We have moved to larger batch sizes to make our products profitable. Why does ‘Lean Manufacturing’ suggest we should be aiming for small batch sizes?
Ideally, lean manufacturing aims for batch sizes of one! However, where machine changeover times are long this is not practical. The optimum batch size is when the total production and changeover time on your bottleneck machinery is in alignment with customer demand. Focussing on reducing changeover times (using a technique known as ‘SMED’ = Single Minute Exchange of Dies) permits many more changeovers and hence smaller batches. Achieving smaller batches helps to reduce many of the manufacturing wastes: · Overproduction – smaller batches can allow you to produce the exact quantity the customer wants, no more and no less. · Waiting – smaller batches will reduce your manufacturing leadtime and will allow you to reschedule more quickly to respond to changing customer needs without having to keep them waiting. · Unnecessary Inventory – smaller batches will reduce inventory which will improve your cashflow and profits. · Defects – smaller batches permit quality problems to be spotted more q
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