Comments on: Batching is not (necessarily) a dirty word.

By: 642-825

642-825 — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I am totally agree with you on this, whatever you are going to batch One-piece flow (or single-piece flow) the idea is that we need to make product when a customer demand. but this thing can change the atmosphere.

By: Muthuvelan ST

Muthuvelan ST — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Dan
I totally agree with you on this. Whether to batch or go with single piece flow depends on the resources that is wasted (set up or change over is a muda -does not add value to customer) vs the value derived (for example quick turnaround time, consistent quality levels etc)

In the car example you are quoting, change over in a painting process is painful to wash away the previous color thoroughly to change to the next color on the painting nozzle of the robot etc and hence companies specifically use the grouping technique (through sequencing) for optimum throughput. However, in final assembly they could go for single piece flow as the wastages in changeover is very less compared to the benefits.

So, I would say whether to batch it or not solely depends on the Cost Vs Benefit analysis of batching vs single piece flow!!

By: dan

dan — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

CJ,

Thanks for the thoughtful comment. I agree with you in principle re: the paint shop. However, I’m mostly concerned with the effect of batching vs. single piece flow as it affects knowledge work. And in this case, I think batching is better.

By: C.J. Eyre

C.J. Eyre — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I disagree. Single piece creates stability, Stability helps to make abnormalities visible, such as “a painting process that is painful to wash the previous color thoroughly, when changing to the next color on the painting nozzle of the robot”. Now what you do with that makes all the difference. You can either batch and always (ignorantly) have that problem, or you can single piece and put pressure on it and fix it through kaizen. “Ignorance is bliss” but not when you strive to continually improve.
And as for cost v.s. benefit analysis – You can either deal with the long term cost of ignoring the problem, or fix it with the short term cost of improvement.