Lean tool - Heijunka (Level production plan)

Like batch-production, it can seem efficient to group together the processing of products of the same type, to reduce the number if changeovers and benefit of economies of scale. However, this reinforces the creation of bottlenecks in the plant, because specific products can have higher impact on the charge of specific stations.

Mixing the types of products helps balance the charge and creates a more continuous flow. It is also beneficial to start production of smaller quantities, to benefit from one-piece-flow.

You can apply these principles and adjust the plan accordingly:

1. Select the "Level Product Mix" checkbox
2. Select the "Level Quantity" and choose 1pcs, corresponding to the batch size
3. Click on "Generate New Plan"

This will automatically adjust the production plan orders.

Instead of starting products in an order such as AAAABBBBAAAABBBB, it will level and mix products: ABABABABABABABAB.