IS SINGLE-PIECE FLOW IN MANUFACTURING NOT OVERHYPED?

Which production system-batch flow (BF) or single-piece flow (SPF)-is better suited for your manufacturing shop? The article offers guidance on the best production system for your manufacturing facility and also weighs the benefits and drawbacks of batch flow (BF) and single-piece flow manufacturing (SPF).

In a manufacturing shop floor, there are a series of sequential value-adding operations carried out to deliver a finished product ready for customer consumption. This value flow process can be executed using a single-piece flow (SPF) (one-piece flows through a series of operations adjacent to each other) or a batch flow (BF) approach (flow of two or more pieces in a batch through the operations). Motorcycle assembly on an assembly line is an example of a single-piece flow, while washing and drying processes for a batch of 5-7 dirty clothes exemplify batch flow processing. Each flow approach has its pros and cons.

As a young disciple of lean manufacturing, I learned that SPF on shop floors is always beneficial. It facilitates material flow, space optimisation, and inventory control, thereby reducing operational costs.

It was shared that SPF is characterised by its speed, as waiting time per piece is negligible, thereby meeting customer needs faster and facilitating high equipment utilisation. It moves inventory faster, enhancing the stock turn ratio (STR) and reduces lead time, thereby improving responsiveness to customers. It also exposes quality issues quicker, only to be resolved, thereby mitigating customers' quality concerns. Lower labour costs and overheads are other important features of SPF. However, the characteristics of the BF are weak in each of these factors. The explanations were logical and convincing to me.