours during the workday
Some factors that influence the units of demand (denominator in the takt time calculation)
include:
Variation in demand pattern during a period – For example, demand might be higher on
Monday and Tuesday before tapering off during the rest of the week
Seasonal demand differences Classic example is a company that manufactures lawn
care equipment. This company may have heavy demand in late winter and spring
followed by light demand in late summer and fall
Specific marketing or sales effort This effort might artificially cause the demand to
spike during the promotion effort, but might also influence a drop in demand if sales are
artificially pulled forward
Simply not knowing what the demand will be This might happen with a new product
launch. There may be differing opinions on the potential demand. Further, there may be
hesitancy to commit to a level of demand for fear of repercussions if wrong
Each of these available time and demand scenarios must be thoroughly considered because any
changes will affect the resulting takt time. You can see that some of the decisions required to
address the available time and demand inputs should have the attention of management and
leadership.
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Optimal Staffing
Once you have the takt time and cycle time information, you can use the optimal staffing
calculation to determine a theoretical staffing level. This is useful in situations where there
might be multiple operations in a cell or where you have multiple stations on an assembly line.
The optimal staffing number provides a target level of staffing to work from.
The calculation is optimal staffing equals the sum of the cycle times divided by the takt time.
You have already either gathered or figured these values as you created the takt time / cycle
time chart. The optimal staffing is an extension of the analysis.
Lets continue the previous example and assume that the cycle times identified are valid. In this
case, the optimal staffing for the cell is (90 seconds + 50 seconds + 60 seconds) divided by 70
seconds. The result is 2.9 people. This analysis could be useful when setting up a new cell or
relocating an operation. The optimal staffing calculation helps to make the decision objective
rather than subjective.
Example of Takt Time / Cycle Time Analysis
Lets consider a hypothetical situation. You have an assembly line that has eight assemblers in
the current state operation. You are going to move the line into a new building and have
decided to study the operation and make modifications prior to landing in the new spot.
You have observed the operation and identified several obvious examples of muda (remember
the eight wastes?). Using the lean methods, tools, and techniques you have learned throughout
your lean journey, you reduced the cycle time on several operations by driving out the muda.
As a result, the new cycle times by operation from Operation 1 through Operation 8 are:
OP CT
1 18
2 15
3 20
4 13
Optimal Staffing =
Sum of Cycle Times
Takt Time
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5 14
6 18
7 12
8 17
The demand for this product is consistently 20 units per day. You run a one-shift, eight
hours/shift operation and have 40 minutes of planned downtime (20-minute lunch and two 10-
minute breaks). Therefore, the takt time is 22 minutes/unit (Calculation is 440 minutes/day
divided by 20 units/day.). The results are shown in Chart 2: Example Takt Time / Cycle Time
Chart.
Chart 2: Example Takt Time / Cycle Time Chart
Observations from the takt time / cycle time chart include:
Takt time (the red line at 22 minutes) is greater than each of the cycle times. Therefore,
you can meet your customers demand
The operations are not balanced. The minimum gap between cycle time and takt time
two minutes at Operation 3 and the maximum gap is 10 minutes at Operation 7. The
other cycle times are spread between these two extremes
Now, you are faced with the question about staffing. Do you move the line as is with the eight
assemblers, or do you try to optimize by using fewer fully loaded workstations? If you are going
to dun with fewer, then what is the number? Is it four people, six people, or maybe seven
people? This is where optimal staffing can help to set an objective target.
0
5
10
15
20
25
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
M
in
u
te
s
Assembly Operation
Example Takt Time / Cycle Time Chart
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The inputs to optimal staffing are sum of the cycle times (18 + 15 + 20 + 13 + 14 + 18 + 12 + 17 =
127 minutes). The takt time is 22 minutes. Optimal staffing is 127 minutes / 22 minutes = 5.8
people. In this case, you will round up to six people.
With six people as your optimal staffing target, you will begin to look for ways to combine tasks,
move tasks around, create shared work, or otherwise develop methods to move toward staffing
with six or seven people. Without the takt time /cycle time and optimal staffing analysis, you
may well have simply said (or listened to your production supervisor/manager say) we must
stay at eight people!
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Cellular Design
Terminology
Water spider: somebody who is supplying material to the cell
o The water spider is actually non-value-add. They are keeping
the value-add employees inside of the cell, adding value at
the highest possible percentage by supplying them with the
material they need
Work in process (WIP): a type of inventory
o WIP is work in process inventory as well as finished goods
inventory
o A good cellular design minimizes work in process inventory
Takt time: takt is the German word from taktzeit, or the conductors
baton or rhythm
o Takt time is the customer demand rate or the rhythm we need
to produce
Single piece flow or single unit flow: the concept of having things
always flowing instead of making things in batches
Creating Flow
A good cellular design is all about creating flow, and a good Lean
system will create flow and eliminate waste. An excellent way to create
flow is through a good cellular design. A cellular design is U-shaped, and
the reasons for that are:
No corners. Corners impede flow, so that is why there are no corners
in a U-shape
With a U-shape, material can be delivered to, and finished goods can
be picked up from, the same point.
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The U-shaped cell points toward the aisle where material handlers
can enter. We keep working and add value within the cell
With a U shape, the space in between equipment can be minimized
by keeping the equipment tightly grouped together, meaning there
will not be a lot of room for inventory
A U shape means there will be constant motion, so there is no
waiting. Machines will not be waiting, operators will not be waiting,
and inventory will not be waiting
Goals of Good Cellular Design
The goals of a good cellular design are flow characterized by
continuous motion and zero work between value-add operations
Single piece flow, not batches
The goal is to get to a single piece flow from step to step. That
means no waste or waiting
No operators waiting, no materials waiting, and no inventory
waiting. Minimal transportation and motion waste
The other advantage that comes with single piece flow is immediate
feedback to the previous operation
Errors are immediately identified at the next operation, and they are
contained by immediate feedback that says, Stop, there’s a
problem, rather than making an entire batch of product and passing
it on to the next operation
When using cellular design and single piece flow, lead times are
drastically reduced
Smaller lot sizes are completed and passed on at each step
Lead times are drastically reduced because all operations are being
done in parallel instead of waiting and doing the entire batch
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This means we drastically improved productivity
Production Planning & Scheduling
Heijunka is a Japanese term for leveling. The concept is used for leveling the rate
of production regardless of fluctuation in demand. It is meant to utilize maximum
plant capacity and to maintain workforce levels. This can lead to stockpiling if
customer demand drops off. So, care must be taken to prevent the waste of
overproduction and inventory. A heijunka box is a visual scheduling tool used in
production.
In traditional scheduling, parts or products are scheduled by day, batches, or lots,
regardless of demand. This results in stockpiling inventory with the expectation of
filling future orders. It takes neither changes in resources nor customer demand
changes into consideration. Notice that specific parts or products are scheduled
exclusively for a specific day. When using leveling, all parts or products are
scheduled for each day, not at just one specific part or product per day. This allows
for rapid adjustment in volumes and changes due to resource constraints, supplier
issues, and customer demand. It allows adjustments that respond better to
customer demand and results in less inventory. This levelling works with Kanban
and pull systems to support Just-In-Time manufacturing.
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Takt Time and Cycle Time
Takt time is customer demand rate. Here is an example for how to
calculate this.
If an organization demanded 1,000 units a day and there were
two shifts, each eight hours long, then that would be two times
eight hours times 60 minutes
However, if each shift took a 20-minute lunch break and two 10-
minute breaks, that means there are 40 minutes in each shift that
are nonproductive, or 80 minutes total
So, subtract that from the total amount of available time and
divide by a thousand, and that equals 0.88 of a minute, which is
the takt time
This is the rate at which that organization needs to be producing
to keep up with customer demand. And it is crucial that you never
round up with this number
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Next, plan the cycle time, which should be something slightly faster
than takt time, and that increase in speed depends on how much waste
is in the system. The more waste and unplanned downtime there is, the
faster the planned cycle time needs to be.
Workload Balancing and the Time Observation Form
Workload balancing involves observing the process using a time
observation form. Let’s talk about the steps to workload balancing,
which is the real magic behind cellular design.
1. Watch the process go through a few cycles and record each of
the steps down the left side of the form. Then, across the top,
number 1, 2, 3, 4 for the number of cycles you are going to
watch
2. You want to observe not less than 10 full cycles
3. Observe the process with a running stopwatch, recording the
time at which each step ends
4. Do the math to find out how long each step took. Take the
running time when that step finished and subtract the running
time when the previous step finished. That is the cycle time for
that step for that cycle
5. The goal of this is to get the lowest repeating amount of time
that that step can be done in
6. Then repeat that as part of the standard work
Cycle Time Bar Chart
Organizations use this data to create a cycle time bar chart. Here is an
example. In this scenario, you observed a five-step process, and these
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were the lowest repeating times that were achieved for the five steps:
Step A, 70 seconds; Step B, 25 seconds; Step C, 60 seconds; Step D, 10
seconds; and Step E, 15 seconds. So here are the steps:
1. Create a bar chart with these five steps on it
2. Put a horizontal line at your takt time of 52.8 seconds
3. Put another horizontal line at your planned cycle time, which is 45
seconds
4. To rebalance the workload of the steps, combine steps D and E
into one bar, which would be 25 seconds long
5. Then, rebalance the workload across the remaining four steps, the
ABC and the DE combinations
6. Shift 20 seconds from Step C to the DE combination, take five
seconds from Step B and move it to Step C, and take 25 seconds
from Step A and move it to Step B
7. By doing that, you have rebalanced all of the workload to 45
seconds for each of the four steps
Cross-Functional Teams
When using and designing a good cell, it is important to use cross-
functional teams. In order to rebalance the workload, organizations
need to have employees who are cross-trained and able to
do different jobs, different functions. So, it is critical that value-add
employees from both within and outside the cell are part of designing
the cell.
Kaizen Events
One method you might use to implement a good cellular design is a
five-day kaizen event
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It is not the only way to design and implement a cell, but it is
something to consider
Cellular Design in a Service Industry
Let’s talk about a few examples. We used the manufacturing
example to go through the cycle time bar chart, but what if I worked
in the service industry? Think about health care
o For example, patients must continually flow from step to step
to step
o We want to come in, get treated, and go out the door
Do not dismiss cellular design just because you are not
manufacturing parts
Conclusion
Cellular design is characterized by a constant state of flow
Everything is always in motion. We have eliminated the waste of
waiting for inventory, machines, and people
The goals of a good cellular design include the elimination of the
waste of waiting, the virtual elimination of work in process
inventory, and the drastic reduction in lead times
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Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
Introduction
Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) is a performance measure that
encompasses three elements of flow:
Availability
Performance
Quality
It is a percentage of how much quality product a machine actually
produced divided by the most quality product that equipment is
capable of producing:
OVERALL EQUIPMENT EFFECTIVENESS
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OEE = Number Produced/Number Capable of Being Produced
OEE can also be applied to work cells and departments as well
as people and manufacturing in the service industry.
Availability = Number of Hours Running/Number of Planned
Hours Runnin
